Time tracking is one of the most important skills for lawyers who bill by the hour or conduct any business outside the office. Accurate time tracking can help you as a lawyer reach your goals and in the end benefit you, your clients and firm. Time is money; there is nowhere where this ideology applies more than the law office. If you can be able to correctly track your billable hours and hence charge your clients accordingly then, this would equates to running a successful and profitable law practice. The world has evolved and time tracking now no longer requires the use of a pen, paper and wristwatch. Billable time tracking can now be done on your phone with the help of an app.
Since time is so precious, many lawyers are turning to time tracking applications to keep track of the time spent in each case, and hours expended on behalf of the client. There are many different types of applications in the market today, but here are five of the best. These apps can help your capture both the quality and quantity of your billable time, adapt the ones you feel will work best for you and your clients.
The Time Master App
This iPhone and iPad app is a great stand-alone app for lawyers that are always on the go. It is one of the most popular time tracking options for attorneys. The app enables you to maintain multiple running times which eliminates the need to worry about double, or triple entries and helps you better manage your time. You can be able to categorize your clients and your time entries by task and project and even use sub-categories to do so. You can search, arrange and sort individual or group tasks by a certain client making your work more organized.
Time master has features that can enable you to import your client’s information via CSV file and export IIF files. You will also have a full backup and restore option to your information. The app also allows you to sync between more than two devices. Also, for a one-time fee, you can be able to complete invoicing within the app and then export it to QuickBooks. The Time Master is priced at $9.99 and has a fee of $9.99 per each upgrade.
The Simple Time Tracking App
This is one of the easiest time keeping apps to use, and has a number of features that attorneys and other professional will appreciate. You can find this app by visiting GetHarvest.com. The software makes it easier for lawyers to keep track of time spent on a case or on a client, this makes it easier to accurately see the time spent in each area and thus charge the client accordingly.
Apart from enabling you to easily analyze the amount spent on each case, you can also be able to see the nature of that time. There is an analysis feature that makes it easier for the lawyer to see which area will be more profitable to invest in. As a wise lawyer you can then direct your firm’s resources to that area. You can also use the app to compile a bill for your client. The billing summary will show the number of hours worked on the client’s case for that month.
iTimekeep
This is an iPhone and iPad app that actually works with a variety of desktop applications, such as TABS. It is very easy to use and can therefore be suitable for all types of attorneys. If your office uses a desktop app like TABS, then you may want to consider the iTimeKeep application too. This app is actually very efficient to use, once you login into your account at work, you will have instant access to all your clients, entries, tasks etc. there is no limit to the amount to users that you can add, this is definitely an important addition. Besides this, all the data is stored using high-grade security protocols so as to protect you and your client’s information.
As a lawyer you are free to choose between the stand-alone time recording functions or the Belle field Connect system to integrate with your firm’s billing. Use can use the app with many of the billing software packages such as Time Matters, PClaw, ProLaw, Juris, Amicus and Tabs3 among others. In addition to this, with iTimekeep you can record your information by the matter numbers and case name which are important for billing.
TimeClock
This is an app that is specially made for the android market. It is no secret that android apps are less in number compared to those for the iPhone or iPad. Therefore, you can use the TimeClock app if you have an android operated device. It is a good choice for any lawyer that uses an Android phone.
This app contains quite a number of features that lawyers will find very useful, such as the ability to enter time increments and even generate detailed billing histories and invoices for each client. This is an app that is intuitive as well as easy to use making it great for use by lawyers who have had a hard time with other time management apps. It allows the lawyer to track billable hours while working and thus use the information to generate detailed reports, invoices and other documents. As a lawyer this can save you on valuable time that you could invest elsewhere.
Bill4Time
Bill4Time is a comprehensive billing and invoicing system and most suitable for use as a timekeeping system for small business. It has the ability to track everything from expenses and time to the client and the project information. The reporting and invoicing functions of this software are without a doubt unmatched on this list.
The Bill4Time app unfortunately, is not a standalone app for time keeping. You will therefore need to purchase the billing software that comes along with it so as to gain the most from the app. The Bill4Time software is available from a fee of $9.99 and the Bill4Time legal software packages are about $19.99.
