Using the Billing Screen
Using the Billing Screen
On the top icon bar of Redbrick click on the 'Billing' button and a spreadsheet like screen will appear.
As in the example image above, you will see that the screen has two tabs. One is called Our Costs which is used for quotes and bills/invoices. The other tab is called Completion Statement which is for completion (financial) statements.
This screen is comparable to, but not the same as, Excel. For example, formulas can be used within the screen to auto calculate some mathematics, but the language used in the formula may differ.
When you first click on the billing screen within a matter, the default billing template will appear. Depending on what was agreed with your administrators when the system was set up, this may or may not be filled out with default entries covering charges and disbursements. Note - if your default billing template is empty or you feel it contains erroneous information, please contact your systems administrator who should be able to help.
Entering Values
If you need to add or amend a fee or disbursements description or amount, simply click on the cell that you require, and your cursor will appear towards the top of the screen. Just type the information and press Enter to lock it in (this is important as pressing Tab, or simply clicking out of the area, will not save the entry).
You only need to update the data in column A and/or column B. Where applicable, the VAT will automatically calculate into Column C with the total appearing in Column D.
Alternatively you may type into any blank cell to add whatever description (in column A) and value (in column B) as required.
Note 1 - If a default added item is not applicable in the transaction you are dealing with you do not need to remove text or wording in column A. If there is a zero value in B (and or column D) then that wording is not pulled into any document you generate. This means a whole set of standard charges can be listed and the user only needs to zero the value rather than remove the whole line or wording.
Note 2 - Some fields will auto-calculate based on previously set criteria. Overtyping these fields can stop the calculations if changes are made later on - e.g. SDLT amount on a Purchase matter is calculated by the Contract Price and other variables that can affect the rate (first time buyer, etc.). Please be aware of this when manually changing figures and, if in doubt, speak to a member of staff or our Support team.
For completion statements the screens work in a similar way, in that some figures may auto-populate if set to do so. Or you can manually type in amounts in column B, plus descriptions in column A.
Creating a Document
When you are happy with the items entered into the Billing screen(s), click Create Document, or, tick the relevant task in the Progress screen.
A New Document window will appear (see 'Document User Guide' for more information on this) with the Billing document type already selected. If your billing templates are located elsewhere (e.g. Client / Solicitor) then change the dropdown to the right recipient and search for the template you need to create. From here, all you need to do is double-click on the highlighted document for it to open in Word format.
Please note - Billing documents can take longer to open that regular documents and letters because every cell in the billing screen is being checked for a value before being pulled into the document (as previously explained, if the value of a disbursement is '£0.00' it will not appear in the document).
Once the document has finished populating, it should appear in your own format with information that reflects the entries in the billing screen - it should look something like this (or your own template).
If you have created the document outside of the Progress screen and this document is attached to a task, the system will ask if you want to tick the task off.
From this point onward, the process is the same as any other document (see 'Document User Guide' for more information).
If you find incorrect information on the document, check the billing screen first as this document should be mirroring exactly what is in there. If you find the problem again in the billing screen, amend it there and generate the document again.
If you find that the calculations are wrong, contact your administrator who will be able to fix it.
Related Articles
Costs Tables (For Administrators)
Cost Table Values on billing screens can be pulled from the Cost Table, which can be accessed through the Options Menu and clicking on Cost Table (administrator access only) You can edit an existing value by clicking Edit, or add a new fee with New. ...Using the Leases Screen (Apportionments)
Leases The Leases Screen can be used to work out various apportionments such as Ground Rent or Service Charges. Ground Rent, Service Charge and Insurance are automatically selected in the first 3 areas however you can use these areas for any ...Change Fee Earner from the Find Screen
If you want to change a fee earner on a matter, you can do so on the Find Screen. This means you don't need to load a matter each time you need to change one. To do this, locate and highlight the matter you wish to change on your Find Screen then ...Zipping Documents from the Document Screen
You can easily create a zip folder from your documents screen. To do this, simply select the documents you wish to Zip (either holding Shift or Ctrl on your keyboard to select multiple) Right Click and select Export to Zip This then creates a zip ...Drag and Drop files from out of the Document Screen
You can easily drag and drop files from the Document screen into email as attachments or to other locations such as your desktop or a folder. Simply highlight one or more documents and drag to another location outside of RPM including dragging them ...