What You Can Do with Client Billing Rules

Using Client Billing Rules, your team can:

📄 Define invoice formatting, frequency, and required fields
💵 Set billing rate limits for attorneys and staff
📊 Enforce client-specific billing policies across all cases
🔒 Prevent overbilling and ensure compliance with client contracts

Firm Level Billing Rules

When your Casefriend account was first set up, your firm’s default billing rules were saved under:

🖱️Settings > Firm Settings > Billing Options

These rules serve as the foundation for all client billing configurations. Each time you add a new client, Casefriend automatically applies these defaults to the new Client, ensuring consistency across your firm.

You can customize these rules for individual clients as needed.

Client Level Billing Rules

Once a client is added to Casefriend, you can customize their billing rules to reflect specific contract terms, rate sheets, and invoice formatting preferences from the Client Editor:

🖱️Contacts > Clients > Select a Client > Billing Rules tab

 What You Can Configure

From the Billing Rules tab in the Client Manager, you can adjust:

• Billing Template (e.g., PDF)
• Billing Type (e.g., Hourly)
• Billing Frequency (e.g., End of Month, Quarterly)
• Time Entry Character Limit (e.g., 255 characters)
• Max Billable Hours per Day (e.g., 10 hours)
• Alert Threshold for Billable Hours (e.g., 8 hours)
• Minimum Invoice Amount (e.g., $2000)
• Caps Lock on Time Entry (for formatting consistency)
• Require Matter ID
• Supplemental Document Requirement
• Edexis Mail Expenses (bill as postage or copies)
• Create Consolidated LEDES File

Set Timekeeper Rates

Client Billing Rules in Casefriend include settings for Timekeeper Rates, allowing your firm to define how much each attorney, hearing rep, or staff member can bill based on their role and client agreements. Set your Client Timekeeper Rates from the Client Rates Sheet

🖱️Client Editor > Edit Timekeeper Rates button 

What You Can Configure

The Timekeeper Rates interface is divided into two sections: Rate Classifications Table and the Timekeeper Assignment Table.

Rate Classifications Table (Top Section)

This section defines the billing classifications used across your firm. Each classification includes:

• Classification Code (e.g., AS for Associate, PT for Partner)
• Description – A brief label for the role
• TK Type – Timekeeper role (e.g., Attorney, Paralegal)
• Rate Type – Hourly, Flat Fee, or Non-Hourly
• TK Rate – Dollar amount billed per hour or per task
• Default Rate – Typically set to Full Rate
• Module – Restricts which case types the rate applies to

💡 Example:

• PT (Partner) – $185/hour
• PS (Paralegal) – $85/hour
• TF (Flat Fee) – $500.00 per case

⚠️ Important: Changing a Rate from the Rate Classification Table will not affect any existing Time Entries. A change here will only affect Time Entries created after the change is saved.

Timekeeper Assignment Table (Bottom Section)

• This section lists individual timekeepers (e.g., attorneys, hearing reps) and allows you to assign them to one or more classifications.
• Timekeeper names and emails are displayed
• Checkboxes allow assignment to relevant classifications
• Only users with assigned rates can enter time on cases
• ⚠️ Important: A timekeeper must have a rate assigned before they can log billable time in Casefriend.

✅ Best Practices

• Review client contracts before setting billing rules
• Use Billing Templates to standardize invoice formats
• Confirm required fields with your billing department
• Assign rates only to authorized timekeepers
• Regularly audit billing rules for accuracy and compliance

💬 Need Help?

Need help configuring billing rules or rate sheets? Contact support@casefriend.com or visit the Billing & Invoicing section of the Help Center.