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| Client Time Meter | |
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For all the modernization and automation of computers and technology, the best of timekeeping software still (stubbornly) requires you to actually enter what you did with your time. Then there is the whole other matter of what to do about keeping track of your time when you are not actually at your computer. Most time-tracking software packages also run on a Palm handheld computer, but this convenience only amplifies the data entry problem because it forces you to enter time on a cramped keyboard or with a stylus. Finally, few packages on the market today can track the “time between the time.” They are great about telling you what you did with the time you billed, but not so great at telling you what you did with your unbillable time. There are several ways to tackle these problems. One such way is the Client Time Meter from Less2do Software. Client Time Meter comes in two parts: a bar code reader about the size of your average car alarm remote and a software interface that reads the information from the bar code reader and translates it into a usable format. The way it works is simple. Before you begin, you print out a list of clients, tasks and other assorted information. Then, when you begin performing a task for a client, you use the reader to scan the bar code for the client and the particular task. When the task is completed, you scan the “Stop” bar code. At the end of the day, you simply connect the device to your computer using the included serial interface connector. A universal serial bus connection also is available. The software then pulls the information from the reader and creates a diary of everything you did that day, including start and finish time, client, task and even unused time. The Client Time Meter software is available in three versions. The Personal Version is a standalone package without any links to external billing software. The Recouperator is similar to the Personal Version, but configured to track expenses rather than time. Finally, the Professional Version includes tech support and links to Timeslips and QuickBooks. There are more versions on the way. Less2do Software is a small company, but the program has been around a while and there is something special about getting tech support from the guy who wrote the software. I found the Client Time Meter was really in its element when linked to Timeslips. This is because the interface correlates directly to the Timeslips data entry screen, and each individual bar code can contain information in as many or as few fields as you choose. You then use a series of scans to build the completed time entry. How you configure the set up is up to you. I found it easiest to have a single bar code for a client and billing rate and an additional bar code for each of the common tasks I might perform. The real difficulty in using the Client Time Meter lies in figuring out how to arrange your bar codes for easy access. The program gives you plenty of options for arranging codes and printing them from within the software. Or, if you prefer, you can easily insert them into word processing documents and print them any way you like. After all, if you imagine the three or more pages of bar codes that would be necessary for most diverse law practices, anyone who types more than 40 words per minute would likely spend more time looking for a bar code than he or she would to enter the time detail manually. However, a little bit of ingenuity goes a long way. We placed a copy of each client’s bar code on the outside of the file jacket and inserted bar codes on our standard checklist forms. That way, when pulling a client’s file and working through a checklist, the lawyer already has the appropriate bar codes handy. The usefulness of the other two main features will depend on the individual. Certainly, lawyers who travel a lot or often find themselves out of the office will enjoy the portability feature of the Client Time Meter. And, the minute-by-minute breakdown of unbilled time might prove useful for timekeepers who often find themselves wondering where the day went. All in all, Client Time Meter is a useful tool with a functional interface. My sense is it would prove useful for attorneys who miss a lot of time or who hate data entry. The one caveat I have, as with all gadgets, is that Client Time Meter is only helpful when you actually use it. It will not do any good sitting in your desk drawer. |
Less2do Software Price: $9.95 per month or $199.95 to buy Personal Version; $29.95 per month or $499.95 to buy Professional Version; $199.95 for Recouperator; $199 refundable security deposit for rentals. Windows 98 or later Reviewed by David Hiersekorn, a legal
researcher and brief writer based in Orange County, Calif. He can be reached
at hiersekorn@ PROS CONS VERDICT |
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