Last June I wrote about our initial impressions of iTimeKeep by Bellefield Systems. We first saw this last March at ABATECH in Chicago. Having learned more about it, our enthusiasm for this cloud-based time tracking system has only grown.
By the time you read this article, your firm will be at the beginning or end of a billing cycle. How did that go? Was getting your firm’s bills generated and sent easy? Or was it yet another round of dragging your staff through another grind because somehow people just couldn’t get their time in… on time?
At first glance, the premise behind iTimekeep is simple: Time is Money. Log in on any device, enter your password, and start recording what you do in a day. What is included in “any” device?
- Your desktop
- Your laptop
- Your smartphone (iOS, Android, MS, Blackberry, etc.)
- Your smartwatch (Apple Watch, Samsung Gear, Garmin, etc.)
- Anything else that can access the Internet
There are other apps that can do that. But what’s important is what iTimekeep works with all of the following:
Okay, that’s good to know. But what makes this “cool”?
- Synchronization that allows the latest information about clients, matters, projects, activities and expenses to be accessible for data entry on your device
- No data is actually stored on your remote device. So if it’s lost or stolen, your activities and your clients’ data remain secure.
- Allows setup of rules from your time tracking/accounting system regarding how you bill your clients – if your client specifies that your firm is not allowed to bill something, it can’t be accidentally billed by your timekeepers
- Encourages your timekeepers to put in their time contemporaneously – timekeepers can dictate their descriptions and they can even be graded (all timekeepers want to get an “A”, right?)With all of these features and integrations, timekeeping and billing become simpler. Timekeepers begin to see the benefits of actually tracking their time, with measurable rewards. And perhaps for the first time, keeping time can actually become… cool.If you’d like to sign up for a free 30-day trial, please click here and fill out a form to register for a trial. It’s on us!
Considering moving to the Cloud? Going “all in”? Or perhaps just testing it out? You can keep your present timekeeping and billing system, yet give your staff a flexible way to enter their time and expenses. The iTimekeeping consultants on the Crosspointe team would be happy to speak with you. Call us at 877-357-0555 or write to us at info@crosspointecg.com.
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Dana Riel is President and Founder of Business Solutions, Inc., serving the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area since 1985. Her firm is the authorized training center for the region for Time Matters and PCLaw by PCLaw|Time Matters, PLLC; Timeslips and Sage 50 Accounting by Sage Software; and QuickBooks by Intuit Corporation. She also serves as a consultant for Caret Legal (formerly known as Zola Suite), CosmoLex, Soluno & TimeSolv. As a trainer, Dana has provided training services to organizations such as the DOD Defense Logistics Agency, Judge Advocate General’s Office (JAG)/Department of the Navy, University of the District of Columbia School of Law, U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as with small‐ to mid‐size law firms in the Baltimore‐Washington D.C. area. In 2009, she participated in the series of day‐long seminars sponsored by the District of Columbia Bar Association Practice Management Section, titled “Basic Training: Learn About Running a Law Office”. Ms. Riel also served as an Adjunct Professor in Georgetown University’s Paralegal Studies Program, having taught the course, “Legal Ethics/Legal Technology” in 2009; and “Legal Technology” for the Spring and Summer Semesters of 2010. She presently serves on the Advisory Board for PCLaw|Time Matters, PLLC.
