Fee Tracking & Billing
The Fees & Billing section in AtlasOS is configured for legal-specific billing workflows, including six-minute unit time recording, fee note generation, trust account tracking, and work-in-progress (WIP) management.
Time Recording
Legal time is recorded in six-minute units (0.1 of an hour). Each time entry captures:
- Matter — the matter being worked on
- Date — when the work was performed
- Duration — in six-minute increments (e.g. 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0)
- Activity — what was done (e.g. attendance, drafting, research, consultation, travel)
- Narrative — a description of the work for inclusion on the fee note
- Fee earner — the attorney or staff member who performed the work
- Billable — whether the entry is billable or non-billable
Start a timer from any matter detail view, or log time manually from the Time Entries list.
Fee Notes and Narratives
Fee notes are the legal equivalent of invoices. They are generated from accumulated time entries and disbursements on a matter:
- Navigate to the matter and open the Billing tab
- Select the time entries and disbursements to include
- Click Generate Fee Note
- Review the narrative for each line item — edit for clarity and client-readability
- Apply any write-offs or discounts
- Finalise and send via the Client Portal or as a PDF
Fee notes include the matter reference, a summary of work performed, itemised time entries with narratives, disbursements, and the total amount due.
Rate Configuration
Configure billing rates at multiple levels:
| Level | Example |
|---|---|
| Practice default | R2,500 per hour for all attorneys |
| By seniority | Partner: R3,500/hr, Associate: R2,000/hr, Candidate: R1,200/hr |
| By matter type | Conveyancing: fixed scale, Litigation: hourly |
| Per matter | Custom rate agreed with the client for a specific matter |
Rate overrides cascade: matter-specific rates take precedence over seniority rates, which take precedence over practice defaults.
Trust Account Considerations
South African legal practitioners are required to maintain trust accounts under Section 86 of the Legal Practice Act. AtlasOS supports:
- Trust deposits — recording funds received into trust
- Trust transfers — moving funds from trust to business account on billing
- Trust reconciliation — matching trust movements to fee notes and disbursements
- Audit trail — full history of all trust account transactions for LPC audit purposes
Trust account management carries strict regulatory requirements. Ensure your trust account configuration is reviewed by your practice's bookkeeper or auditor before processing live transactions.
WIP Tracking
Work-in-progress reports show unbilled time and disbursements across all matters. Use WIP reports to:
- Identify matters with significant unbilled work
- Review team utilisation and billing efficiency
- Prepare for monthly or quarterly billing runs
- Monitor aged WIP for potential write-offs
Access WIP reports from Fees & Billing > Reports > WIP Summary.