Line item Adjustment Codes

When your client reviews your invoices, the client has the ability to change the hours, rate, or to make a financial adjustment to a line item.

SimpleLegal recommends that when the admin does so, the admin selects a reason code. This code will be logged with the line item and can be communicated back to you on a rejected invoice.

Additionally, SimpleLegal has invoice workflow to flag invoices that do not match billing rules. These flags also show as adjustment codes on invoices.

Here is a PDF of the invoice. Any notes saved for the vendor display on the first page.

And any line item adjustment codes display in the body of the invoice - with the line item.

Line Item Adjustment Codes

Code	Term	Definition
ADMIN	Administrative Clerical Tasks	Administrative Tasks are tasks that are considered part of the law firm's overhead. They typically do not require any special legal training. These tasks typically appear on a bill because the timekeeper was recording all activities they performed without distinguishing between chargeable and non-chargeable tasks. Examples. Filing paperwork, alphabetizing, and scheduling.
BLOCK	Block Billing	A timekeeper groups several unrelated tasks into a single line item. Grouping the tasks makes it difficult to know how much time was required for each task. In some cases, Block Billing is used as a means of inflating hours.
CHIP	Chipping	A timekeeper splits a portion of a simple task onto a separate line item. That new task may have required only minimal effort. However, by recording the task separately, the task ends up being billed for far more time than the actual time required.
CONF	Internal Conference	Time spent on internal meetings is often not a chargeable task.
COPY	Copy, Scan, Fax, Print	Time spent copying, scanning, faxing, or printing documents is not a chargeable task. Expenses charged for copying, scanning, faxing, or printing are only reimbursable up to a reasonable amount. Typically, copying is reimbursed at no more than $0.10/page.
DATE	Billed Date Outside Range	This line item should be on a different month's invoice. A common error identified during review of invoices is work outside the date range of the invoice displays on the invoice.
DISC	Discount	This line item represents a discount.
DLVRY	Expedited Delivery	Expedited Delivery is often not necessary. When a law firm chooses to use expedited delivery when it is not necessary, it is not a reimbursable expense.
DUP	Duplicate	The same task is billed twice. One of the line items is marked as duplicate and is not payable. Duplicate entries typically occur as the result of a billing oversight.
EXCS	Excessive Time	Disproportionate time billed on a task is not payable. Examples. Excessive time sending emails or completing a form.
INCRMT	Non-standard Increment	This billing time is outside the increments agreed upon between this client and vendor. The standard increments used include 1/10th of an hour or 6 minutes, 1/6th of an hour or 10 minutes, or 1/4th of an hour or 15 minutes.
INVALID_TK	Invalid Timekeeper	This timekeeper has not been approved by the client for work on its matters.
LATE	Late Time	Time was entered outside the appropriate window for timekeeping, e.g. weeks after the work was performed
LOCAL	Local Travel	Expenses for local travel including meals, parking, and mileage are not reimbursable.
MULTITK	Multiple Timekeeper Review or Attendance	Unless required, attendance or review by multiple timekeepers is generally not payable. Multiple timekeeper reviews can sometimes be indicative of on the job training, which is not billable.
NOADJ	No Adjustment	No adjustment made on this line item
NONATTY	Non-Attorney Task	Non-Attorney Tasks are billable work. However, they are tasks that should have been delegated to a Paralegal or Legal Assistant. Non-Attorney Tasks performed by an attorney that have not been submitted at the Paralegal rate will be modified to be billed at the Paralegal rate.
NEW	New Timekeeper File Review	Time spent by a timekeeper who is new to a client or matter sometimes includes "ramp up time" or other time spent to become familiar with a matter. Often, that time is not chargeable to the client.
NOBENE	Work Without Benefit of Service	Work Without Benefit of Service occurs when a timekeeper bills time to a matter, but that timekeeper added no value. Example. A timekeeper was cc'd on an email. That timekeeper recorded time reviewing the correspondence but had no further involvement on the matter. In that case, the work is not billable because the timekeeper did not provide any service.
OLD_INVOICE	Old Invoice	Line item is better attributed to a previous invoice
OT	Overtime Charges	Overtime charges are not reimbursable expenses.
OTHER	Other	Other reason. See comments.
OVERHEAD	Overhead	Activity is vendor overhead and non-billable
POST	Overhead / Postage	Some companies consider Postage and shipping charges part of a law firm's overhead. When the option to email a document exists, postage is often not a reimbursable expense.
PRV	Previously Billed	If a task performed and billed on a prior invoice appears on a new invoice, the task is marked as Previously Billed and is not payable. Previously Billed entries typically occur as the result of a billing or time keeping oversight.
RATE	Rate Violation	Line item rate violates agreement between the client and vendor for the work performed
REPEAT	Formulaic / Repetitive	It appears this line item was copied from another instead of being generated uniquely.
RSRCH	Legal Research	Basic Legal Research is not a chargeable task. Research into specialized or uncommon areas that are not part of the law firm's claims expertise is permissible.
TASK	Task Code Violation	Inaccurate task code applied to this line item.
TIME	Time tracking	Line item for recording time in a billing system
TIMELY	Old Billing	Line item is outside the current billing cycle
TRVL	Travel	Expenses for distance travel including meals, parking, and mileage
VAGUE	Vague	Vague line items are billing entries that have not been adequately described in the invoice. Billing narratives should include the nature of work performed and the purpose. Vague lines make it difficult to determine what specifically was billed.

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