CounselLink Answer Center for Clients

Budget Template Administration

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This article covers the following:

Accessing the Budget Templates Page

The Budget Templates page lists all templates available at the current corporate, division, or office level. Click a template name to open its Budget Template Overview page.

  1. On the Corporate Profile page, select the division/office.

  2. Click Manage Budget Templates from the QuickLinks section or Budget Templates in the Administration panel on the homepage.

    The Budget Templates page displays.

  3. Click the name of the template from the list.

Creating a Budget Template

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A budget template defines default contacts, notification thresholds, budget structure, and law-firm access rights. Templates speed matter setup and ensure consistent reporting.

Users must have the Budget Template Administrator role to create, edit, or delete budget templates.

  1. Access the Create Budget Template page by one of two ways:

    • Click +Create Budget Template on the Budgets Search page.

    • Click +Create Budget Template on the Budge Templates page under the QuickLinks section of the Corporate Profile.

      The Create Budget Template page displays.

  2. In the Budget Template section, provide the required information:

    Fields marked with (*) are required.

    1. In the Template Name box, enter a name.
    2. In the Budget Contact list, choose the default contact role that receives budget queries and notifications. (When applied to a matter, the user assigned that role on the matter receives emails.)
    3. Select a Second Budget Approver from the list if it is available for your organization. This approver must be different than the Budget Contact.
    4. For Email Notification, select one of the following:
      • The actual approved amounts exceed the specified thresholds.
      • The actual approved amounts exceed the current budgeted amount.
  3. In the Thresholds boxes, enter up to three threshold percentages; the budget contact receives email alerts when approved spend reaches those percentages.
  4. Select Default Template to make this the default for new matters at the selected level. (Setting at Corporate level applies to all offices unless overridden.)
  5. In the Description box, enter a brief description of the template.
  6. The Budget Currency list displays all available currency choices. Select the default currency from the list.

  7. In the Period list, select from the list of options:

    Option Description
    Life of Matter The budget covers the entire life of the matter.
    Annual The budget covers one fiscal year. (The fiscal year is configured by the administrator to coincide with each company’s fiscal year).
    Semi-Annual The matter budget for six months (Contains two time periods in a fiscal year).
    Quarterly The matter budget for three months (Contains four time periods in a fiscal year).
    Monthly The matter budget for one month (Contains 12 time periods in a fiscal year).

    If you select Annual, the Life of Matter Budget field displays in the Budget Information section.

  8. In the Level list, select from the available options. 

    Option Description
    Summary The budget is one single amount for each matter.
    Fee & Expense The budget is divided into separate amounts for fees and expenses.
    Phase Code Set The budget becomes more detailed. UTBMS task codes are grouped into phases. This budget will be specified at the Phase Code level.
    Task Code Set

    The budget contains specific UTBMS task codes.

    On setting up the budget template at the Task Code Set level, the Time Frame and Assumptions fields are added to the law firm budget.
    Custom Code Set

    The budget amount contains items for all the codes selected from the Custom Code Set.

    On setting up the budget as Custom Code Set level, the Budget Summary section displays for all custom code level budgets. The Time Frame and Assumptions fields should only appear for Law Firm Budget on the Law Firm Budget Overview page.
  9. In the Budget Type list, select the type of budget:
    • Matter Budget: One budget for the entire matter (client enters values; not split by law firm).
    • Law Firm Budget: Separate budgets per assigned law firm. Law firms may be given View or Edit rights as below.

  10. In the Law Firm Rights list, select the access you want to give to the assigned law firms, which include:

    Option Description
    None Law firms do not have access to budget amounts.
    View The budget will cover one fiscal year. (The fiscal year is configured by the administrator to coincide with each company’s fiscal year).
    Edit Law firms can view and modify their own amounts. If multiple firms are assigned to the same matter, they do not see, and cannot edit amounts for any other firm.
    Lead Law Firm Only Lead Law Firm can see and enter summary level budget information for all law firms assigned to a matter. Other law firms on the matter can submit detailed budget information but cannot view other law firm’s budget information.

    A lead law firm can submit the detailed budget amount only when the budget level is set to task, custom, or phase code timekeeper. Only the None and Lead Law Firm Only options are listed for Matter Budget.

  11. In the Life of Matter Budget list, select from the available options:

    The Life of Matter Budget field is displayed only if configured at the corporate, division, or office level and if the Budget Period selected is Annual.

    • None: A Life of Matter budget will not be included along with an annual budget.
    • Optional: A Life of Matter budget is available but not required.
    • Required: A Life of Matter budget is required along with the Annual budget on the matter.
  12. Click Save.

The Budget Template Overview page displays.

Budget Template Overview Page

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You can view and make edits to templates from the Budget Template Overview page. 

Viewing the Financials in the Budget Template Overview

Budget Template Basics

Displays the type, Period, Level, Law Firm Rights, and other core attributes applied automatically to any budget using this template.

Contacts

Displays the default Budget Contact and Second Budget Approver.

Financials

Displays the default Budget Structure values and threshold settings (used to auto-fill amounts when applied to matters).

Budget Tabs

Displays the Amounts (if configured) and History (audit log of template changes).

Editing a Budget Template

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A Budget Template can be modified at the Corporate, Division, or Office level.

Users need the Budget Template Administrator role to modify a budget template.

  1. Click Manage Budget Templates in the QuickLinks section from the Corporate Profile page or Budget Templates in the Administration panel on the homepage. The Budget Templates page displays.
  2. Under the Name column, click the template link. The Budget Template Overview page displays.
  3. Click Edit Template (pencil icon) in the upper-right corner. The Edit Budget Template page displays.
  4. Edit fields as necessary. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) indicate required values.

  5. Optional: Budget Templates that have an Annual Budget Period can select a Life of Matter budget.

    Selecting Optional or Required will populate a Life of Matter amount on the Amounts tab. Choosing Required will require values entered before you save or submit the budget.

  6. Click Save. 

    If you change the Budget Structure on an existing template, you will receive a confirmation message. All existing amount information for the previous structure will be deleted.

  7. Under the Amounts tab, click the Edit Amounts button if necessary. The Edit Budget Amounts window displays.

  8. Update all fields as necessary.

    If you change the Budget Structure on an existing template, you will receive a confirmation message upon clicking Save. All existing amount information for the previous structure will be deleted.

  9. Click Save.

Deleting a Budget Template

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Deleting removes the template from the selection list for new matters, but existing matter budgets that used the template remain unchanged.

  1. Click Manage Budget Templates in the QuickLinks section from the Corporate Profile page or Budget Templates in the Administration panel on the homepage. The Budget Templates page displays.

  2. Under the Name column, place a check mark in the box for the template(s).

  3. Click Delete. The Delete Template window displays.
  4. Click Yes, Delete.