CounselLink Answer Center for Clients

Allocation Groups Administration

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Allocation Groups define cost-sharing rules among two or more allocation contacts. These groups determine how fees, expenses, taxes, and other costs are distributed across responsible parties.

Users with the Allocation Administrator role can manage allocation contacts and groups at the Corporate, Division, or Office level. 

  • Allocation Contacts: A third-party or an internal budget unit, assigned to share costs on a matter as a group.
  • Allocation Groups: Define cost-sharing rules among two or more allocation contacts. These groups determine how fees, expenses, taxes, and other costs are distributed across responsible parties.

This article covers the following:

Creating an Allocation Group

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An allocation group contains two or more allocation contacts that share responsibility for matter costs. Multiple groups may be configured at the Corporate, Division, or Office level.

You must have the Allocation Administrator role to create a group at the corporate, division, or office level.

  1. Click Allocation Groups in the QuickLinks section of the Corporate Profile page or the Administration panel on the homepage.

  2. Click +Add Allocation Group. The Create Allocation Group page displays.

  3. Complete fields in the Allocation Group Configuration as needed.

    The fields marked with an asterisk (*) indicates a required field.

    Field Description
    Allocation Group Name* Enter a name for the group.
    Allocate Taxes Separately

    Check this box if you'd like to specify how your Allocation Contacts will pay for taxes incurred.

    This option is only available if the Allocation Group taxes feature is enabled for your organization. Once you specify tax cost sharing on a group, a calculator icon will appear next to its name on the Allocation Groups page.
    Group Description Enter a description of the group.
    Allocation Group Currency Select a currency for the group. US Dollar is selected by default.
    Client Default

    Do one of the following:

    • Yes: This is the default template when creating a matter.
    • No: This is not the default template when creating a matter.

  4. In the Add Allocation Contacts section, do one or both of the following:

    • Click Add Allocation Contacts to search for and add existing contacts to the group.
    • Click Create New Contact to create a new contact and add it to the group.

    At least one Allocation Contact is required for each group.

  5. In the Contact Allocation section, enter values as needed.

    Field Description
    Status This is a read-only field. The status is Inactive until the saved Allocation Group is activated.
    Fee % share Enter the percentage amount to be paid by this contact for fees incurred.
    Fee B.R. (Balance Remaining)

    Assign one contact to absorb rounding differences for fees.

    If selected, Fee % Share cannot be edited.
    Expense % Share Enter the percentage amount to be paid by this contact for expenses incurred.
    Expense B.R. (Balance Remaining)

    Enter the percentage for expenses.

    If Expense B.R. is selected, Expense % Share cannot be modified.
    Optional Features (These fields are not typically enabled.)
    Tax % Share

    Type the percentage amount to be paid by the contacts for taxes incurred.

    This option only shows if you've selected 'Allocate Taxes Separately' in the General Information section above.
    Limit Amount Enter the amount the contact should pay for the life of the matter.
    External Paid

    Do the following to enter the amounts paid outside CounselLink:

    1. Click the () icon.

      The Edit External Allocation Paid Amount window displays.

    2. In the Amount Details section, type amount in the following fields:
      • Insured Indemnity Paid: Enter the indemnity amount paid.
      • Insured Expense Paid: Enter the expense amount paid.
      • Exclude Insured Indemnity Paid from Limit
        • Click Yes to exclude the insured indemnity amount paid in limit.
        • Click No to include the insured indemnity amount paid in limit.
      • Corporate Indemnity Paid: Enter the corporate indemnity amount paid.
      • Corporate Expense Paid: Enter the corporate expense amount paid.
      • Exclude Corporate Indemnity Paid from Limit:
        • Click Yes to exclude the corporate indemnity amount paid in limit.
        • Click No to include the corporate indemnity amount paid in limit.
    1. Click Save.

    This field is displayed only if the Insured Indemnity Paid or the Insured Expense Paid configuration is enabled.
    Cost Share

    Reduces invoice Net to Pay for internal parties.

    Select Cost Share check box to share the cost among internal and external parties.
    Track Coverage Select Track Overage check box to track amounts that are over the limit and have to be paid.
    Shared Limit Contact

    The Shared Limit Contact is enabled only if Track Overage is selected.

    Do the following:

    1. Click the () icon. The Add Allocation Contact page displays.
    1. Search and add the contact.

    The contact displays in the shared limit contact box.
    GL Code

    The GL (General Ledger) code list data is displayed.

    From the list, select the relevant GL code.

    The GL Code field displays only if configured. This field may be required.

    Description

     

    Enter the description related to the GL code.

    The Description field displays only if configured.
  6. Click Save. 

Searching for an Allocation Contact to Add to an Allocation Group

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Before creating a new contact, search existing contacts to avoid duplication.

You can add contacts while:

  • Creating a new allocation group
  • Editing an allocation group from a matter
  • Editing an allocation group from an invoice

  1. Click Edit on the Allocation tab of a matter. The Allocation Maintenance page displays.

  2. Click Add Allocation Contacts. The Add Allocation Contacts window displays.
  3. Mark the check box for the appropriate contact(s) in the list.
  4. Click Add Contacts. The contact is added to the allocation group.
  5. Click Save. 

Review the allocation rules and adjust the cost sharing percentages among the contacts in the group.

Activating an Allocation Group

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New allocation groups default to Inactive status and must be activated before use.

An allocation group with no allocation contacts cannot be activated.

Activating Multiple Groups

  1. Click Allocation Groups from the QuickLinks section of the Corporate Profile page.

  2. Select one or more groups from the Allocation Search page.

  3. Select More Actions.

  4. Click Activate.

  5. Click Yes, Continue on the confirmation page.

Activating a Single Group

  1. Click Allocation Groups from the QuickLinks section of the Corporate Profile page.

  2. In the Group Name column, click the link for the relevant group.

  3. Click Activate on the Allocation Group Overview page.

  4. Click Yes.

Status updates to Active.

Editing an Allocation Group

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Allocation Administrators may modify group details.

  1. Click Allocation Groups in the QuickLinks section of the Corporate Profile page or the Administration panel on the homepage. The Allocation Group page displays.
  2. Click the link in the Group Name column. 

  3. Click Edit. 

    The Edit Allocation Group page displays.

  4. Modify fields as needed.

    The Allocation Group Currency and Status fields cannot be modified.

  5. Click Save.

Inactivating an Allocation Group

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New allocation groups default to Inactive status and must be activated before use.

A group without allocation contacts cannot be activated.

Inactivating Multiple Groups

  1. Click Allocation Groups from the QuickLinks section of the Corporate Profile page.

  2. Select one or more groups from the Allocation Search page.

  3. Select More Actions.

  4. Click Inactivate.

  5. Click Yes, Continue on the confirmation page.

Inactivating a Single Group

  1. Click Allocation Groups from the QuickLinks section of the Corporate Profile page.

  2. In the Group Name column, click the link for the relevant group.

  3. Click Inactivate on the Allocation Group Overview page.

  4. Click Yes.

Status updates to Inactive.

Searching for an Allocation Group

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Use the Search field on the Allocation Group page to locate a group.

  1. Click Allocation Groups in the QuickLinks section of the Corporate Profile page or the Administration panel on the homepage. The Allocation Group page displays.

  2. Enter keywords in the Search field and click Enter. The Group Name, Description, Status, and Default fields are searched using the keywords, and the list filter the results.

  3. Optional: If your organization uses tax info on Allocation Groups (the feature must be enabled by support) you can find groups with tax info by viewing the calculator icon next to its name.

Importing an Allocation Group Using the Template

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Allocation groups can be imported using a spreadsheet template.

The allocation group spreadsheet must be formatted correctly for it to import successfully. It is recommended that you download the blank template file, add the allocation group information in the appropriate formats, then save and import the file.

You must have the Allocation Administrator role to perform this action.

Preparing the Import File

  1. Click Allocation Groups in the QuickLinks section of the Corporate Profile page or the Administration panel on the homepage. The Allocation Group page opens.

  2. Click Import Allocation Groups. The Import Allocation Groups window displays.

  3. Download the Allocation_Group_Template.xls template.

  4. Open the file and enable editing.

  5. Review formatting instructions (hover over red triangle indicators).

  6. Enter allocation group details, contact IDs, and cost-sharing data.
  7. Save the file.

Importing the File

  1. Click Import Allocation Groups on the Allocation Group page. 

    CounselLink accepts Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx). You can import a file up to 10 MB.

  2. Click Choose a file. Select the saved file.
  3. Click Import. A status message displas.
    • If no formatting errors, the message states that the import was successful.

    • If errors occurred, an alert displays with a description of the issue(s).

  4. Resolve errors as needed.
    1. Edit the file to fix the issue(s).
    2. Save the file.
    3. Begin the import process again.

Exporting an Allocation Group as a Template

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You may export an existing allocation group to use as a template.

  1. Click Allocation Groups in the QuickLinks section of the Corporate Profile page or the Administration panel on the homepage. The Allocation Group page displays.
  2. Select the check box for the group you want to export.
  3. Click More Actions.

  4. Select Export to Template.

    The template file saves to your default folder.

  5. Open the file and enable editing.

  6. Review formatting instructions (hover over red triangle indicators).

  7. Modify group details and cost-sharing data.

    The Group Name must be unique. Change the name before importing the file to create a new group.

  8. Save the file.