LawStream's entry windows, in detail...

You will find descriptions on this page, of about a hundred of the essential entry and dialog windows in LawStream.
Find a window, and click on the link to see information about that window (the links have not yet been included, but you can still see descriptions of each window).

 Title Tab Description
     
Modify My User Preferences: Personnel Records Home Enter and display user codes, billing rates and other preferences
Name, Address, Phone Setup Enter name, address and basic letterhead information for the firm
Miscellaneous Graphics: "Graphics for the Firm" Setup Fortune cookie graphic
Localizing Setup Entries to make LawStream reflect local spelling and usage
Time/Disbursement: Insert/Edit Time/Disbursement code data Setup Enter, edit, view of produce lists of time codes and disbursement codes, and their defaults and related text
Long Distance Tolls: Enter Long Distance Toll Charge Setup Enter area codes, phone number prefixes, locations and amounts for calculating timed long-distance telephone calls
One-Character File Types: Insert/Update a One-Character Code & Description Setup Entries and lists for user-defined one-character codes for identifying file/matter types
Three-Character File Types: Insert/Update a Three-Character Code & Description Setup Entries and lists for user-defined three-character codes for identifying file/matter types
Checklists: Define Checklist Items Setup Create rule sets and reminder details for rules-based reminders
Standard Reminders: Standard Reminder Codes Setup Enter, display and produce lists of standard codes to simplify the entry of common types of reminders
Special Dates/Events Setup Enter general information for given dates, to be displayed on selected reminder entry windows and reports
G/L Accounts: Detail Financial Accounts Setup Enter and edit codes, types and preferences for G/L accounts, as basis for all accounting transactions
G/L Categories: Edit Financial Categories Setup Edit categories into which all G/L accounts are organized, for chart of account, financial statements, and related purposes
Default G/L Accounts Setup Specify the accounts that will normally be presented as default selections for certain types of common accounting transactions
Amounts and Rates Setup Tax amounts, surcharges and other rates and amounts for those jurisdictions that require them
Other Accounting Info: Miscellaneous Accounting Preferences Setup Formats, preferences and codes to assist in "tuning" accounting entries and reports
Billing Preferences: Billing Parameters Setup Preferences for processing accounting transactions, and for printing client bills
Narrative Account Formats: Edit/Add Narrative Account Setup Create, edit and display standard text to appear on routine narrative bill formats (e.g., standard conveyances, routine criminal defence, wills)
Common File Variables: Common Variables for Files Setup Enter and display a (limited) set of variables used for extra information for all (or selected) files in the firm
Long Text Data: Generic "Long Text" Records for Letters, etc. Setup Enter and display long text information (mainly used for creating standard letters to be generated by LawStream)
Court Order Interest: Enter or Change Court Order Interest Information Setup Enter and display interest rates and date ranges, for basic calculation of statutory interest in litigation (only for jurisdictions that have basic calculations in the format shown here)
Default Report Selection: Preferred Selection of Accounting Reports Setup Enter and display preferences for reports suggested as normal selections, when creating routine logs of information for the firm
Client/Name Entry: Client Information Contacts Enter and display information for any client, contact or other name for files in your office
Reports of Names: Specify Criteria for Report of Names Contacts Use this dialog window to select the format and selection/sorting criteria for a list of names
Conflicts/Keywords Contacts Enter potential conflict information and other keywords for files, and produce reports to assist you in avoiding conflicts and/or in looking for files related to certain facts of information
File/Matter Information File/Matter Enter and access basic information about file/matter records in a LawStream data base
Special Variables File/Matter Enter (and view, use and export) variable names and values for a file
Find Text File/Matter Specify text to be located in client name or file/matter description, for detail searches of information in those fields
Other Users File/Matter Enter and organize names and billing rates for multiple users associated with a file
Common Variables File/Matter Enter (and view, use and export) values for common variables used for any file
Related Names (Contacts): People Associated with File File/Matter Enter, organize, access and use groups of people and other contacts associated with each file
Accounting/Billing File/Matter Enter and edit accounting and billling information associated with a file
Reports: Specify Sort Fields for Report File/Matter Select one of many different reports of file/matter information
Find a File/Matter Record File/Matter General dialog window for finding a file/matter record, based on client code, client name, file number, or file/matter description
Show/Update Current Status for File File/Matter View basic information about a file, and enter or access your own freep-form notes about the status of the file
Show/Organize Documents for File File/Matter Locate or view, and save or organize information about documents on disk for a file
Collection/Receivables Helper File/Matter Access information about bills posted and paid and amounts owing; enter and view information about collection efforts and status on accounts receivable
New Time: Time for File Time/Billing Enter a time record for a file, with optional notes and details
New Disbursement: Disbursement for File Time/Billing Enter a disbursement or other charge for a file, with value and optional tax and other information
New Reminder: Insert New Reminder for File Time/Billing Enter a reminder for a file, including options for reminder type and advance reminders
New Note: Enter Inter-Office Memo Time/Billing Enter an inter-office or other memo for a file
Pre-Bill for Client Time/Billing Select a client, and produce a report of unbilled work in progress for all files for that client
Prepare and Print Bill: Select Format Options for Account/Bill Time/Billing Select a bill format to print, and specify options for processing related to the printing of the bill
Prepare and Print Bill: Control for Producing Special Accounts Time/Billing Select narrative account text from pre-defined text records, or enter free-form text, for a narrative ("special") bill, and specify fee amount and other optional information, to print the bill
Prepare and Print Bill: Options/Preparations for Account/Bill Time/Billing Select time and disbursement records to appear on a detail account, and specify fee amount and other information to print the bill
Prepare and Print Bill: Information for Posting File's Bill to G/L Time/Billing Enter (or confirm defaults) for details to be posted the general ledger, including any necessary splitting of income among different personnel in the firm
Set Time & Disbursements for File as Billed/Unbilled Time/Billing Change status of work in progress (time and disbursements), to show that it has been billed, to prevent it from being included on subsequent bills
Bulk Billing: Bulk Biller Time/Billing Select a group of files for billing, and specify fee amounts and bill types to be printed for each of them
Edit Time/Disb't (One Record): Edit Time and Disbursements Time/Billing Find and edit information for a time or disbursement record
Edit time/Disb't (Edit All For a File): Update Time and Disbursements for File Time/Billing Produce an on-screen list of all unbilled time and disbursement records for a file, and edit them as necessary
New Reminder: Insert a New Reminder for File Reminders Enter a reminder for a file, including options for reminder type and advance reminders
Reminder Reports Reminders Select the content, form, and sorting and selection criteria, to produce a report of reminders
Edit All Reminders for File Reminders Produce an on-screen list of all reminder records for a file, and edit them as necessary
Edit One Reminder: Edit Reminder Reminders Find and edit information for a single reminder record
Trust Receipt: Trust Deposit/Receipt Accounting After selecting a file/matter record, enter information to record a receipt of funds into trust for a file, and ensure that the receipt is properly posted to the general ledger
Trust Payment Accounting After selecting a file/matter record, enter information to record a payment of funds from trust for a file, and ensure that the payment is properly posted to the general ledger
Inter-File Transfer: Transfer Funds between Trust Accounts for Files Accounting Select two files (which must have the same client), and make LawStream record a transfer of trust funds from one of them to the other
Trust to Term Accounting Record a transfer of funds from a normal trust account for a file, to a term-deposit or special savings account for that file
Interest Earned on Trust/Term Deposit Funds Accounting Enter a record of interest earned on funds held in trust for the benefit of a client
Term Deposit to Trust Accounting Record a transfer of funds from a term-deposit or special savings account for a file, to a trust account for that file
Trust Reports Accounting Select and produce one of a selection of reports of trust transactions
Receivables Reports: Receivables/Collections Accounting Select a report of receivables from several options available, including aged receivables and formal statements
Post a Bill to the G/L Accounting Post a client bill (account) to the general ledger, based on either information entered on-screen information stored in a posting record when the bill was printed
Interest Charges Accounting Process interest charges to clients on overdue accounts (bills) posted and delivered
Note as Doubtful: Make Receivables Doubtful/Not Doubtful Accounting Change LawStream's records, to note that a client bill is now classified as doubtful
Write Down Account Accounting Change LawStream's records, to note that an account has been written down (or written off), to change the receivable status of the bill
Note Bill as Paid: Payment on Account Accounting Enter transactions to update LawStream's records, to show that a payment has been made on an account billed to a client
Reverse Payment: Select Payment for Write-down or Reversal Accounting If a payment has been posted in error, or if a payment has to be reversed (e.g., because a bounced check), then this window must be used to record the reversal or write-down
Record a Payable: Accounts Payable Accounting Enter an invoice received by the firm from a supplier/payee, as payable
Pay a Payable Accounting Note that a payment has been made to satisfy (or pay toward) an account payable
Add/Edit a Payee: Client Information Accounting This window is the same as the client/contact entry window (which is used for entering basic information about payees as "contacts" of the firm)
Payee Reports: Accounts Payable Reports Accounting Select and produce a report of accounts payable information
Office Receipt Accounting Enter information about a general office receipt (i.e., one that is not a payment on account by a client), to update the bank account and other G/L information in LawStream's accounting data
Office Payment: Office Check/Cheque Accounting Enter information about a general office payment (i.e., one that is not a payment made on behalf of a client), to update the bank account and other G/L information in LawStream's accounting data
Journal Entries Accounting Enter transactions as journal entries, for situations where it is necessary to do so (i.e., where the normal LawStream entries will not handle the situation)
(Other) Office Reports: General Office Reports Accounting Select a report from several general ones available, relating to routine office transactions
Daily Details: Standard Daily Reports Accounting Select and produce a report of all or selected accounting transactions, selected by date range and/or G/L account; these reports are useful for general daily or similar periodic uses
G/L Analysis: G/L Detail Analysis Reports Accounting Choose and produce a report to assist you in analysing information about accounting transactions in your firm
Financial Statements: Financial Statement Options Accounting Prepare a formal financial statement or similar report, for year-end purposes, or for general banking, management or similar purposes
Taxes: G.S.T Reports Accounting Select a report of tax details for a date range, for your own purposes or for formal reporting purposes
Management Reports Accounting Select and produce a management report to help you analyse and understand key information about your firm's finances and other resources
Reconciliation Accounting Enter, analyse, and produce a report of bank transactions and balances, to ensure that your LawStream records are reconciled with your bank's records
Reprint Ch/Rcpt Accounting Re-print a check or receipt
Prepare Letter: Create and Send a Letter Memo/Letter Use information in LawStream, to help you easily prepare and print a "quick letter" to a client or other contact in your data base
Prepare Envelope: Envelope Maker Memo/Letter Prepare an envelope, based on information taken from your LawStream data file
User Notes: Notes for User Memo/Letter Enter free-form notes, or access information from your LawStream data file, to store and print notes for general use
Chat Board Memo/Letter Access, and contribute to, a single record of information, along with other members of your firm
New Memo: Enter Inter-Office Memo Memo/Letter Create and save a memo to file, or create and send an inter-office memo, along with other optional processing and information
In Basket: List of Inter-Office Memos Memo/Letter Produce an on-screen list of all memos sent to you, and process and organize (reply to, delete, etc.) them
Memo Reports Memo/Letter Select one of several reports of memos, in the format of your choice
Adjust Accounting Records Utilities Find and perform powerful and detailed edits on individual (or groups of) accounting transactions - this is a very powerful entry window, which must be used with caution, and with a clear understanding of the content and structure of LawStream's accounting records
Re-Set Balances Utilities Make LawStream re-calculate specified balances (e.g., trust balances, G/L account balances) based on individual transaction amounts, to be sure those balances are correct
Archive/Delete: Select Data to Archive and Delete Utilities Select records, and export them to a separate file, either for archival storage or for processing by a word processor, spreadsheet or other program
Fortune Cookie Extras With just a click, you can take a look at a randomly selected bit of wisdom or silliness
Amortizations: Entry for Amortization Schedule Extras Produce an amortization schedule for a standard series of payments on a mortgage or other debt
Integra To Go: Select Data To Export Extras Guide LawStream through (or let LawStream guide you through) a series of steps to select contact (client) records, file/matter records and reminders, for exporting to a PDA
Interest Calculator Extras Calculate total interest charges, based on a given date range, and based on either a given interest rate or a table of varying interest rates over a period of time
Date Calculator Extras Calculate differences between any two dates, or find a date that is a given number of days (or weeks or months) from a given date