This is the main Argus Law Suite screen.
All Argus activities can be controlled from this screen, however, the main purpose of this screen to allow maintenance to the Firms clients. You can add a new client by pressing the ignite button or using the Clients pull down menu and choosing the add option. You can modify a client or access matter related information by double clicking on a client.
Adding a new client
The client screen is split into three panes:
Basic Tab: Client ID can be up to 12 characters long. The user may choose a value for this field e.g. CLIENT100 or let Argus pick a client id For our example we will press the Get Id button.
This returns a Client Id of 1005.
Enter the name of the client: The Daily Press - Minneapolis.
Select the Managing Attorney by pressing the Browse button. Different firms use the Managing Attorney in different ways; normally the managing attorney is the "billing" attorney or head of a practice area in a firm. Different processes and reports can be run for each managing attorney.
Enter the name of the client's contact person. Please note that if the client is an individual rather than a corporation/business - don't enter a name in the Company field but enter it here.
Tax Id: Enter the TIN (Tax Identification Number)
Profile: Select O if the client is an Organization (Corporation/business) or P if the client is an individual.
Address Tab: This tab allows entering various addresses associated with this client. Remember Argus will allow the addition of unlimited address types for a client.
The only address type that is mandatory is the BILL type which is the Billing Address. This will print on any bills generated for this client (this can be further refined at the matter level). Use other address types to customize the type of address information you want to save for a client.
Enter the address. Notice how you can enter an e-mail address and a WWW URL.
Miscellaneous Tab: This tab holds miscellaneous information that will be used for various activities relating to the client.
Disc. Code: Select one from the drop list. In our example we have chosen Net 30 days this has to do with offering the client a discount over the normal billing rate..
Bill Code: This is a way to group billing and other reports. We have chosen the billing code for Monthly Billing.
Billable: If the matters for this client are to be billable select Yes other wise select No. We have selected Yes.
Ind. Code. Is the practice code e.g. this client belongs to this area of the firm's practice.
Terms Code: This specifies the terms offered to the client in respect to paying bills.
Statement Type: This specifies a statement type for the client.
Bank: Assign a bank account (and GL Account) that will be used to process funds received from this client.
GL Sales Account: This is the general ledger account that sales to this client will be credited to. Normally this should be the Professional Services general ledger account, and it can also be used for breaking down the firm's revenue by area of practice.
Tax: If your state/city/locality has a sales tax for professional service. Select a code from the browse button.
Misc. Information: Any information related to this client.
Double click on an existing client to do all matter related activities. This also includes adding a new matter to an existing client. In fact when the firm gets a new client it will be because of a matter that the client would like the firm to handle.
For our example we want to add a new matter to Client 1003. Double click on the appropriate row in the client control list.
This screen allows is the entry to all Matter related transactions and also allows the addition of Related parties to the Client. Press the Matters button.
This screen list all the Matters for Client 1003. Note all Clients, by default, will have, a Matter Id of 0. On this screen you can add a new matter or select an existing one for any matter related transaction. The Add/Modify/Remove buttons deal with adding, modifying or removing a matter. Press the Add button:
This will automatically assign the next matter number. Note most of the choices will default to the setting of the Client.
Brief Description: Enter a brief description of the matter. This is what will show on bills (among other documents). You may type up to 255 characters.
Billable: Select the radio button to indicate whether this matter is billable or not. Normally non-billable matters are either pro-bono or far use by the Firm internally to track non-billable time of timekeepers.
Working Atty.: Select the primary working attorney (timekeeper) for this matter by using the Browse button. Remember any attorney can enter time against this matter, this will be the default attorney.
Industry: Select the Practice Code from the drop down box. This can be used for categorizing matters.
Statement Type: Select the Statement Type that will print for this matter.
Address Type: This type can be used to override the billing address selected for the Client. This is the address where bills generated for this matter will be sent.
Discount: Select a code from the drop down box. This code can be used to give a matter for a preferred client a discount from the normal billing rates of the Firm's resources. Conversely a code can be set up to charge a premium above the normal billing rate. You will always set up a code that gives neither discount nor charges a premium and you will assign that to normal Client/Matter.
Billing Code: Select a code from the drop down box to assign a billing cycle to this matter.
Terms Code: Select a code from the drop down box to assign Terms to this matter.
Contingency: If this matter is subject to Contingency billing select that option from the drop down box. Normally most matters will not be contingency based.
Documents: This assigns a directory where documents (Microsoft Word format) will be stored. These documents could be correspondence, pleadings, etc.. You can either enter a directory or select one by using the file selection dialog.
Bank: Argus allows the usage of multiple bank accounts. Select the bank, where funds from this Client/Matter are to be deposited, from the drop down box.
GL Sales Account: This is the general ledger account that sales to this client/matter will be credited. Normally this should be the Professional Services general ledger account, and it can also be used for breaking down the firm's revenue by area of practice.
Tax: If your state/city/locality has a sales tax for professional service. Select a code from the browse button.
Detailed Description: Enter the details of the matter in this text box. You may enter virtually unlimited text. An automatic spell checker is provided.
Matter Opened: Select the date that this Matter file was opened.
Originating Attorney for Client/Matter