# Check time entries against billing rules Canonical page: https://agents.paretoid.com/workflows/check-time-entries-against-billing-rules/ Category: Operations & Reporting Practice relevance: cross-practice. A general operational method. Review the stated tool and jurisdiction limits before use. Jurisdiction/provider scope: Flag draft entries that conflict with approved billing guidelines, with a rule reference. Status: Proposed / not tested. The public discussion supports the problem; the method source supports only the documented features. No outcome from this adapted recipe has been verified. Verification: The linked sources support the complaint and documented method components. We have not run this recipe or verified its results. The example below is synthetic, not a customer result. ## The problem Flag draft entries that conflict with approved billing guidelines, with a rule reference. Why it matters: A time entry can conflict with a client's billing rules even when the work was performed. A rule-linked review lets the billing lawyer resolve coding or narrative issues without changing recorded time or disguising the work. ## Sources and evidence - pain: [Pain evidence: Firm billing guidelines all over the place](https://www.reddit.com/r/paralegal/comments/1ld6ek2) Firm billing guidelines all over the place, 2025-06-16, older. OP describes inconsistent instructions; a later reply identifies insurer/client guidelines and rejected entries. The discussion includes poor advice: none is adopted here as a billing rule. - method: [Method: Clio activity categories](https://help.clio.com/hc/en-us/articles/9289744400667-Activity-Categories) Clio activity categories documents categorized activities and UTBMS support; generate bills documents a bill-approval stage. - method: [Method: generate bills](https://help.clio.com/hc/en-us/articles/9285169278747-Generate-Bills-for-Billing-in-Clio) Additional official capability reference. It does not validate the complete proposed recipe. Source checked: October 15, 2026. Pain reports are self-reported and identities are unverified. Method documentation supports components, not a tested end-to-end workflow. ## Suggested approach Start when: Prebill is prepared 1. compare entries to current, lawyer-approved client guidelines 2. Keep row or page references and mark missing or ambiguous evidence. Do not apply the suggested changes. 3. The responsible staff member checks the draft against the source records and approves any separate action. ## What you need - Access to the selected Clio Manage time entries and the applicable client-approved billing guidelines/version. - Only a timekeeper can verify the work actually performed and approve a corrected narrative; billing judgments remain human. - Firm-approved Excel; optional Copilot entitlement and tenant approval for the exact minimized data. Native Excel analysis can be done manually if Copilot is absent. - Keep raw exports and identifying source pointers in a separate restricted location. The AI workbook contains only approved alias-based tables and visible policy/scope text, never raw client records on another tab. - Use synthetic inputs first. Keep real data in firm-approved accounts and processing, with appropriate access, confidentiality and retention controls. Aliases alone do not anonymize records. Never paste credentials, API keys or unnecessary client details. ## How to use Documentation-checked proposed route; source collection and human approval required - No native export of every kit field is established here. This is a bounded manual capture from actual time entries, suitable for a small reviewed sample. - Rounded recorded duration is not raw elapsed time. A rewritten narrative cannot add work, change minutes/rates or cure missing evidence. Access and setup: - Actual account access, plan and source-data completeness have not been tested. ### 1. Read actual selected time entries Tool: Clio Manage Location: Matters > selected matter > Activities (or main Activities with date/user filters) Select a small defined invoice/period sample. Inspect each actual time entry’s description, duration, rate and any activity/task codes; use Edit only to view details and close without saving. Record the entry reference and actual fields locally. Expected output: Observed entry records and a sample/period note; no generated entries or export claims. Next step: Retain restricted source references for every entry_id. Check before continuing: Confirm the selected item is a time entry, not an expense or flat-fee quantity; note currency, rounding and missing fields. Execution status: Official documentation checked 2026-10-15; account and workflow not personally tested Step documentation: https://help.clio.com/hc/en-us/articles/9289741706779-Time-Entries https://help.clio.com/hc/en-us/articles/9290390462875-Navigate-Clio-Manage ### 2. Map the observed records to the starter input Tool: Excel and authorized staff Location: Separate analysis workbook > Home > Format as Table In entries.csv assign matter aliases and preserve actual_recorded_minutes, rate_if_needed, actual_work_description, activity_code and task_code exactly as supported. Minimize descriptions only with reviewer approval and preserve their meaning. Copy the applicable approved-guidelines.txt into a visible Guidelines worksheet with version and scope. If sensitive descriptions are not approved for Copilot, complete the same review locally without AI. Create named tables for Entries and Guidelines. Put the policy and review scope in visible worksheets or paste them into the next prompt. Expected output: Entries and Guidelines tables; unknown codes/rates stay unknown. Next step: Check the mapping against each original source before using AI. Check before continuing: Aliases and missing policy fields are staff-created; do not relabel a native export as the kit schema. Unknown stays blank/unknown, not false or zero. Execution status: Official documentation checked 2026-10-15; account and workflow not personally tested Step documentation: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/tutorial-import-data-into-excel-and-create-a-data-model ### 3. Review the bounded evidence with Copilot Tool: Excel Copilot, optional Location: Approved analysis workbook > Copilot icon at lower right > Chat only Use Chat only and submit the prompt. Without Copilot: compare each entry to the supplied guideline clauses and write questions/edits in a separate review column. Prompt: ```text Review Entries against the supplied Guidelines only. Return entry_id, exact guideline reference, observed issue, missing evidence and a proposed faithful narrative edit only if supported by the existing description. Preserve actual_recorded_minutes, rate and codes. Do not invent tasks, split or combine time, pad duration, infer privileged strategy or decide whether a charge is legally recoverable. Where the description cannot support a compliant edit, ask the timekeeper a specific question. Cite rows and guideline text. ``` Expected output: Guideline-linked exception checklist and conservative draft edits. Next step: Copy the draft exception list to the reviewer; retain row references. Check before continuing: Check every flagged row and the scope. A fluent answer is not evidence of completeness; no automatic workbook or source-system edits. Execution status: Official documentation checked 2026-10-15; account and workflow not personally tested Step documentation: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/copilot/get-started-with-copilot-in-excel https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/copilot/frequently-asked-questions-about-copilot-in-excel ### 4. Approve the review result Tool: Responsible staff reviewer Location: Reviewed local worksheet The timekeeper and billing reviewer inspect original entries, approve or reject every proposed edit and keep the approved guideline version with the audit. Apply any actual change separately through the firm’s billing process. Expected output: Approved correction list, with original minutes and source records retained. Next step: Any external message, source change, payment or deletion requires its own authorized process. Check before continuing: No automatic rewriting or bulk save; a plausible narrative is not proof the work occurred. Execution status: Official documentation checked 2026-10-15; account and workflow not personally tested Step documentation: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/tutorial-import-data-into-excel-and-create-a-data-model ## What you will get billing-exceptions.csv: entry_id, guideline_version, rule_id, possible_exception, source_rows, reviewer_status; suggested narrative edits in a separate file. No live changes. ## Human review and limits Billing lawyer resolves guidelines and approves changes. Test a non-billable admin entry, missing code and duplicate entry; no invented time or embellished work may appear. The assistant drafts or reports only. Check source records and review the output before a human performs any separately approved send or change. No automatic legal decision, money movement, account connection or publication is included. What to measure: During the pilot, count findings confirmed by the reviewer, false alarms, and missing-input cases. Do not infer time or money saved. ## Original prepared-input schema entries.csv: entry_id, matter_alias, actual_recorded_minutes, rate_if_needed, actual_work_description, activity_code, task_code. approved-guidelines.txt includes version, rule IDs and client_alias. Synthetic example input: ```text E1: copying, policy labels it non-billable E2: required activity code missing E3: narrative conflicts with a supplied rule ``` Expected synthetic output: ```text E1: billing-lawyer review, no disguised legal work E2: missing-code finding E3: cite rule and preserve original narrative ``` Failure check: Billing lawyer resolves guidelines and approves changes. Test a non-billable admin entry, missing code and duplicate entry; no invented time or embellished work may appear. ## Starter files Native blank scaffolds and original synthetic examples may use different schemas. Follow NATIVE-INPUT-MAPPING where supplied. These files do not connect accounts or install automation. - [Download starter kit](https://agents.paretoid.com/assets/starter-kits/a12-starter-kit.zip) — All inputs, synthetic examples and review notes in one ZIP. No automation is installed. - [Start here: get the sources and prepare the review](https://agents.paretoid.com/assets/starter-kits/a12/START-HERE.txt) — Documentation-checked acquisition, explicit manual mapping, exact prompts and human review limits - [Setup and review checklist](https://agents.paretoid.com/assets/starter-kits/a12/README.txt) — Required inputs, file use, review steps and limits - [Entries blank CSV](https://agents.paretoid.com/assets/starter-kits/a12/entries-template.csv) — Blank input headers for entries.csv - [Entries synthetic example](https://agents.paretoid.com/assets/starter-kits/a12/entries-example.csv) — Synthetic test records for entries.csv - [Approved guidelines template](https://agents.paretoid.com/assets/starter-kits/a12/approved-guidelines-template.txt) — Required policy or native-input preparation aid; synthetic when marked example - [Approved guidelines example](https://agents.paretoid.com/assets/starter-kits/a12/approved-guidelines-example.txt) — Required policy or native-input preparation aid; synthetic when marked example - [Synthetic example expected results](https://agents.paretoid.com/assets/starter-kits/a12/expected-results.txt) — Compare a pilot result with the planted exceptions ## Optional original prepared-input prompt Destination: Your firm-approved AI assistant · prepared files This original prompt uses its own prepared-input schema. Do not mix it with native-step tables without the supplied mapping. ```text Review these draft entries against only the supplied approved billing guidelines. Cite the exact guideline section for each possible exception. Preserve durations, rates, matter IDs and actual work. Suggest truthful clarity edits only; do not disguise clerical work as legal analysis, increase charges, make billability decisions or post changes. Flag policy conflicts for the billing lawyer. INPUTS entries.csv: entry_id, matter_alias, actual_recorded_minutes, rate_if_needed, actual_work_description, activity_code, task_code. approved-guidelines.txt includes version, rule IDs and client_alias. OUTPUT billing-exceptions.csv: entry_id, guideline_version, rule_id, possible_exception, source_rows, reviewer_status; suggested narrative edits in a separate file Use only the supplied synthetic or firm-approved inputs. Cite source row or page IDs for each finding. Keep unknowns unresolved. Return a draft for the responsible staff reviewer. Do not send messages, connect accounts, change records, move money, or make legal decisions. Keep source files unchanged. If an input or permission is missing, list what is needed and stop that check. ``` Proposed / not tested · editorial prompt Published by Law Firm Agents. Proposed adaptation; not tested. Not legal advice.