Yes, via Smart Timers, Orion allows you to set up a list of timers that will allow you to start and stop them so the timer will record time, and you can simply click on the Bill Button to create a Fee Entry for the time.
To set up a Smart Timer:
Click on the Smart Timer icon on your Orion Side Bar.
Click on New and choose a Client-Matter Number to associate with this Smart Timer and/or put in a description to remind you of the reason for the Smart Timer. Orion requires either a Client-Matter Number or a description. It will not allow blank timers.
Click START to start the Timer. You may also start the Timer by clicking the check box next to the Timer. If a Timer is running, you will see the Timer increment and it will change to GREEN. To stop the Timer, click on the check box again to remove the check or double click on the Timer and click on Stop – it will then change back to RED.
To create a Fee Entry for that Timer, simply highlight/select the Timer and click Bill Time. Orion will then prompt you with the Fee Entry screen with the elapsed time in the Entry and will populate the description field for you. You may edit the Fee Entry in the normal fashion and click Save and Close to put the Entry into work in process.
You may want to reset your Timer at this point by highlighting the Timer and clicking reset. This will put your Timer back to zero.
If you do another Entry on that Timer, you will notice that the Fee check box is checked. This is simply to alert you that you already have a Fee transaction out there created by that Timer.
If you click on Bill Time on this same Timer, you will be prompted to either add time, replace time in the existing Fee transaction, or create a new Fee. You will need to determine the best practice for you. If you need distinct Fee Entries for each Task you perform for a Client-Matter, you may want to choose to reset your Timer each time you create a Fee and choose New.
If you want a cumulative total for the entire day all in one entry, you may not want to reset your Timer, and, instead, make use of the Replace option. This option will take the total amount in the Timer and replace the existing Fee Entry.
Add will take the total amount of time in the Timer and add it to the existing Fee Entry. (You may want to reset your Timer each time if you choose Add). Keep in mind Orion is merely feeding the total elapsed time in the Timer to the Fee Entry when you click Bill Time and then doing the function you ask it to do – so you do need to be aware of the difference between the options New, Add, and Replace. You will need to determine at what point during your Entry process that you want to reset your Timers.
Some Users find it a good practice to reset their Timers each day at the end of the day or the next morning when they start working. When you click on the Bill Time Button, Orion will create a Fee Entry with today’s date. You need to be aware if you have time that crosses over two days in a Timer that the Bill Time option will create a Fee Entry with the day when you actually clicked on the Bill Time Button and NOT the date the Timer was started. This date can be edited to whatever you want on the Fee record itself. Again, if you need distinct Entries for every action for each day, the simplest method is to choose Bill Time, then New (to create a distinct Entry), and then select to reset your Timer after each entry.
You may always check your accumulated Fee Entries in Time Manager at any point.
Note that Smart Timers run off of the server and will continue to run even if Orion is closed or your computer is not running. You will be prompted when you close Orion or Open Orion if you have left Timers active and you can choose to leave them running.
Smart Timers, when active, will display a clock in the Windows system tray. If you right click on the clock and/or the Orion icon in the system tray, you can open and or access your Smart Timers that way as well.
Once a Timer is created it will stay on your list until you remove it by highlighting it and clicking REMOVE.