2019 Review of Bill4Time

Bill4Time is a web-based time and billing application well suited for small to mid-sized businesses. Bill4Time was originally designed for legal professionals, but has expanded their product lineup to include other professional services firms including accounting professionals and CPA firms.

Along with solid time and billing capability, Bill4Time offers complete practice management and project management capability designed specifically for legal firms. The product also includes an online payment option, client portal, and a mobile app that can be used with a variety of devices including iPad, iPhone, Android, and Blackberry.

Bill4Time is completely cloud-based, with the product offering a desktop widget that allows users to enter time whether connected to the Internet or not, later synching the information with the application once a connection is available. Synching is also available for mobile devices.

Bill4Time offers users an easily navigated interface where time details can be quickly enters. Both billable and non-billable time details can be entered manually, or users can utilize one of the multiple timers that are included in the applications. Timers can be accessed simultaneously, and users can enter any time related expenses when recording time. Users can also convert recorded appointments directly into the application if necessary. Bill4Time also includes an expense tracking feature that allows users to snap a photo and upload it directly to the application. Both clients and projects can be added into the application on the fly, and the product also allows users to bill monthly fees on a recurring basis or use the batch entry feature to process multiple bills simultaneously. Bill4Time supports flexible billing rates in addition to custom activity types, and users can set up billing rates at the client level, project level and activity level. Users can also create custom lists such as custom activities with individual rates.

Bill4Time offers good invoicing capability, with users able to create professional invoices that can be completely customized using the included invoice template. A variety of invoice types are available in Bill4Time including flat rate, hourly, and percentage discount invoices. Users can easily set payment terms and acceptable currency types, with the ability to assess late fees when necessary.

Bill4Time uses a Pre-Bill method, which is created as billing information is entered. The pre-bill can be edited if any changes or needed, or saved as is. Users also have the option to bill each client individually, or bill by date range, or even group clients together as needed. Users can also override default billing amounts, with the ability to create statements for clients on demand. Online payment options make it easy for clients to pay, and clients can also access their bill via the online portal.

Bill4Time includes a good selection of reporting options, with more than 50 reports available. All reports are categorized by type with report categories including accounting reports that include aging reports, trust reports, and payments received. Bookmarked reports allow users to save reports to the user dashboard for easy access, and Favorite reports allow users to create custom reports create custom reports based on frequently used fields. Accounting reports include AR Aging, Payments Received, and Trust reports and Summary reports allow users to access as much or as little data as needed. Reports available include Outstanding Balances, Client Expenses, Time and Expense by User, Time and Expense by Client, Organizational Productivity, and Employee Productivity. All reports can be customized as needed, and can be printed, exported to Microsoft Excel, or saved as a PDF.

Bill4Time integrates with a good variety of third-party applications including QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online, along with PayPal, Box, Microsoft Outlook, and a variety of legal applications.  

Bill4Time offers a variety of tools and resources for users, including training manuals, webinars, and training videos. A searchable knowledgebase is also available. Users can also access the FAQ page or participate in the Bill4Time user community forum. Toll-free product support is available in all Bill4Time plan levels, with both email and chat support available as well.

Bill4Time is well suited for small to mid-sized professional services firms that desire solid time and billing functionality. Bill4Time’s Time and Billing plan is currently $27 per user per month when billed annually, and includes accounting, reporting, a client portal, payment processing, mobile and desktop apps, invoicing, automatic updates, and encrypted backup. There are also two additional plans available that are designed for legal offices. A free 14-day demo is available for those interested in the application.

2019 Rating – 4.75 Stars