In Clio Manage, billing administrators can use rate tables to manage complex billing rates across timekeepers, currencies, clients, matter types, and billing arrangements so the correct rate applies automatically when you log time. As a billing administrator, you can create a table for each billing segment (e.g., practice area, matter type), select the firm users, and set rates to group rates by client tier, fee arrangement, or role. You can assign rate tables in the billing preferences of matters and contacts.
Understand rate tables
rate table organises users, rates, and categories under a single billing currency, based on how your firm segments billing matters, for example, by matter type or practice area.
Rate categories represent how your firm tracks rates, fee arrangements, or roles. When you create rate tables, you will need to add rate categories. For example, a Personal Injury rate table may include premium, standard, and non-profit rate categories. Each rate category corresponds to a column in the rate table, and assigning a category to a matter or contact automatically applies that category's rates.
After you add rate categories, add firm users and set user rates for each category. Billing administrators can also track rate changes over time and schedule future rate changes.
Note: Rate tables integrate with Clio Manage's existing rate hierarchy.
Create new rate tables
You can create rate tables from Billing settings in Clio Manage, then add categories and users before assigning them to a contact or matter.
Tip: You can reopen Manage categories at any time after creating the table to edit its categories: drag a category by its handle on the left to reorder it, or click X to remove it.
- Go to Settings, click Billing, then click the Rate tables tab.
- Click New rate table.
- Enter a Table name, then select the Billing currency.
- Optional: Enter a Description.
- Click Create table.
- On the table's page, click Manage categories, then click + Add category.
- Click Update.
- Click + Add users, search for and select firm users, then click Add users.
- To remove a user from the table, click the X in the Users column.
- Hover over a user's row within a category column, and click to enter the rate.
Edit rate table categories
- Go to Settings, click Billing, then click the Rate tables tab.
- Under the name column, click the blue hyperlink to open the rate table.
- Click Manage categories to edit rate categories.
- Click the X next to a user's name to remove them from the table.
Assign a rate table to a matter or contact
You can assign a rate table and rate category when editing a matter from the Billing preference section. Rate table and Rate category are separate fields: Rate table lists the tables available in the matter's billing currency, and Rate category lists only the categories that exist within the selected table. You will need to select a rate category after selecting a rate table.
Note: Rate tables are separate from custom billing rates in the same panel, which sets a rate directly on a matter for one or more users.
- In Clio Manage, go to a matter and click Edit matter.
- Or, go to a contact and click Edit contact.
- Go to the Billing preference section.
- Select a Rate table.
- Select a Rate category within that table
- Click Save matter.
Update rate assignments in bulk
You can update the rate table or category for multiple matters from the Matters tab, instead of opening each matter individually.
Important: This bulk update replaces any existing rate table assignment on the selected matters. It does not merge with or preserve previous assignments.
- Go to Matters.
- Select the matters you want to update.
- Open the bulk actions menu and choose Update rate table & category.
- Select the rate table and category to apply.
- To save, click Update rate table category.
Track rate changes over time
The Rates as of date field above the rate grid controls which date's rates you are viewing or setting, and defaults to today. You can choose a past date to view rate history, and select a future date to schedule a rate change. In a time entry, the Rate field displays the applied rate, along with its table and category, so timekeepers can confirm they are billing at the intended rate before the entry is finalised.
To schedule a rate change for a future date:
- Select a future date in Rates as of. The table switches to a scheduling view.
- Enter the new rate for each user and category you want to change.
- Click Done scheduling rates to confirm.
Tip: A complete, dated record of past and current rates supports accurate, defensible bills if a client or bar association ever questions how a fee was calculated.
Up next
- Rates and Rate Hierarchies: See where a rate table ranks against custom, matter-based, and other existing rate types.
- Time Entries: See how the applied rate and category display on a time entry.