AbacusLaw 23.32 Release Notes

Version 23.32

Table of Contents

New Toolbar for AbacusLaw
New Background for AbacusLaw
Updated Dashboard Interface
Accounting Overview App Added to Dashboard
Hours Comparison App Added to Dashboard
Option to Customize Dashboard Apps Title Bars
Updated Name and Matter Screens
Remote API Provisioning
Updated Preview Panes in AbacusLaw
New Toolbar for Abacus Accounting
Toolbar Button to Open AbacusLaw
New Background for Accounting
Updated Preview Panes in Abacus Accounting
Spell Checking Multiple Time Tickets
Check Numbering Enhancements

 

New Toolbar for AbacusLaw

The toolbar for AbacusLaw was updated for a cleaner and more modern look.

New Background for AbacusLaw

A new, beautiful background was implemented for AbacusLaw.

Updated Dashboard Interface

The interface of the Dashboard and the Abacus Apps Center was updated for a cleaner, more modern look.

Accounting Overview App Added to Dashboard

The Accounting Overview accounting app was added as an optional app for the Dashboard.
The Accounting Overview app shows totals for the following categories:
WIP
Shows a total count and dollar amount for Work in Progress, which includes all time tickets that have not been billed. The first 3 controls above the category change the total values. The first control indicates if your transactions or the firm transactions are included in the totals. The next two controls indicate the time period to be used for the totals.
Payments
Shows a total count and dollar amount for payments received during the selected time period. To change the start and end dates for the time period, click the From and To controls and select the date.
AR
Shows the sum of accounts receivable, which includes all invoices that have not been paid in full. The control above the category box indicates when the calculation begins.
AR Aging
Shows the sum of accounts receivable by its age, meaning how long it has been due. Use the box above the category to set AR Aging to invoices due more than 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, or 120 days. Note that the age is calculated from the date of the invoice.

Hours Comparison App Added to Dashboard

The Hours Comparison accounting app was added as an optional app for the Dashboard.
The Hours Comparison app shows a chart comparing available, worked, invoiced, and collected hours for timekeepers over a selected period of time.

To use the Hours Comparison app:

1. Use the Date Range setting to select a time span for the chart.
2. Click the Refresh button.

To edit settings for the apps:

1. Click the app’s Settings button and click Settings. The Hours Comparison Settings window appears.

2. For Comparison Type, select the type of data comparison you want to see.
3. For Timekeepers, check the timekeepers to include in the chart. Click Select All to select all timekeepers.
4. For Chart Type, select the type of chart.
5. For Chart Palette, select the chart colors.
6. Check Rotate Chart Horizontally if you want to flip the chart's axes.
7. Click Done to save your changes and close the window.

Option to Customize Dashboard Apps Title Bars

Users can now change the text and bar color of the apps' title bars on the Dashboard.

Click the Dashboard's Settings button and click Settings. The Dashboard Options window appears. The buttons under Apps caption Colors let you change the color of the text and bar for the Dashboard apps' title bars. Click the appropriate button depending on what you want to change. The Color window appears. Select the color and click OK.

Updated Name and Matter Screens

The default screens for the Name and Matter windows were improved and now look more modern.

Remote API Provisioning

Remote API Provisioning provides API access to third parties without enabling Mobile Access. It allows users to set up API credentials so that AbacusLaw data can be used in other programs.
Follow these steps to enable the feature.

1. Select File > Setup > System Options.
2. The System Options window opens. Select the Features tab.
3. Click the setup button for Remote API Provisioning.

4. A window opens with a warning that enabling the feature will make data available on the Internet. Click Yes to proceed.

5. The Remote API Provisioning window appears. Check Enable. Complete the credentials and click Done.

Login ID, Password, Email: Enter your Remote API credentials.
Access Group: Check the types of AbacusLaw data you want to share with remote API.
Query: Select any queries to use to filter the AbacusLaw data that is shared with remote API.

Updated Preview Panes in AbacusLaw

The preview panes for the Matters Browse, Names Browse, Events Browse, and Linked Events Browse windows have been updated with a more modern, cleaner look.
When this new function runs, it will back up the prior preview HTML templates by adding a "_v2331" suffix to the file name before copying over the new ones from Masters\Layouts. So when running an update install, Data01 will have its templates updated. For any other data directories, the update happens when changing to that directory from within AbacusLaw or launching AbacusLaw directly on that directory.

New Toolbar for Abacus Accounting

The toolbar for Abacus Accounting was updated for a cleaner and more modern look.

Toolbar Button to Open AbacusLaw

In addition to clicking the AbacusLaw icon on the status bar, users can now click the new AbacusLaw toolbar button to open AbacusLaw.

New Background for Accounting

A new, beautiful background was implemented for Abacus Accounting.

Updated Preview Panes in Abacus Accounting

The preview panes for the Matters Browse, Names Browse, Events Browse, and Linked Events Browse windows have been updated with a more modern, cleaner look.
When the installer runs, it will back up the prior preview HTML templates by adding a "_v2331" suffix to the file name before copying over the new ones from Masters\Layouts. So when running an update install, Data01 will have its templates updated. For any other data directories, the update happens when changing to that directory from within AbacusLaw or launching AbacusLaw directly on that directory.
If clients have a Specialty Version installed, the Specialty Version browse previews will also be replaced, but can be restored using the renamed backups.

Spell Checking Multiple Time Tickets

From the Browse Time Tickets window (Billing > Time Tickets), click Spell Check.

The contents of all time tickets listed in the window are reviewed for spelling errors, regardless of which rows are highlighted. If an error is found, it is revealed in the Spelling window. Correct the error as necessary and the spell check process continues.

A notification window appears when the process is complete.

Check Numbering Enhancements

The following enhancements were made for check numbering.
Imposing Validations
The following validations are now imposed on all check number fields.
Check numbers CANNOT:
• Begin with a non-numeric character.
• End with an "A" (because that is reserved for ATM checks).
• Use a check number that was already used.
• Include any specials characters EXCEPT for periods (.) or hyphens (-).
Skipping to the Next Available Check Number
Abacus Accounting now skips to the next available check number when auto-filling the next check number if the next check number after the last check posted was already used.
Maintaining Check Numbering Conventions
When printing checks for multiple vendors (or multiple invoices on the same vendor where multiple invoices per check is disabled for that vendor), the check number auto-assigned to subsequent checks now tries to maintain the same check numbering convention if it includes non-numeric characters. For example, if the first check number is 100D, the second check will auto-post as 101D, the third check will auto-post as 102D, and so on.