Time, Billing, Accounting & Practice Management Software for Law Firms
 
Welcome to the Learning Center!
E-Learning Tutorials

This tutorial teaches you how to install ESILAW on a stand-alone computer.
This tutorial walks you through the Setup Wizard, which is launched the first time you run ESILAW after installation. It explains the various settings and options in the Setup Wizard and how to configure them.
This tutorial provides a complete overview of the QuickStart navigator, which is displayed when you log in to ESILAW for the first time. It covers startup tasks you need to complete and others that are optional.
This tutorial teaches you how to set up user accounts and groups, which control access to features within ESILAW.
This tutorial teaches you how to configure global settings in System Settings prior to using ESILAW.
This tutorial teaches you how to work with transactions in ESILAW using common features such as save, post, delete, edit, and reverse.
This tutorial explains how to get help or assistance using the various help resources that are available such as the integrated help, FAQ knowledgebase, and Customer Support Center.
This tutorial teaches you how to set up client numbering format to suit your firm's need and how to enter clients in ESILAW.
This tutorial teaches you how to set up custom fields on client files using the My Fields feature and how to enter information into those fields.
This tutorial teaches you how to add public and private contacts, how to link contacts to clients or vendors, and how to search for contacts using the search features.
This tutorial teaches you how to enable conflict tracking in ESILAW, how to search for conflicts when adding a new client, and how to perform detailed conflict searches using the Conflict Search feature.
This tutorial teaches you how to print client labels and explains the various options that are available when printing labels.
This tutorial teaches how to use calendar features such as appointment and task entry, reminders, time entry from appointments and tasks, and calendar reports.
This tutorial teaches how to share calendars with other users in the firm and how to access calendars that are shared.
This tutorial teaches you how to create document templates in Microsoft Word for use with the Create Document feature.
This tutorial teaches you how to merge information into Microsoft Word documents using the Create Document feature. It also covers attaching documents you've created to client files.
This tutorial teaches you how to set up and use ESILAW's document management features to manage client documents.
This tutorial teaches you how to set up timekeeper and client rates to use when tracking time for clients. It also explains which rates takes precedence over others.
This tutorial teaches you how to enter time for clients using the Enter Time feature.
This tutorial provides an overview of how you can track and record client and firm expenses using various methods in ESILAW.
This tutorial teaches you how to enter client or firm expenses using the Enter Disbursements feature.
This tutorial teaches you how to write general checks for client or firm expenses and how to view the details of those checks on various screens and reports.
This tutorial teaches you how to enter accounts payable invoices for client or firm expenses and how to view entries using Inquiry and reports.
This tutorial explains how to edit time and disbursement transactions that are posted to client files using Enter Disbursements.
This tutorial examines screens and reports in ESILAW that are used to review and report on client work-in-progress (WIP). Work-in-progress refers to a client's unbilled time and disbursement transactions.
This tutorial introduces you to Inquiry, the primary feature used to view and manage client information in ESILAW. Inquiry allows you to view client contact and file information, notes, transaction ledgers, and balances. It is also used to view and manage associated contacts, documents, e-mails, and custom fields.
This tutorial teaches you how to create and customize bill templates for use with the Create Bills feature.
This tutorial teaches you how to configure the various billing settings that are available in ESILAW to help streamline your billing process.
This tutorial teaches you how to create bills for individual client files, how to make adjustments to bills, and how to preview bills prior to printing or e-mailing them.
This tutorial explains how to set up clients to receive bills and statements by e-mail, how e-mails are generated when you send a bill or statement, and how to manage those e-mails in the E-mail Manager queue prior to sending them to clients.
This tutorial teaches you how to reverse bills created using Create Bills and shows the impact of a reversal transaction on the ledgers.
This tutorial teaches you how to write off work-in-progress (WIP) or unbilled time and disbursement transactions and how to view write-offs in Inquiry and on reports.
This tutorial teaches you how to close files in ESILAW, how to run reports on closed files, and how to re-open files that have been closed.
This tutorial teaches you how to enter a trust receipt for regular or term trust and how to print receipts and bank deposit slips. It also covers how to look up trust receipt information on screen and on reports.
This tutorial covers how enter a payment received from a client for an invoice or bill and how to view receipt transactions in Inquiry and on reports.
This tutorial teaches you how to write off a bill or invoice and how to use reports to view write-offs.
This tutorial teaches you how to transfer trust from one client or matter to another and how to lookup trust transfer transactions on screen and on reports.
This tutorial teaches you how to use the Find feature's search options to find all types of transactions entered in ESILAW.
This tutorial covers the various types of reports available in ESILAW, options that are available when viewing reports on screen, and aspects of reporting such as drilldown and exporting reports.
This tutorial teaches you how to use drilldown features in ESILAW reports to examine details behind report balances.
This tutorial teaches you how to export reports to Microsoft Excel or Adobe PDF format.
This tutorial teaches you how to add a report to the Automatic Report Runner, which is used to print batches of reports. It also examines how to edit report and group options in the Automatic Report Runner.
This tutorial teaches you how to enable the automatic backup features in ESILAW and how to perform a manual backup or restore.
This tutorial teaches you how to configure the News and Updates feature to display for ESILAW administrators only.
This tutorial teaches you how to download and install updates using the Check for Updates and Install Updates features.
This tutorial explains how to transition from one fiscal or financial year to the next. It also covers common procedures that help ensure that the year-end transition is seamless.

The Learning Center provides step-by-step, interactive tutorials that teach you how to use ESILAW.

  • Tutorials are based on the Simplified menu.
  • Adobe flash player is required to view the tutorials.
  • A resolution of 1024x768 or higher is recommended.
  • Tutorials can be maximized to fit the desktop window for easier viewing.

Send us an e-mail to suggest a tutorial or send feedback on an existing tutorial.

 
 
 Setting Up ESILAW for the First Time
 
     
 
Installing ESILAW on a single computer
 
 
 
 Before You Begin Using ESILAW
 
     
 
Running ESILAW for the first time (Setup Wizard)   Menus, navigation, keystrokes and hotkeys
Completing required and optional tasks (QuickStart)   Working with transactions
Setting up user accounts   Getting help
Configuring system settings in ESILAW      
 
 
 
 Daily Activities
 
     
 
  Clients and Matters
Adding clients or matters
Setting up custom fields for clients
Working with contacts
Tracking and searching for conflicts
Printing labels
   
  Calendaring
Using the calendar
Sharing calendars
   
  Working with Documents
Creating document templates
Creating documents for clients
Managing client documents
   
  Tracking Time
Setting timekeeper and client rates
Entering time
   
  Client and Firm Expenses
An overview of client and firm expenses
Entering disbursements / expenses
Writing checks to pay client or firm expenses
Entering A/P invoices for client or firm expenses
   
  Working with Time and Client Expenses
Editing time and expense entries
Writing off time and expense entries
 
  Viewing Client and Transaction Details
Reviewing client work-in-progress (WIP)
Using Inquiry to view and manage client information
Using the Find feature to find transactions
   
  Billing Clients
Customizing bill templates
Configuring billing settings
Creating bills for individual clients
E-mailing bills
Reversing bills
   
  Receiving Money from a Client
Receiving trust from a client
Receiving payments for invoices or bills
   
  Accounts Receivable
E-mailing statements
Writing off Bills
   
  Working with Trust
Transferring trust between clients
   
 
 
 
  Reporting in ESILAW
 
     
 
An overview of reporting in ESILAW
Using drilldown to find information
Exporting reports to Excel and PDF
Scheduling reports with the Automatic Report Runner
 

 
  Additional Features
 
     
 
Creating and restoring backups
Configuring the news and updates feature
Downloading and installing updates
 
 
 
  Month-end Tasks
 
     
 
Writing off unbilled time and disbursement entries
Closing Client Files
 

 
  Year-end Tasks
 
     
 
What to do at Year-end
 
 
   
 
ESILAW Law Firm Accounting Software Electronic Billing Software for Law Firms  
Why Law Firms Prefer ESILAW Law Firm Trust Accounting  
Law Firm Client & Matter Management Lawyer & Timekeeper Reporting  
Legal Conflict Tracking Software Billing Realization Reports  
Legal Time Tracking Software Collection Realization Reports  
Legal Expense Tracking Software Law Firm E-mail Management Software  
Legal Calendaring Software Cost Recovery for Law Firms  
Document Assembly Software Photocopy Cost Recovery  
Document Management Software Printer Cost Recovery  
Legal Billing Software    
Contact Information
Toll Free: 1.888.663.4545
International: 1.604.990.1779
Fax: 1.604.990.1789
sales@esilaw.com
 
  ESI Software Inc.
113 - 980 W 1st Street
North Vancouver, BC
V7P3N4 Canada
 
 
Copyright 2011 ESI Software Inc. - All Rights Reserved