December 16th, 2024

What’s New

• We’ve introduced a new flag that highlights time increments of 0.1 hours (or 6 minutes) or less on individual line items.
• We've made improvements to the "Work Billed Across Multiple Months Flag." The flag will now be raised if either the billing period or the line item dates extend beyond a single calendar month.

Bug Fixes 

• We identified and resolved a number of small bugs across our platform.
• We fixed a minor issue with invoices containing both withholding tax and a negative gross total from processing successfully.
• We resolved a small bug where leading zeros were being removed from timekeeper IDs.
• We made improvements to the Direct Cost Savings Report to calculate the savings amount using the native currency instead of the report currency.

November 21st, 2024

What’s New

• The Workflows feature now supports multiple Dynamic Hierarchical Approval stages, enhancing the efficiency and flexibility of invoice processing workflows.
• Admins will now receive an automatic email notification when another Admin creates a new Admin user or modifies the user type of an existing Admin. This feature enhances transparency and accountability by keeping all Admins informed. 
• An invoice can now have 3 new data points associated with it: Posted Date, Posted Currency, and Posted amount. These data points can be added via the payments API. 
• We removed the UI rounding in the Unit Cost column on the Invoice page to ensure accurate values are displayed.
• Paysites now feature typeahead dropdowns, making it faster and easier to find and select options. 

Bug Fixes

• We fixed a small issue where an incorrect error message was displayed for Fixed Fee invoices with multiple PO lines.
• We resolved a bug where applying two different timekeeper flags to the same line item resulted in the value of the flags being duplicated on the invoice.
• We fixed a minor bug where newly set live invoices displayed as " days" old instead of "0 days" on the Invoices to Review tab.
• We resolved an issue in the Report Builder where certain reports created by another user could not be copied. 

October 31st, 2024

What’s New

• We’ve made additional progress on our new Ask Brightflag feature and are now in a limited launch phase. Keep an eye out for upcoming release notes with more information.
• The Vendor Email Verification feature has been activated for some users. Stay tuned for further updates. 
• We made further improvements to the performance of the Legal Ops and Attorney Dashboard.
• We updated all vendor email footers to include a link to the new dedicated Vendor Help Center.

Bug Fixes 

• We addressed a minor issue with setting matter allocations via the API.
• We corrected a bug impacting the "Total Billed" amount on the Invoice tab of the matter page.
• We resolved a small problem with adding new vendors to matters.
• We fixed the vendor email username modules for better display on the matter vendor tab.
• We resolved a small issue affecting line items when multiple timekeeper flags are activated.

October 10th, 2024

What’s New

• Our new "Ask Brightflag" feature is entering beta phase 1. Stay tuned for upcoming release notes for more details.
• Admin users with the appropriate permissions can now move a pending invoice to "awaiting details" status, improving overall efficiency. 
• The expense date has been added to the expense table on the invoice page and the line item report; this feature is available only for PDF invoices, providing greater clarity and tracking. 
• Visual indicators for invoices marked as “in processing” will now be visible on the legal ops and attorney dashboards, enhancing visibility and management of invoice status.
• We updated the Law Firm Portal to encourage vendors to submit LEDES instead of PDF invoices.
• Admin users can delegate invoice approval to another user during absences or when temporary assistance is required, facilitating better collaboration and operational efficiency. (Launching October 11)

Bug Fixes 

• We identified and resolved a number of small bugs across our platform.
• We fixed a minor issue with the Billing Submission flag. 
• We addressed a small bug that occasionally displayed original drafts instead of revised drafts as the current version on the Invoice page. 
• We corrected a problem where some invoices with the workflow "All Must Approve" were not loading properly on the Invoice page.
• We eliminated a bug that was preventing reports with allocations from running as expected. 

September 23rd, 2024

What’s New

• The billing period is now displayed in the invoice tab on the matter summary page, making it easier to track billing cycles at a glance.
• We’ve introduced a new setting that, when enabled, allows Vendor Admins to manage their teams by upgrading, removing, or disabling other vendor admins, streamlining team management.
• Approval comments are now visible in both the Workflow and Comments sections on the Invoice Page. 
• IMLs can now add comments at the end of the vendor performance survey form, allowing for more detailed feedback.
• Vendors can now see the LEDES Invoice ID on the Law Firm Portal for better invoice tracking in eBilling Hub, improving overall transparency.

Bug Fixes 

• We identified and resolved a number of small bugs across our platform.
• We corrected a minor issue with the Vendor Performance Report.
• We fixed a small bug that allowed disabled tax rates to be entered into LEDES files.
• We updated the help center link in vendor emails to direct you to our new vendor help center.
• We addressed an overlapping text issue with the invoice header information on the Invoice Review page.

August 29th, 2024

What’s New

• You can now enable or disable AP Routes. This feature provides greater control and flexibility in managing the approval process
• We've updated the workflow editing process on the invoice review page. Users can now add themselves or others to workflows at multiple stages directly from the invoice page.
• An expense date field has been added to the expense tab on the invoice review page for LEDES invoice submissions. This update makes it easier to track and review invoices. 

Bug Fixes 

• We identified and resolved a number of small bugs across our platform.
• We fixed a small issue that prevented the currency field from populating in the Accruals V2 report. 
• We addressed a bug related to the export function in the Spend report.
• We corrected a minor issue affecting the line item report.

August 12th, 2024

What’s New

• Brightflag has recently become integrated with eBilling Hub. Now, law firms can upload their invoices to Brightflag through the eBilling Hub platform. 
• We have updated the new invoice review page to include payment details in the metadata bar. Now, you can quickly view the Paid Date, Payment Number, and Amount Paid. This enhancement streamlines the review process by presenting key information directly on the invoice review page.
• A new setting is now available to exclude volume trade discounts for particular matters. This allows you to selectively exclude certain matters and specific vendors within those matters from VTD calculations.
• We’re improving our user experience with a new feature, now in BETA, that enables customers to view PDF and LEDES invoices live on Brightflag while they are still in processing.

Bug Fixes 

• We identified and resolved a number of small bugs across our platform.
• We fixed a small bug that previously allowed users to become added without a role, ensuring that all users are now always assigned a role to maintain access and role management.
• We addressed a minor issue affecting law firm users when submitting LEDES 98B files.

July 8th, 2024

What’s New

• Duplicate AP codes are now accepted during allocation setting, facilitating faster processing.
• We enhanced invoice upload permissions, giving you greater control over the invoice submission process. This update includes a new feature allowing you to block the submission of LEDES invoices or PDF invoices from specific or all vendors. Please contact your Customer Success Manager if you wish to enable this new feature. 
• We've updated the edit and create functionalities for AP Routes. Now, you can configure the following rules/conditions: Currency, Department, Entity, and Vendor.
• We've introduced a new AP Route setting. When activated, this setting will automatically disable approval on adjusted invoices with tax greater than zero, regardless of the adjustment stage.
• We have further enhanced our new invoice review page by displaying the matter reference on the information bar for quicker visibility.
• During invoice review, Admin users now have the capability to modify the applied discount, which enhances flexibility and accuracy in managing invoice details.

Bug Fixes  

• We've successfully addressed a small issue concerning the addition of new workflows. 
• We resolved minor performance issues related to cost centre budgets for customers managing 30+ budgets. 
• We identified and resolved a number of small bugs across our platform.

June 18th, 2024

What’s New

• We introduced a new flag, "Expenses Charged Exceeding Invoice Amount Threshold," which triggers when an expense greater than X% of the net fee amount is billed on an invoice.
• We added custom matter attributes to the Accruals v2 report template, allowing for more detailed and customized reporting. 
• We are launching a beta feature that provides immediate visibility of invoices in processing upon upload by law firms. 
• We are improving our new invoice review page, currently in BETA. It now features a new history bar showing submission details such as the submitter, submission time, and invoice type. Additionally, LEDES files are now downloadable from the page.

Bug Fixes

• We fixed a small bug where firm notes were lost if the approval/rejection popup window was closed. Now, these notes are retained.
• We resolved a minor issue in relation to filtering the accruals v2 report for preferred counsel. 
• We identified and resolved a number of small bugs across our platform.

May 1st, 2024

What’s New

• Our brand new invoice review page has been released for the initial round of BETA testing.
• We added 'Accrual Amount,' "Prior Period Unbilled," and “Submission Currency” filters to the Accruals V2 template in the Report Builder, improving visibility and enabling more precise reporting.
• We also added 'Vendor Expense Code' and “Vendor Task Code” filters to the Line Item Report template in the Report Builder. 

Bug Fixes

• We resolved a small bug concerning the Invoice "Submitted Date" to ensure the same date appears for both customers and vendors, maintaining a seamless invoice review process. 
• We identified and resolved a number of small bugs across our platform. 

April 11th, 2024

What’s New

• You can now enable a feature in the Workflow admin settings that lets you assign a user to multiple stages of a workflow. When enabled, an admin can set a user on a workflow once per stage, and the application will acknowledge the reviewer in each stage they are present. This new functionality enables further customization of workflow settings.

Bug Fixes

• We identified & resolved an issue whereby some matter budget updates were updated out of sequence. 
• We resolved a minimum impact issue to ensure that invoices accurately enter the "awaiting details" status in the absence of an AP route until one is added, ensuring smooth processing.

March 27th, 2024

What’s New

• We've introduced an update that enables the complete removal of the Internal Matter Lead from a matter instead of adding them as a matter participant when they are replaced in that role. This enhancement offers users greater control over matters. To activate this feature, please contact your Customer Success Manager.

Bug Fixes

• We corrected an error with the "Accruals Not Submitted" hyperlink on the Dashboard. 
• We identified and resolved a number of small bugs across our platform. 

February 28th, 2024

What’s New

• We added 'Paid Date' and “Rejection reason” filters to the Invoices template in the Report Builder, enhancing visibility and facilitating more accurate reporting.
• Further enhancements were made in the Report Builder for “Matter Spend” and “All Matters” templates, including the addition of the following filters: latest matter note, latest note created date, and the user who created the latest matter note.
• Timekeeper Years of Experience (YOE) is also now available on Timekeeper reports in the Report Builder.
• The Legal Ops Admin Dashboard now features a Matter Requests Tab, enabling users to instantly view pending matter requests. 

Bug Fixes

• We have resolved a bug concerning the "no accruals submitted for the previous month” flag with minimum impact.
• We identified and resolved a number of small bugs across our platform.

February 07th, 2024

What’s New

• Further enhancing our Timekeeper feature, vendors can now include Timekeepers Years of Experience (YOE) when vendors bulk submit timekeeper rates. Currently, an optional setting,if you wish to make this a mandatory requirement for vendors, please get in touch with your Customer Success Manager or the Customer Support team.
• When exporting Approved Timekeepers from Brightflag, the download will now include a new 'Rate' column to give you greater visibility into the current rate for each timekeeper.
• We've also added a new column, 'Last Approved Rate' when downloading all Rejected Timekeeper requests.
• We've replaced "Timekeeper Ref" with "Timekeeper ID" to ensure consistency across our product.
• To make it easier to Update Vendor Contact & Billing Details, we've added the ability for vendors & clients to update their Contact Details and Billing Details on Brightflag. Please note: This feature is unavailable for clients who have disabled vendors from updating their details.
• For Accrruals reports, we've made some enhancements to include the "Last Updated Timestamp" and "Last Updated By" columns.
• When building reports in Report Builder, we've added "Start Date" and "End Date" as two separate fields to help provide more accurate reporting based on your needs.
• In Report Builder, we've made several additions to the filters in reports for Matter Spend, Invoice, Line Item, All Matters & Accruals. To find out more about these new filters, click here: Report Types

Bug Fixes

• In some situations, Accrual reminder emails were no longer sent after an accrual submission. This is now resolved.
• We've corrected the default date when viewing budgets and the Budget filters.
• In report builder, we identified and resolved a small number of bugs.