Highlights

• New Task Based Billing data entry and reporting capabilities.
• New Text Macros. Used to speed up data entry by automatically replacing the macro with user-defined words or sentences.
• New formatting features including bold, italic and underline are now available in descriptions.
• Improved lookup windows.

Task Based Billing

• Task based billing is now supported. Task based billing is often mandated by insurance companies and large corporations that require billing information to be submitted in a uniform manner.

General

• The TABS III Remote data file names have been changed to RMT*.*. Previously, the data files were named T3*.RMT.
• The TABS III optional validation file names are still R3*.*. However, the file extensions are now DAT and IDX whereas the Version 8 file extensions were DTA and KEY.
• The TABS III Remote report definition file names have been changed to *.R3D (previously they were named *.RTD). The TABS III Remote report definition table of contents file has been changed to WR3REP.TOC (previously it was named WRTREP.TOC).
• Added the ability to enter four-digit years as well as two-digit years. The date range allowed is still 01/01/1970 - 12/31/2069.
• Right-clicking in a date field will allow you to increase or decrease the date by one day, insert the current date, clear the date or access the Date Math window.
• Right-clicking in a rich text field will allow you to add bold, italic, underline or statement comment attributes. You will also be able to clear attributes as well as insert text macros. In the data entry programs, you have the option of inserting the description from the previous transaction by pressing the F2 key.
• Added Close All and Minimize All menu options to the Window menu to close or minimize all open windows with the exception of the Task Folders window.
• Added a toolbar button and Ctrl+T keystroke to display Task Folders.
• Lookup windows were changed so that the selected record is shown in the middle of the list if the list is longer than the lookup window, thus showing records both before and after the selected record.
• Transaction lookup windows now display transactions in reverse order (i.e., the most recent transactions are shown first).
• Users accessing a Single-Access function can access other functions (both single and multi-access functions).

Printing & Preview Window

• Added a Fit to Window option in the Zoom dialog box allowing the software to automatically select the appropriate font size based on the report width and the current preview window.
• Added a First and Last button to the searching capabilities in the Preview window making it easy to specify where the search should begin.
• Changed the printed output so that the Windows Generic or Standard printer drivers print dashes for underscores (instead of not printing at all). This change makes the Generic/Standard printer drivers valid alternatives if there are problems with manufacturer’s printer drivers.
• Changed the print job order from Last In-First Out to First In-First Out.
• Increased the minimum and maximum allowable Printer Offset Adjustment from -0.250 and 0.250 inches to -9.999 and 99.999 inches.

Client Lookup Window

• Added the ability to include or exclude inactive clients.
• Added the option to list the last 20 clients accessed by the workstation.
• Added the ability to quickly list all clients with specified text in their Work Description or Name fields. This filtering can be done for all clients or limited to all cases for a single client.

Fee & Cost Entry

• Bold, italic and underline attributes can be applied to a description.
• The title bar of each transaction window now includes the client’s Name Search and a timer to help identify the window—particularly when multiple transaction fee windows are open.
• When the timer is running, the Value is displayed with a green background. When the timer is paused, the background is changed to yellow. The elapsed time for the Fee Timer is now included in the title bar of the Fee Entry window.
• New Text macros replace the Embed feature in transaction descriptions. Text macros are created and maintained in TABS III. They are transferred to TABS III Remote with the validation files. Text macros are accessed in TABS III Remote by right-clicking in the Description field.
• Added the ability to apply statement comment attributes to text. Statement comments will not print on a final statement but will print on reports and can optionally print on draft statements. Statement comments are displayed in red but are printed with strikethrough characters. This feature replaces the ability to start a line of text with an asterisk.
• The F2 key can be used to duplicate the entire description from the previously saved transaction during the current data entry session. (Note: This feature was available in TABS III Remote Version 8 for DOS but was not available in TABS III Remote Version 8 for Windows.)
• TABS III Remote now allows a maximum of 4,900 characters per transaction. Previously, this limit was based on a maximum number of lines (100) rather than a maximum number of characters. The ability to concatenate multiple transactions to allow continuous unlimited description is no longer allowed.
• Added a Reverse Case option which changes lowercase letters in the selected text to uppercase and vice versa.
• The Description field can be accessed quickly using the Alt+D keystroke.
• The day of the week is now shown to the right of the date field.
• For fees, increased the maximum number of Hours from 320.00 to 9,999.99 and the minimum number of Hours from -320.00 to -999.99.
• When value billing a single transaction, define the transaction code as a cost tcode. Whenever a cost tcode is used in the fee program, TABS III will automatically default to the predefined amount or rate.
• The Bill Code now allows a Bill Code of "4 - Billable/Always Print".
• For task based billing clients, the Tcode field is replaced with Phase/Task and Activity fields for Fees. The Tcode field is replaced with Phase/Task and Expense ID files for Costs.
• Sales tax rate codes can now be specified in TABS III Remote for each transaction. Previously, the Sales Tax Rate Code was assigned when the transaction was merged into TABS III.
• The Bill Code field was moved after the Rate Code field to accommodate the new Phase/Task and Activity fields used for task based billing.
• In Cost Entry, the Status field was moved after the Bill Code field to accommodate the new Phase/Task and Expense ID fields used for task based billing.

Transaction File List

• Added a Client tab which allows you to specify exactly which clients you want included on the report. A new Multiple button allows up to 50 client ranges to be specified.
• Added a Sort tab which allows you to select the order in which the information should appear on the report. Added the ability to specify a third sort order in addition to the primary and secondary sort orders.
• Added Cost Type for Advance transactions. Cost types can be used to group similar types of costs into one "category" of costs. Categorizing costs makes it possible to track billed and paid amounts by cost type.
• Added the ability to export the report in the following file formats: fixed field, comma delimited, tab delimited and pipe delimited.

Task Code Billing Report

• This new report can show both unbilled and billed task based billing transactions for a variety of ranges and sort orders. Transactions can be sorted by task code and activity/expense code. The report can be exported to a file in the following formats: fixed field, comma delimited, tab delimited and pipe delimited.

Reindex Files

• Added the ability to reindex files which may correct certain errors encountered by the Data File Integrity Check program.

Customization

• The verification lists for fees and costs are now optional.
• The Profession Customization labels (Client and Timekeeper) are now used on all windows throughout the software rather than just on reports.
• The Key Length has been replaced by the Key Type and Matter Length fields. The Key Type and Matter Length must be the same as those used in TABS III. The Key Type can be set to Numeric, Alpha or Mixed.
• Since the Key Type can be Numeric, Alpha or Mixed, the "Client Number" terminology has been replaced with the terminology "Client ID" throughout the software.
• The Data Path has been eliminated. All data files must reside in the current working directory.
• The file limits have been eliminated. The maximum allowable limits are always used.