Timekeeper rate approval is the process in which a law firm submits each lawyer’s and paralegal’s billing rate to the client through the e-billing platform, and the legal department reviews and approves it before the firm can bill at that rate. It is one of the most effective spend controls a department has, because it settles price before the work is done. This guide covers submission, review, rejection, annual increases, currencies, and how the platform enforces approved rates.
What is timekeeper rate approval in e-billing?
Timekeeper rate approval in e-billing is a control in which each timekeeper’s rate must be submitted and accepted by the client before invoices billed at that rate are accepted. Rate requests are getting larger, since the average law firm saw 7 percent growth in worked rates in 2025, with 2026 increases expected to match or exceed it, and invoice data covering more than $75 billion of spend shows average partner rates increased 5.1 percent in 2025. In Onit, Timekeeper Rate Validation is a vendor-level setting, off by default, and once it is enabled an invoice needs an approved rate to move forward for approval and payment.
- Submission. The firm uploads timekeeper profiles and proposed rates through the e-billing portal.
- Review. The legal department compares each rate with the agreed rate card, the timekeeper’s classification, and the matter’s needs.
- Enforcement. The platform checks every invoice line against the approved rate and flags or adjusts anything that does not match.
Rate approval usually starts during firm onboarding, when each firm’s existing timekeepers are loaded for the first time.
What should law firms submit for each timekeeper?
Law firms should submit enough information for each timekeeper that a reviewer can judge the rate without chasing the firm for details. Incomplete submissions are the main reason approvals stall.
- Identity and classification. Full name, the firm’s timekeeper ID, title, and a classification such as partner, associate, or paralegal, using the classification list your guidelines recognize.
- Location and experience. Office, jurisdiction, and year of admission or years of experience, which explain most differences in rate.
- Rate details. Proposed hourly rate, currency, effective date, and the matters or practice areas the rate applies to.
Publish a single template with these fields and reject submissions that leave any blank.
How do law firms submit timekeeper rates for approval?
Law firms submit timekeeper rates for approval by uploading them through the client’s e-billing portal, usually in bulk for onboarding and one at a time for new joiners. Supported methods commonly include an Excel or CSV upload and a web form.
Bulk upload suits onboarding and annual increases, when a firm may submit dozens or hundreds of rates at once. A single entry suits a new associate joining a matter mid-year, where one rate needs approval quickly.
Make sure firms know the difference between rates submitted for approval and rates they keep only for internal reference. Only submitted rates go through your review, and only approved rates will pass invoice validation. In Onit, firms submit new timekeepers, standard rates, and matter-specific rates through Counsel Exchange, the portal law firms use to submit invoices and timekeeper data. A new standard rate shows as Pending until the client approves or rejects it, and firms should wait for approval before billing that timekeeper.
How should reviewers decide whether to approve a timekeeper rate?
Reviewers should approve a timekeeper rate when it matches the agreed rate card for that classification and location, and when the timekeeper’s seniority fits the work they will do. The decision should rest on written criteria, so two reviewers reach the same answer.
- Rate card match. The proposed rate falls within the agreed rate or band for the timekeeper’s classification, office, and currency.
- Seniority fit. The timekeeper’s level suits the matter. A senior partner rate on routine document review is worth questioning before the hours are billed.
- Market context. Where no rate card exists, compare the rate with other firms’ rates for similar roles in the same market, drawing on the department’s own spend data.
Set a review target, such as five business days from submission.
What happens when a timekeeper rate is rejected?
When a timekeeper rate is rejected, the firm should receive the reason and the rate the department is prepared to accept, so it can resubmit without a phone call.
Record the reason in the platform and send it to the firm’s billing contact. In Onit, administrators can approve, reject, or reset a rate’s status, so a decision made in error can be reopened. Common reasons include a rate above the agreed band, a classification that does not match experience, or a timekeeper who was not approved for the matter. Until a revised rate is approved, invoice lines for that timekeeper are rejected or adjusted to the approved rate, as your billing guidelines direct. Keep a log of rejections by firm and reason, and review it every quarter to spot firms that need a conversation about rates.
How should annual rate increase requests be handled?
Annual rate increase requests should be handled in a single scheduled window each year, with a fixed submission format and a clear decision date. Handling increases firm by firm, whenever they arrive, is how unapproved rates slip into invoices.
- One window. Ask firms to submit all increases once a year, 60 to 90 days before the proposed effective date, usually ahead of the calendar year.
- One format. Each request lists every timekeeper, the current rate, the proposed rate, the percentage change, and the reason.
- Clear rules. State whether rates are locked for a minimum period, whether increases apply to existing matters, and that a promotion does not change the rate on a matter automatically.
Summarize the requests by firm before deciding, showing the total cost impact across expected hours. Rate governance is one of the main ways to reduce outside counsel costs without losing quality.
How do currencies affect timekeeper rate approval?
Currencies affect timekeeper rate approval whenever firms bill in a different currency from the one in which rates were agreed, because exchange rate movements can make an approved rate appear to change. Global departments need a clear rule for which currency the rate is approved in.
The simplest approach is to approve each rate in the timekeeper’s home currency and convert at invoice time using an agreed exchange rate source. The LEDES XML 2.2 format supports rate approval in a timekeeper’s home currency, which reduces the number of rate combinations a department has to approve when exchange rates move. Whatever approach you choose, write it into the billing guidelines, including which exchange rate applies and on which date.
How does the e-billing system enforce approved rates?
The e-billing system enforces approved rates by comparing the rate on every invoice line with the approved rate for that timekeeper, matter, and date. Enforcement is what turns rate approval from a policy into a control.
- Line-level checks. Each time entry’s rate is compared with the approved rate in effect on the date the work was done, which depends on each rate’s status and effective date.
- Flag or adjust. Lines above the approved rate are rejected or reduced automatically, following your billing rules. Onit records these adjustments with the reason Invalid Timekeeper Rate, which makes them easy to report.
- Documented exceptions. Any approved exception, such as a one-off rate for a specialist, is recorded against the matter so reviewers can see why it passed.
A practical target is less than 2 percent of billed time arriving at an unapproved rate once the process is established.
How should rate approval be governed after go-live?
Rate approval in e-billing should be governed with a named owner, agreed response times, and a regular review of rates and exceptions.
- Ownership. One person or team owns rate decisions, with a documented escalation path for rates above the band.
- Response times. Submissions are reviewed within an agreed time, such as five business days, and tracked so none sit unanswered.
- Regular review. Approved rates, exceptions, and rejection trends are reviewed every quarter, and rate cards are refreshed once a year.
Review which vendors have rate validation switched on, since the rate validation setting is applied firm by firm. In Onit, the All Timekeepers view shows how many approved and rejected rates each timekeeper has, a quick starting point for the quarterly review.
Conclusion
Timekeeper rate approval settles price before the work is done, which makes it one of the strongest spend controls in e-billing. Ask firms for complete timekeeper details, review each rate against written criteria, and give clear reasons when you reject. Handle increases in a single annual window, approve rates in a defined currency, and let the platform enforce approved rates on every invoice line. With an owner, response times, and quarterly reviews in place, firms learn that the approved rate is the rate that gets paid.
How Basla can help
Basla provides delivery teams for enterprise legal management and eBilling software implementation, covering legal technology consulting, rate card and timekeeper configuration, billing rule setup, law firm onboarding support, testing, documentation, and post-go-live support. For rate approval, that means designing the submission template and review criteria, configuring rate validation, and testing it with real invoice lines before firms go live.
Basla has delivered matter management and eBilling across 10+ global jurisdictions, including rate structures that span multiple currencies and offices. That experience helps departments build rate controls that hold up across every region their firms bill from.
Frequently asked questions
What is timekeeper rate approval?
Timekeeper rate approval is the e-billing process in which a law firm submits each timekeeper’s billing rate to the client, and the legal department approves it before invoices at that rate are accepted. It settles price before the work is billed.
How do law firms submit timekeeper rates?
Law firms submit timekeeper rates through the client’s e-billing portal, typically by Excel or CSV upload for bulk submissions and by web form for single timekeepers. Each submission includes the timekeeper’s details, classification, rate, currency, and effective date.
Can a law firm bill before a timekeeper rate is approved?
Where rate validation is enabled, a firm should wait until a timekeeper’s rate is approved before billing with them. In Onit, an invoice needs an approved rate to move forward for approval and payment when the vendor has Timekeeper Rate Validation switched on.
How often should law firms be allowed to raise rates?
Most departments allow rate increase requests once a year, submitted 60 to 90 days before the proposed effective date. No increase applies until the department approves it.
What should happen when a timekeeper rate is rejected?
When a timekeeper rate is rejected, the firm should receive the reason and the rate the department will accept. Invoice lines for that timekeeper are then rejected or adjusted until a revised rate is approved.
How are timekeeper rates handled in multiple currencies?
Timekeeper rates in multiple currencies are best approved in each timekeeper’s home currency and converted at invoice time using an agreed exchange rate source. The LEDES XML 2.2 format supports home currency rate approval.
*This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Basla Solutions provides legal technology implementation and support services and does not practice law.*