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With more than ten years experience implementing e-billing with thousands of law firms and vendors around the world, DataCert Firm Implementation has anticipated many of the questions you may have regarding your implementation. The most frequently asked questions are addressed below:

1. Is participation in ABC Company's e-billing program optional?
   
2. Does e-billing replace current invoicing procedures?
   
3. What do you do with the information I provided on the User Information Form?
   
4. Since ShareDoc^® is web-based, what are the minimum browser requirements?
   
5. Do I need to upgrade my time and billing system? Are there other options?
   
6. What is the difference between an ASCII/delimited file and a word processing document that is produced when a paper invoice is generated?
   
7. Our firm is considering the purchase of a new time and billing system. What software would DataCert recommend?
   
8. What are the LEDES 1998B, LEDES 1998BI, and PeerPoint file formats and why do I need to use one of them?
   
9. Can you discuss the format requirements with our time and billing vendor directly?
   
10. What is an e-packet^TM?
    
11. How do I know my file is secure?
    
12. What is a digital certificate and why is it necessary?
    
13. Can I register multiple users on one computer?
    
14. Can I register myself on multiple computers?
    
15. What is my company code?
    
16. I registered another user on ShareDoc, but he/she is not able to login. Why?
    
17. I forgot my password. Can you look it up for me?
    
18. My digital certificate has expired. What should I do?
    
19. Do I send my invoices to DataCert Firm Implementation or directly to ABC Company?
    
20. Are there any additional costs for ongoing support?
    

1. Is participation in ABC Company's e-billing program optional?
   ABC Company has made the decision to have its law firms, agents, and vendors send electronic invoices using our service. Some law firms/agents/vendors may be exempt from the program, but such determinations are made exclusively by ABC Company on a case-by-case basis. Contact ABC Company directly to discuss participation.

 

 
2. Does e-billing replace current invoicing procedures?
   Generally speaking, the billing cycle you currently follow will not change. The primary change will be electronic submission versus hard copy submission. In addition, DataCert Firm Implementation will work with you to help you comply with any unique e-billing guidelines that your client may have.

 

 
3. What do you do with the information I provided on the User Information Form?
   Your information will assist DataCert Firm Implementation in determining an appropriate plan of action to assist you with implementation. This form tells us what time and billing system you currently use, as well as any other computer information that is pertinent to your ability to access the network. We respect the confidentiality of your information. It will NOT be used for sales or marketing purposes and will NOT be sold or provided to any third parties.

 

 
4. Since ShareDoc^® is web-based, what are the minimum browser requirements?
   Microsoft Internet Explorer^® 5.0 or greater. JavaScript must be enabled.

 

 
5. Do I need to upgrade my time and billing system? Are there other options?
   Depending on which time and billing system your firm/company uses, an upgrade or module may be needed so that your system can produce a compliant electronic invoice. However, DataCert also offers the QuickInvoice and QuickInvoice Detail invoice submission options for firms/agents/vendors that have difficulty generating an electronic invoice in the proper format.

 

 
6. What is the difference between an ASCII/delimited file and a word processing document that is produced when a paper invoice is generated?
   A word processing document contains text and a great deal of format coding for font, justification, columns, etc. An ASCII/delimited file is simply a text document with no format coding present. In ASCII files, such as LEDES 1998B, LEDES 1998BI, and PeerPoint, the data is also in a specific order with a pipe-character denoting the end of a field.

 

 
7. Our firm is considering the purchase of a new time and billing system. What software would DataCert recommend?
   DataCert does not make software recommendations. However, nearly all time and billing systems support electronic file formats that are compliant or adaptable to the e-billing requirements of your clients.

 

 
8. What are the LEDES 1998B, LEDES 1998BI, and PeerPoint file formats and why do I need to use one of them?
   The LEDES 1998B, LEDES 1998BI, and PeerPoint file formats are all pipe-delimited ASCII files, which are commonly produced by time and billing systems. These formats contain consistent data in a format using a recognized delimiter (spacer) to separate information fields. ShareDoc validates file information specific to these standard formats.

 

 
9. Can you discuss the format requirements with our time and billing vendor directly?
   The LEDES 1998B, LEDES 1998BI, and PeerPoint formats are standard electronic formats that many time and billing software vendors already produce. If the need should arise, however, DataCert Firm Implementation can discuss the requirements with your time and billing vendor.

 

 
10. What is an e-packet^TM?
    An e-packet is an electronic transmission format produced by ShareDoc, which is used to transmit electronic billing files securely to your client. ShareDoc allows users to choose a recipient, attach a file, and select a file format. Users may also type a subject and write a memo for internal tracking purposes.

 

 
11. How do I know my file is secure?
    There are many measures in place to ensure the security of your files during the transmission and download of your e-packets. These include:
    • Your digital certificate, which verifies your identity
    • Your user password, which is a second verification of the sender's identity
    • All data is transmitted using 128-bit encryption over a secure Internet connection
    • The recipient of the files must also be a registered user of ShareDoc in order to retrieve the e-packet
    • E-packet expiration, which means that if the recipient does not pick up the e-packet within 14 days, it will expire and be returned to the sender's "Recalled Files" folder

 

 
12. What is a digital certificate and why is it necessary?
    A digital certificate is an online identification card that is automatically supplied by your browser to the requesting website. When you log into ShareDoc, it will verify your identity by requesting your digital certificate before you will be allowed to proceed to the password screen, which provides additional security verification.

 

 
13. Can I register multiple users on one computer?
    Yes. You can register as many users on a single computer as necessary. To preserve the security of the system, DataCert recommends that each user obtain a unique digital certificate.

 

 
14. Can I register myself on multiple computers?
    Yes. You may register on multiple computers. If this occurs, it is recommended that you use a slight variation of your name each time (e.g., John Bush1, John Bush2). This control allows you to easily identify the appropriate certificate to use.

 

 
15. What is my company code?
    Your company code is the authorization code that allows you to register on ShareDoc and is provided by DataCert Firm Implementation or DataCert Law Firm Customer Support.

 

 
16. I registered another user on ShareDoc, but he/she is not able to login. Why?
    Once a user registers and downloads a digital certificate, DataCert must authorize the certificate before it is valid. This authorization allows DataCert to minimize the issuance of duplicate certificates and confirm that the registrant is someone who is approved by the firm to use the service. Upon registering, the user must e-mail or call DataCert Firm Implementation or DataCert Law Firm Customer Support and the certificate can be authorized immediately.

 

 
17. I forgot my password. Can you look it up for me?
    DataCert can reset your password as necessary, but DataCert personnel do not have access to your current password, which is encrypted as an additional security feature. To have the password reset, contact DataCert Firm Implementation or DataCert Law Firm Customer Support at customer.support@datacert.com.

 

 
18. My digital certificate has expired. What should I do?
    Digital certificates are valid for three years. If your certificate expires or becomes corrupted, you simply need to re-register and download a new certificate. For assistance, contact DataCert Firm Implementation or DataCert Law Firm Customer Support at customer.support@datacert.com or (800) 770-5121.

 

 
19. Do I send my invoices to DataCert Firm Implementation or directly to ABC Company?
    When submitting live invoices, transmit the invoice directly to the corporate client through the ShareDoc site. The only time an invoice would be submitted to DataCert Firm Implementation would be if you were sending a test invoice for review (and, for security reasons, we request that you send DataCert only test data).

 

 
20. 20. Are there any additional costs for ongoing support?
    No. Additional support after implementation is included in the annual subscription fee.