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Lesson #125

Setup – PDF Transcript Preferences function

RB9 includes a PDF transcript creator which you can use to generate PDF transcripts from ASCII files. As PDFs, RB-PDF transcripts retain the appearance of the original document and can be easily shared with others because PDF is a universal format.

Use the PDF Transcript Preferences function to define preferences for how your RB-PDF transcripts will appear and what options they will include. You can create multiple transcript preference profiles to cover different transcript requirements. When generating a PDF transcript, you apply one of these profiles and edit it as needed for the transcript.

You can define preferences for a multitude of measurements, database inclusions, appearance options, and transcript-only requirements like:

• Line number treatments
• Attachments such as the original ASCII
• Word lists and indexes
• Condensed versions
• Cover pages & errata sheets
• Words to exclude from word lists/indexes.

Create your own RB-PDF Transcript profiles

RB9 comes with a basic transcript profile that might cover all of your needs. But if you have clients with different transcript requirements or state laws that you have to abide by for some transcripts, you can create profiles for individual clients and states. Edit the basic profile to work as your default for most transcripts, then copy it and edit the copies to create other profiles.

Specifications you can set in a transcript profile are broken into 8 main categories:

1. General

Define the appearance and basic options of transcripts in transcript profiles with specifications for:

• Paper size (including custom sizes)
• Margins
• Border appearance (how many, thickness, location)
• Line number treatments
• Text treatments (including separate options for Q&A bolding)
• Timestamps
• Attachments (such as the original ASCII)
• PDF format (including PDF/A for archival purposes)

You can also give staff the ability to edit the original ASCII before generating the PDF.

2. Header & Footer

Tailor header and footer content and appearance:

• Select which automatic database inclusions (like the case name, job number, witness name, even resource name and certification number) should appear, and where in the headers/footers they should appear.
• Specify whether headers and/or footers should always appear.
• Choose if and where company logos should appear in transcripts.

3. Word Index & Word List

Choose whether or not to include both/either, then customize the appearance of each, including:

• How many columns per page
• Where pagination starts
• Fonts, borders, and margins. Also specify where each appears: attached, within the transcript, or as a separate document.
• For word lists, you can choose to include how often each word appears in the transcript.

You can also choose to include a simple hyperlinked word index in the navigation pane of transcripts.

4. Condensed Transcript

Choose uniquely condensed options like:

• Page layout
• Font scaling
• Page orientation
• Line number dividers
• Q&A styling

Then further customize the look and options of condensed transcripts, including fonts, borders, and margins.

You can choose to include word indexes and/or word lists (and where they appear in relation to the condensed transcript), and choose where condensed transcripts appear in relation to the full sized transcript.

5. PDF File Properties

Select the RB9 data fields that will appear as transcript metadata:

• Title — could be RB9’s Witness Name field
• Author — the Business Unit or resource’s Full Name field
• Subject — the Case Name field
• Keywords — Job Number, Job Date, Case No., etc.

6. Cover Page & Errata Sheet

Choose whether or not to include either, then choose which forms to use for each that automatically include job and case information (set up in Form Templates).

Give errata sheets headers and footers, And include options to preview/edit the cover pages and errata sheets.

7. Digital Signature

RB-PDF Transcripts include the option to apply both reporter and agency digital signatures generated using the free ReporterBase Digital Signature Proxy. You can choose to have a bookmark labeled, “Validate Signer,” automatically included so that the reader of the PDF transcript can validate the signer’s digital signature identity.

8. Exclude Words

Compile a list of words that are excluded from the word index and word list of transcripts that are generated using this profile. You can export the list as an Excel spreadsheet or a CSV(comma-separated values) file to save, share, print, or use in other applications.

Archival PDF limitations

If you choose one of the PDF/A formats for archival reasons, not all of the customization features will be allowed. You cannot include attachments, including cover pages and errata sheets, nor allow digital signatures and their validation.

Using PDF Transcript Preferences

You can add and update PDF Transcript profiles at any time. Except for the default profile, you can delete any profile you no longer use.

When generating RB-PDF transcripts, the Select PDF Transcript Preferences window displays your default preferences. You can change which profile to apply, and update preferences for the current transcript.

NOTE: This is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.

TL;DR: Use the PDF Transcript Preferences function to define preferences for how your RB-PDF transcripts will appear and what options they will include. Generate multiple preference profiles to cover individual client requirements and other situations.

RB concepts in this lesson

RB-PDF Transcript: PDF version of a transcript with built-in transcript-specific features like hyperlinked exhibits, word lists/indexes, errata sheets, and enhanced headers/footers containing case and depo information from your RB9 database. It can be branded and customized extensively to match client requirements; and can include digital signatures, condensed transcripts, security restrictions, stamps, and archival formats for the courts.

ReporterBase Digital Signature Proxy (RB-DSP): Free digital signatures for reporters and agencies that agencies apply to RB-PDF Transcripts. Reporters retain control of their signatures while agencies are able to apply the signatures through their normal production process. RB-DSP is a free and easy way to apply digital signatures to electronic transcripts efficiently in-house while maintaining the integrity of the signature.

Lesson #124

Setup – Tracking Steps function

If you want to monitor jobs as they move through your production workflow — including the location of physical media such as DVDs — RB9 has a tracking function. Set up tracking items to match your production workflow, then define the steps each item goes through in your process. Once you have your tracking steps set up in this function, you can use Tracking to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

Tracking is a stand-alone function in RB9 so you have complete freedom in whether you use it or how you use it. If you want to track the status of service items like transcripts, exhibits, and video, you must first customize the module to fit into your workflow.

Set up tracking parameters

There are 6 steps in setting up tracking. The first step is to create categories of service items that your office produces and wants to track (such as DVD, Editing, Exhibit, Scanning, Synching, and Transcript). Set up tracking item types in Lists.

After setting up item types to be tracked, the second task is to create steps that each item type goes through in the production workflow. Use the Tracking Steps function to define the steps each item goes through in your production workflow so you can track jobs as they move through the process. If an item passes through different departments or staffers as it is produced and completed, you can add alerts to specific steps to automatically notify people when the item is their responsibility.

The Tracking Steps window lists all of the tracking item types you have set up. When you select an item to add steps or modify a step, any previously set-up steps are displayed. You can:

• Add steps.
• Edit or delete any step.
• Change the order of steps to match your workflow.
• Export the list of steps to an Excel or CSV file to save, print, share, or use in other applications.

When adding a new tracking step, only the step name is required. We recommend giving each step a descriptive label so users can easily understand what each step means. You can also designate:

• Default turn-around time for the step.
• Whether the step is active (meaning it will appear in the Tracking function).
• Which staff member(s) RB9 should alert when a service item reaches the step.

For steps that involve handing work off to another person/department or that additional staff need to know a milestone has been achieved, set up alerts that RB9 will send to their RB9 inbox when the milestone is reached. You can notify multiple users about any step and add or delete users from the notification list for a step at any time.

Finish tracking setup

After setting up tracking steps, return to the Lists function to complete steps 3–6 of setting up your Tracking function by specifying codes for different areas in tracking:

• Archival Status codes describe the current archival status of original media, such as video tapes.
• Media Classification codes specify who has rights to view/handle the media.
• Media Format codes specify the types of media you produce, such as DVD or audio tape.
• Priority codes specify order of importance or urgency.

Once you have finished your tracking setup, you can start tracking jobs through your workflow in the Tracking function.

NOTE: This is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.

TL;DR: Define the steps each service item goes through in your production workflow so you can track jobs as they move through the process.

RB concepts in this lesson

Job: Usually the reporting of a deposition, but can also be any kind of service you provide with your reporters or other resources. More >

Service items: Regular charges that you bill to your clients.

Lesson #92

Reports – Tracking Productivity Analysis function

Do you want to find out how many items have been finished on time? Analyze productivity by different tracking metrics in this interactive report if you use RB9’s Tracking function to monitor service item production and management.

View items you are tracking in RB9 that have reached a milestone during a specific time period by item, step, manager, or resource in an interactive report that lets you see total entries in the selected category at a glance. Drill down to see quarterly and monthly milestone achievements and how many milestones were achieved on time, late, with no due date, or were canceled.

The default Tracking Productivity Analysis report lists all tracked items that finished a tracking step in the current month to date alphabetically. You can expand the view of a single item or the whole list to see the breakdown of milestones, so you can quickly gauge how well your staff hit productivity goals this month.

You can change the report to analyze milestones by tracking step, by managers (grouped by manager), or by resources (grouped by resource).

You can also change the report to:

• View longer/different time periods.
• Include quarterly breakdowns.
• View milestones for one or more of your company’s business units.

Like other interactive reports in RB9, you can quickly switch between detailed and summary views of the report. The initial results in the report are displayed as yearly totals by tracked item. You can “expand” the view to see the monthly (and quarterly, if desired) subtotals for all entries, and toggle between summary and monthly (and quarterly) views for individual years/quarters, or “collapse” all to the initial yearly view again.

You can also expand and collapse the tracked items to see breakdowns by timeliness (on time, late, etc.). You can toggle individual items between the collapsed/summary view and the breakdown-by-timeliness view.

If viewing the report by step, all items listed expand to display steps and their status. If searched by manager, all managers listed expand to display items and their status. If searched by resource, all resources listed expand to display items, steps and their status.

You can export the report in Excel format to save, share, use in other applications, or print.

NOTE: This is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.

TL;DR: See how many tracking items have been finished on time, by item, by step, by manager, or by resource.

RB concepts in this lesson

Business Unit (BU): One of your company’s revenue centers or any entity in your business that you want to track separately.

Manager: Used with the Tracking function, RB user responsible for overseeing a tracked item through the system.

Resource: Person or thing that provides your business with a service.

Lesson #91

Reports – Daily Tracking Summary function

The Daily Tracking Summary list all jobs you are tracking in RB9 with completed steps within a specified period. Use this function to produce reports that document your progress for any time period.

The default Daily Tracking Summary lists all tracking items with steps that were completed today so you can document your day’s progress. Items are listed in descending alphabetical order of their description/title.

Each item listed includes:

• Its related job number
• Job date
• Case
• Client
• Witness
• Tracking item’s description/title
• Type of item being tracked
• Current step in process
• Its due date
• Start date
• End date
• Your company’s assigned business unit
• Assigned tracking manager

The report’s footer displays the searched by finish date (today) above the timestamp.

Create reports using different criteria

You can generate the report for:

• A different date range
• A single manager
• One or more tracking items
• One or more of your company’s business units

The report’s footer will display which search criteria you used to generate the particular report with the exception of blank search fields, ALL list selections, or if generating a report for one or several tracking items. If you select two or more items in the Business Units list, the report will display that as “(multiple values selected).”

Instead of generating a report that only includes the current step of tracking items, you can also create a report that lists all the steps completed in the specified time range for each tracking item.

You can search for a word or phrase in the onscreen report. RB9 will highlight all instances of your searched word/phrase in the report and list them in a scroll box along with the page number where they occur. Export the report in a variety of formats to save it and/or edit in another application, or print it.

NOTE: This is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.

TL;DR: Generate reports of all jobs with completed tracking steps within a specified period. 

RB concepts in this lesson

Business Unit (BU): One of your company’s revenue centers or any entity in your business that you want to track separately.

Job: Usually the reporting of a deposition, but can also be any kind of service you provide with your reporters or other resources. More >

Manager: Used with the Tracking function, RB user responsible for overseeing a tracked item through the system.

Lesson #90

Reports – Task Turnaround Analysis function

This report summarizes by resource how quickly they turn around jobs on average for a specified period.

View turn-around by ordered date

The default Task Turnaround Analysis report shows all tasks that have been turned in for jobs scheduled for today — or for previously billed jobs which had transcripts ordered today — grouped by resource. Each resource starts on their own page and there’s a separate grand totals page at the end.

Each resource page lists all their tasks completed today and includes each task’s:

• Job number
• Job date
• Job status
• Ordered, due, and turned-in dates
• Number of days it took the resource to complete the task
• Ordering firm
• Assigned business unit

The report’s footer displays the searched by order date (today) above the timestamp.

You can generate the report for:

• Different dates or date ranges
• A single resource
• A single task, several tasks, or all tasks
• One or more of your company’s business units

View turn-around by completed task

In addition to Tasks by Ordered Date reports you can also generate the report based on the date(s) tasks were completed by the resource instead of when they were ordered or scheduled to take place. The report’s footer will display which search criteria you used to generate the particular report with the exception of blank search fields, ALL list selections, or if generating a report for a single resource. If you include two or more business units in your search criteria, the report will display that as “[BU] (multiple values selected).”

You can generate summary reports which list only the resources and their total number of tasks and average turnaround in days with grand totals at the end of the list.

You can search for a word or phrase in the onscreen report. RB9 will highlight all instances of your searched word/phrase in the report and list them in a scroll box along with the page number where they occur. Export the report in a variety of formats to save it and/or edit in another application, or print it.

NOTE: This is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.

TL;DR: View how quickly resources turn around jobs on average for a specified period.

RB concepts in this lesson

Business Unit (BU): One of your company’s revenue centers or any entity in your business that you want to track separately.

Job: Usually the reporting of a deposition, but can also be any kind of service you provide with your reporters or other resources. More >

Order Date: Instead of a job’s scheduled date, this category includes assignments for write-ups ordered for previously billed non-transcribed jobs.

Resource: Person or thing that provides your business with a service.

Task: Service requested with a job, such as reporting, interpreting, or video, that require a separate resource (person, company, thing) to accomplish. More >

Lesson #89

Reports – Original Page Production function

This simple report lists all jobs (including the page count) generated for the specified period, grouped and subtotaled by resource. If you pay incentives to resources who produce more than certain number of pages per month, use this report to get the totals you need.

The default Original Page Production report lists all jobs that resources produced original transcript pages for today, with each resource starting on their own page and a separate grand totals page at the end. The report is designed so that you can distribute the individual pages to your resources for their records.

Under each resource, the report lists their relevant job(s) with the job number, job date, case name, witness name, and number of original pages produced. The report’s footer displays the searched by job date (today) above the timestamp.

Use search criteria to generate different reports

You can generate the report for a different date range, a single resource, and/or one or more of your company’s business units. The report’s footer will display which search criteria you used to generate the particular report with the exception of blank search fields, ALL list selections, or if generating a report for a single resource. If you select two or more items in the Business Units list, the report will display that as “(multiple values selected).”

You can search for a word or phrase in the onscreen report. RB9 will highlight all instances of your searched word/phrase in the report and list them in a scroll box along with the page number where they occur. Export the report in a variety of formats to save it and/or edit in another application, or print it.

NOTE: This is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.

TL;DR: View jobs for a specific time period, broken out by resource, and provide resources with their own copies of these reports. 

RB concepts in this lesson

Business Unit (BU): One of your company’s revenue centers or any entity in your business that you want to track separately.

Job: Usually the reporting of a deposition, but can also be any kind of service you provide with your reporters or other resources. More >

Resource: Person or thing that provides your business with a service.

Lesson #88

Reports – Resource Production function

This report lists all invoices posted in a specified time period, grouped and subtotaled by resource. Generate a version for your internal use, which includes page counts and invoice amounts, and a version to hand out to resources, which excludes invoice amounts.

In-house reports

The default Resource Production report lists all invoices posted today that include resource pay with each resource starting on their own page and ending with their totals for today. A separate grand totals page adds everything up at the end of the report.

The default report is an office copy version, meaning each invoice listed includes the billed amount, along with each invoice’s number, date, related job number and date, resource pay, original pages, case name, and Sold To firm. The report’s footer displays the searched by post date (today) above the timestamp.

You can generate the report:

• For a different date range.
• To show invoices based on their related job date, instead of post date.
• For a single resource.
• By city to see which resource is producing the most in that city.
• To include only invoices for originals or only invoices for copies.
• For one or more of your company’s business units.

The report’s footer will display which search criteria you used to generate the particular report with the exception of blank search fields, ALL list selections, or if generating a report for a single resource. If you select two or more items in the Business Units list, the report will display that as “(multiple values selected).”

You can also generate summary reports, which list only the resources and their totals with grand totals at the end of the list.

You can search for a word or phrase in the onscreen report. RB9 will highlight all instances of your searched word/phrase in the report and list them in a scroll box along with the page number where they occur. Export the report in a variety of formats to save it and/or edit in another application, or print it.

Reports for resources

You can use this function to generate reports to hand out to your resources that show them the amounts they have earned for billed jobs. The report includes the same information as the office version minus invoice totals. Use the same search criteria as for the office version to tailor the report as needed. You can generate a report for a single resource or reports for all resources that match your search criteria at once. Export the report or print it to share with the resource(s).

NOTE: This is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.

TL;DR: View invoices for a specific time period, broken out by resource, and provide resources with their own copies of these reports. Or generate summary reports that list the resources’ totals only.

RB concepts in this lesson

Business Unit (BU): One of your company’s revenue centers or any entity in your business that you want to track separately.

Job: Usually the reporting of a deposition, but can also be any kind of service you provide with your reporters or other resources. More >

Resource: Person or thing that provides your business with a service.

Sold To Firm: Firm that ordered the services on the invoice.

Lesson #87

Reports – Insurance Billing function

When insurance companies ask for a report that breaks down their invoices by law firm and attorney, you can provide this report. The Insurance Billing report lists each Sold To Firm’s invoices, including the invoice number, date, amount billed, balance, related job number and date, number of witnesses and pages billed, and the relevant case number and name. Each Sold To Firm’s listing includes their address and phone number to help the insurance company identify them correctly.

The default report lists each invoice billed directly to an insurance company (or other third party) that was posted today, grouped and subtotaled by client and insurance company, one insurance company to a page (or pages if they have more posted invoices than a page’s worth) with a Grand Total page at the end of the report. The report’s footer displays the searched by post date (today) above the timestamp.

You can generate reports for:

• Different date ranges
• Subsidiary firms that belong to one parent firm
• A single Bill To Firm (i.e., the insurance company)
• Firms in specific Billing Rate Group(s)
• One or more of your company’s business units

Restricting the report to a single Bill To Firm or Bill To Parent Firm will generate the dedicated report insurance companies want.

The report’s footer will display which search criteria you used to generate the particular report with the exception of:

• Blank search fields
• ALL list selections
• If you generate a report for a single resource

If you select two or more items in a list, the report will display that as “(multiple values selected).”

You can search for a word or phrase in the onscreen report. RB9 will highlight all instances of your searched word/phrase in the report and list them in a scroll box along with the page number where they occur.

Export the report in a variety of formats to save, share, or edit in another application, or print it.

NOTE: This is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.

TL;DR: Produce reports for insurance companies breaking down their invoices by client. 

RB concepts in this lesson

Billing Rate Groups: Umbrella structures that categorize your billing rates.

Bill To Firm: The firm responsible for paying the invoice for a job. This firm could be the same as the firm that scheduled the job or ordered services, but also could be a third-party firm, such as an insurance agency.

Business Unit (BU): One of your company’s revenue centers or any entity in your business that you want to track separately.

Firm: Company you do business with. They schedule depositions with you, e.g., a law firm, or they are a third party that pays you, e.g., an insurance company.

Job: Usually the reporting of a deposition, but can also be any kind of service you provide with your reporters or other resources. More >

Parent Firm: Headquarters of a multi-branch corporation.

Sold To Firm: Firm that ordered the services on the invoice.

Lesson #86

Reports – Client Rating Report function

This report lists all invoices (starting with O&1), grouped and subtotaled by client. Each client is listed with the number of originals and amount billed for originals, number of copies and amount billed for copies, combined totals, their outstanding balance, and payment history.

Default is all invoices posted today in descending order by amount, grouped by firm and contact who ordered the services billed (Sold To Firm).

• Each firm’s listing includes their address and phone number to help you identify them correctly.
• Contacts with qualifying original and/or copy orders appear under their firm name with their posted invoice details broken out.
• At the end of the report, grand totals for each column are listed.
• The report’s footer displays the searched by date (today) above the timestamp.

Customize your reports

You can generate reports for:

• Different date ranges
• Firms that are responsible for paying the invoices (Bill To Firm)
• Subsidiary firms that belong to one parent firm
• A single Sold To or Bill To Firm
• Firms in specific Billing Rate Group(s)
• One or more of your company’s business units

You can sort the list by amount or alphabetically by firm name. Sorting by amount lists clients in descending order starting with total amounts billed for originals, then copies. Sorting this list by amount can generate a holiday gift list. The report’s footer will display which search criteria you used to generate the particular report with the exception of blank search fields, ALL list selections, or if generating a report for a single firm. If you select two or more items in a list, the report will display that as “(multiple values selected).”

You can also choose a summary version that gives each client one line in the report that lists the firm name, the same original and copy breakdowns and combined totals for the firm, their outstanding balance and payment history, It also hides any zero amounts, making it easier to see the other amounts at a glance.

You can search for a word or phrase in the onscreen report. RB9 will highlight all instances of your searched word/phrase in the report and list them in a scroll box along with the page number where they occur. Export the report in a variety of formats to save it and/or edit in another application, or print it.

NOTE: This is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.

TL;DR: Generate reports rating clients on original and copy orders. One use of this report is to generate a holiday gift list based on the amounts shown.

RB concepts in this lesson

Billing Rate Groups: Umbrella structures that categorize your billing rates.

Bill To Firm: The firm responsible for paying the invoice for a job, usually the Sold To Firm but can be a third party, such as an insurance agency.

Business Unit (BU): One of your company’s revenue centers or any entity in your business that you want to track separately.

Firm: Business you provide services to, usually law firms.

Parent Firm: Headquarters of a multi-branch corporation.

Sold To Firm: Firm that ordered the services on the invoice.

Lesson #85

Reports – Misc. Sales function

Beyond originals, copies, exhibits, rush charges, mileage, and attendance are a whole host of other charges you bill to your clients called miscellaneous service items. The Misc. Sales report summarizes billed miscellaneous charges by client for a specific date range.

When you set up RB9, you organized your miscellaneous service items into groups of related items called Service Item Subgroups. For example under the Service Item Subgroup “Delivery” you included all of the delivery options you offer, e.g., FedEx, UPS, USPS, courier, DHL, shipping & handling. The Misc. Sales report covers one Service Item Subgroup at a time.

Today’s miscellaneous sales

The default Misc. Sales report shows all miscellaneous charges that are part of your first Service Item Subgroup that were included on any invoices posted today. Service item charges are broken down by firm billed — and the firm totals are further broken down to each contact at the firm that was billed for the relevant service items. Each firm’s listing includes their address and phone number to help you identify them correctly.

Each contact line on the report lists:

• Contact’s name
• Number of times they were billed for the service item
• Total amount they were billed
• Average amount they were billed

A firm totals line appears after each firm’s contact listings. At the end of the report grand totals for the 3 amounts (number of times billed, total amount billed, and average amount billed) are listed.

Other miscellaneous sales reports

You can generate reports for:

• Different date ranges
• Different Service Item Subgroups
• A single service item or several from the same subgroup
• Service items posted for all firms under a single Parent Firm
• Service items posted under one or more of your company’s business units

One way to use this report is to find out which clients are buying services you introduced recently.

You can have the results listed in alphabetical order of the billed firm’s name or in ascending order of the total amount billed. And you can have the report compile results from all contacts in each firm into single firm-wide entries in the list.

The report’s footer will display which search criteria you used to generate the particular report with the exception of blank search fields, ALL list selections, and service items. If you generate a report for a single service item or several from the same subgroup, the service items searched will appear at the top of each page of the report. If you select two or more items in the Business Units list, the report will display that as “(multiple values selected)” in the footer.

You can search for a word or phrase in the onscreen report. RB9 will highlight all instances of your searched word/phrase in the report and list them in a scroll box along with the page number where they occur. Export the report in a variety of formats to save, share, and/or edit in another application, or print it.

NOTE: This is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.

TL;DR: View miscellaneous sales charges totals & averages by contact and firm.

RB concepts in this lesson

Business Unit (BU): One of your company’s revenue centers or any entity in your business that you want to track separately.

Contact: Person who works for a firm you do business with.

Firm: Business you provide services to, usually law firms.

Parent Firm: Headquarters of a multi-branch corporation.

Service items: Regular charges that you bill to your clients.

Service Item Subgroups: Groups of related service items that make billing faster, because instead of scrolling through a long undifferentiated list of all of your miscellaneous service items, you can locate individual items quickly in their small subgroups.