Smarter Week

How to automate it

How to automate “review outside counsel invoices and legal spend”

Here are 2 ways to spend less time on this, best first. Each comes with steps you can follow today and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

60 min
typically, once a month
55%
of the time can be automated
Some setup
to set up

Fix 1 of 2

Software featureBest fix

Have outside counsel bill through an e-billing tool that checks your guidelines

Legal e-billing tools check invoices against your billing guidelines (block billing, rates, staffing) and flag problems, so you review exceptions instead of every line.

Typically saves about 50% of the time4 h to set up
  1. 1Write or update your outside counsel billing guidelines.
  2. 2Set up Brightflag, SimpleLegal, Onit or Mitratech TeamConnect, and require firms to submit through it.
  3. 3Turn on automatic guideline checks and budget alerts by matter.
  4. 4Review flagged lines and monthly spend by firm.

Tools: Brightflag · SimpleLegal · Onit · Mitratech TeamConnect

Fix 2 of 2

AI

Let AI build the formulas, pivots and summary

Copilot in Excel, Gemini in Sheets, or uploading the file to ChatGPT or Claude can build the pivot, the chart and the commentary in minutes.

Typically saves about 50% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Export or open the data.
  2. 2Ask Copilot in Excel or Gemini in Sheets, or upload the file to an approved AI assistant.
  3. 3Describe the report you want, including the breakdowns.
  4. 4Check the totals against the source before you share.
Prompt to copy
Here is [DESCRIBE THE DATA]. Build a summary that shows [THE NUMBERS YOUR MANAGER WANTS] by [BREAKDOWN], compared with [LAST PERIOD]. Give me the Excel formulas or pivot setup to reproduce it, and three sentences on what changed and why it matters.

Tools: Copilot in Excel · Gemini in Google Sheets · ChatGPT or Claude with file upload

Who does this task

Roles in our library that list this as one of their common tasks. Each guide covers the rest of that role’s week.

In-house counselParalegal / legal operations

HourLeak · the 8-minute work audit

How many hours does this cost you?

The free 8-minute check works out where your week goes and gives you your top fixes. The team scan does the same for everyone and adds it up, so you know which leaks to fix first.

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Answers are anonymous. Leaders only see team totals.

Other common tasks for In-house counsel