The Home Page serves as a central hub, giving you easy access to key reporting features, such as the Menu, Recommended Reports, resources and quick access to favourite reports. The layout is designed to be more organised and user-friendly, making navigation straightforward and efficient.

The LEAP Reports header stays visible at the top of the page, allowing to easily return to the Home Page with a single click, whether you are on an individual report page or the full report search results page.

Access the main menu through the menu icon . The menu layout prioritises ease of use, offering quick access to favourite reports, a categorised view of available reports, and a search function to find specific reports efficiently. It consists of three panels: Report Category, Report List and Report Description and Access.

The Recommended section highlights reports based on your firm’s recent reporting activity, offering you quick access to useful reports. Each report includes a brief description of its purpose, its relevant reporting category, and a View Report button, which opens the selected report.

Previous/Next Arrows are provided to allow you to scroll through the recommended reports, making it easier to browse and select the most relevant ones.

This section offers access to additional resources, including documentation and guides. Links to frequently asked questions, essential reports and Power BI integration can be found here, making it easier for you to learn and enhance your reporting knowledge and experience. This section may also be updated with new documentation or guides as they become available.

Use the Previous/Next Arrows to navigate through the available guidance articles.

The Quick Access section shows a list of your starred (favourite) reports, providing one-click access. You can use the scroll bar on the right-hand side of the Home Page to scroll down and view more reports. Marking a report as a favourite ensures it appears in this section, streamlining workflows and minimising the need to navigate through categories.

Clicking on a favourite report will take the user directly to the specific report page.

A Search Reports bar is prominently displayed at the top of the page. This feature enables you to quickly find reports by typing in relevant keywords, report titles or descriptions. The search function improves efficiency by narrowing down report options based on the input provided.

Note that the Search Reports button on the Main Menu also provides quick access to this Search Reports bar.

Key features of the Search Reports bar are below:

• Dynamic suggestions 
• Full search results page upon clicking 'View all search results'
• 'Open the report' directs you from the Home Page to the specific report page.
• 'Learn More in Help Centre' directs you to a Help Centre article about the specific report.

The Account and Settings menu can be accessed by clicking on the user icon (user's initials), located in the top-right corner of the page. It has three parts: User Info, Subscriptions and Sign Out.

The report title is prominently displayed at the top of the page. A star icon next to the title allows you to mark or unmark the report as a favourite for quick access from the Home Page as well as the Main Menu.

The Filters allow you to tailor the data displayed in the report by setting specific criteria. You can refine the report view by selecting parameters such as date ranges, staff members, reporting groups, matter types, matter status, or other relevant options. This helps to ensure that only the most pertinent data appears in the Report Viewing Area.

• Intuitive filter grouping: New filter grouping organises similar filters together to help you locate and apply filters more efficiently. Below is an example where staff-related filters are grouped under the ‘Staff’ option.
• Preselected filters: Filters are now preselected with commonly used or recommended criteria, reducing the time you spend setting up reports. This feature offers a quick starting point, especially helpful for recurring tasks or standard reporting needs.
• Filter searchability: You now can search within filters that contain a tailored list, helping to save time and improve accuracy when selecting filtering options. For example, you can quickly search within the Staff list.

Once filters are set, you can proceed to view, export or download the report.

Filter options will vary by report. If you require additional filtering options other than the ones listed, you can download or export the report, then apply further filtering or perform any other data manipulation if required.

If the existing features do not fully meet your needs or you require more customization, LEAP offers integration with Power BI through the LEAP Connector. This allows you to build tailored reports and dashboards specific to your firm's needs. For more information, please refer to the article Installing Power BI & LEAP Connector.

LEAP Reports supports multi-column sorting, allowing you to customise both the order and direction in which your report data is sorted. You can use this sorting functionality for both the on-screen report viewer and the exported results to ensure consistency.

Below are the sorting indicators used in the report viewing window:

For example, the below Invoices Report is sorted first by Date (ascending), then by Matter No. (ascending), followed by Client (descending), and finally by Invoice No. (ascending). 

You have three report access options located in the top right corner of the individual report page.

• View: Available in most reports, this option displays the report in the Report Viewing Area, allowing you to preview data or locate specific information before exporting or downloading.
• Export: Available in most reports alongside the View option, this functionality allows you to choose a specific format (e.g., PDF, Excel, Word) and directly export the report. Exported files retains any applied filters for further analysis or sharing.
  • Direct export ability: Enables you to set filters and download the report directly without previewing, ideal for when you know exactly what you need.
  • CSV format added: CSV is available for select reports, such as the Staff Time & Fees Activity Summary Report, to support enhanced data manipulation and integration across various platforms.
• Print: The Print icon, located next to the Export option, allows you to produce a hard copy of the report or save it as a PDF using your browser’s print functionality. The printed output reflects any filters applied, ensuring the content matches the exported version.
• Download: In some reports, such as the Nominal Ledger Movements, only the Download option is provided, with a complete view of the report’s extensive data to optimise access to the full content in one file. Like the Export option, this option retains any applied filters in the downloaded file.

You can export reports without first loading data on screen, saving time when you already know what you need. This is especially useful for quickly generating reports without viewing the results beforehand.

After downloading or exporting the report, you can print it or perform further data manipulation as needed, such as filtering the report to show specific entries.

The Help icon (question mark) in the top-right corner of the individual report page links directly to the Help Centre article for that report, offering immediate guidance on its features and data interpretation.

An In-report Search bar enables you to quickly locate specific information within the report by displaying only the relevant rows based on search terms, making it useful for quick on-screen analysis and real-time data validation. The results will be either grouped rows or individual rows, depending on whether grouped rows have been expanded to display relevant data.

Reports are typically displayed in a tabular format, with data organised into columns. The following actions allow you to adjust the columns to customise the report's display for easier navigation and readability.

Below is an example, where in the Staff Invoiced Funds report, one staff member has a count of three rows, indicating when expanded, there will be three invoices under the staff member. 

In the example below, the Invoices Report results are grouped by client. Each client row displays a number in brackets, indicating the total number of invoices for that client within the selected date range.

• For example, the client Fisher shows the number (2), meaning there are two invoices recorded under this client.

• Expanding the row reveals the individual invoice entries, such as Invoice 12 (17/11/2023) and Invoice 19 (12/04/2024).

LEAP reports are categorised into five groups: Matters & Clients, Client Funds, Office and Management. This organization enhances user access by aligning specific categories with roles or functions within a law firm.

For example, Office and Client  accounting reports may be more tailored to finance or accounting staff or individuals in similar capacities, while Matters & Clients reports may assist legal practitioners in staying organised and delivering high-quality services to clients.

It is important to note that the distinction between report categories may not always be clear. For example, legal practice management often adopts an integrated approach, intertwining financial metrics (especially those related to Office Accounting) with broader management considerations.

Depending on your reporting needs, you may find value in referring to cross-category reports. These reports offer a comprehensive view, capturing the interconnected aspects of financial, management and operational dimensions. When seeking a holistic perspective, exploring cross-category reports can enhance your understanding and decision-making processes.

Date filters ensure that the data presented in a report is accurate and relevant to the specified time frame. Below, we focus on distinguishing between dynamic and specific date filters and between 'At Date' filters and 'Date Range' filters. Understanding these differences helps you select the most appropriate reports to meet your needs and derive meaningful insights from those reports, thus promoting accurate decision-making. 

Staff filters in LEAP reports play a crucial role in providing flexibility, granularity and relevance to the generated results. Typically presented as one or more Staff drop-down lists, these filters work in tandem to refine outcomes.

For instance, consider the Invoices Report, which features three distinct Staff drop-down lists: Staff Responsible, Staff Acting and Staff Assisting. The synergy of these Staff filters effectively narrows down results by restricting the matters associated with the invoices, offering users a tailored view of the data.

Dynamic reports provide real-time data, allowing outcomes to change upon reprinting—typically due to backdated modifications. This contrasts with static reports, which capture a snapshot of data at a specific point in time and don't update automatically.

Many LEAP reports are dynamic reports. Dynamic reports are used where accurate and timely information is crucial for effective decision-making. They accommodate the practical needs for corrections, updates and adjustments inherent in legal practice management.

For example, the Staff Invoiced Funds Report is a dynamic report that may yield different outcomes upon reprinting. The dynamic nature ensures an accurate representation of staff contributions to support decisions related to staff compensation, among other considerations. A different outcome upon reprinting may arise from later corrections (including modifying a draft invoice's date, adjusting billed fee amounts and deleting draft invoices) or invoice adjustments. 

• Regularly Review and Update Reports:

Given the reliance on real-time data in dynamic reports, you may need to establish a routine for regular review and updates. This ensures consistent work with the most current information, allowing prompt identification of changes or emerging trends.

• Facilitate Effective Communication with Your Staff:

In the collaborative environment of legal practice management, it is important to prioritise effective communication when utilising dynamic reports. Foster collaboration among your staff by discussing findings, sharing insights, and ensuring alignment among relevant team members regarding the information presented in the reports. This enhances collective understanding of the data and facilitates a more informed decision-making process.

Filters may operate differently across reports. For instance, while a date range filter (Start Date and End Date) is present in both the Staff Invoiced Funds Report and the Staff Receipted Funds Report, the former exclusively considers invoice transaction dates, while the latter focuses on receipting dates. This distinction renders direct comparisons between the figures in these reports inappropriate. 

Even when fields appear similar, they can represent different concepts across different reports. For instance, at first glance, both the 'Invoice Adj. Notes' field in the Fee Contribution & Recovery Report and the 'Disc/Adj (inc)' field in the Invoices Report seem to refer to invoice adjustments. However, upon closer inspection, you'd find that the former refers to adjustments to fee contributions (rather than invoice adjustments), which makes comparison of the two figures across these report inappropriate. 

Another reason for variations in figures across reports is the adoption of different calculation methods. For instance, the Practice Overview Report and the Aged Disbursements Report both present the most current unbilled disbursements (Anticipated Payments, Cost Recoveries, Payments and Journals) when appropriate filters are applied. However, the differences in their figures result from distinct calculation methodologies.

Specifically, the Practice Overview Report excludes disbursement entries on draft invoices from calculations, categorising them as billed once included in a draft invoice. On the other hand, the Aged Disbursements Report treats entries on draft invoices as unbilled, including them in the unbilled disbursements. These divergent approaches arise from the unique reporting purposes of each report, rendering a direct comparison between them likely not useful.

Before selecting reports, it's crucial to clearly define your reporting objectives, whether it's tracking a certain financial aspect over a period, assessing performance of a particular staff member, monitoring matter statuses, meeting annual trust compliance requirements, or addressing other specific goals. Reports are designed with distinct purposes in mind, and clarifying your report objectives ensures the selection of appropriate reports and the presentation of relevant and useful information. This practice also helps to avoid inappropriate comparisons of figures across reports.

Depending on your reporting needs, you may need to establish a routine for regularly reviewing and updating reports. Given the dynamic nature of legal practice, staying current with real-time data is essential for making informed decisions.

Leverage filtering and Group by options to focus on specific criteria such as date ranges, Staff members, Clients, Reporting Groups or matter types. This enhances the precision and relevance of the information presented. 

Foster collaboration among your staff by encouraging discussions around report findings. Sharing insights and ensuring alignment on the presented information promotes better decision-making across the team.

You can schedule and email certain reports to saves time and ensures that relevant stakeholders receive updated reports at scheduled intervals. To schedule and email reports, please refer to this article. 

Ensure that only authorised personnel have access to confidential data and adhere to privacy regulations. For report access control settings, please consult this article.