Better invoicing, happy clients

Electronic Discovery requires custom attention and individual care.  No two cases are alike.  The revenue cycle is no different in this regard.  Each law firm, corporate client and vendor requires unique processes to account for different pricing models and scope of work.
Addressing the unique needs begins with a strong foundation.  Accurate metrics gathering at each stage of the Electronic Discovery Reference Model spectrum is imperative to presenting the client with a defensible invoice.  In addition to having metrics to accommodate present pricing models, considering futiure client needs can save time and resources down the line.
Having a strong foundation also means having a sensible timekeeping policy.  Entering billable time is a tasked often loathed by operational staff, but it is critical to ensuring clients are invoiced in a timely and accurate manner.  Using a timekeeping system that works for your target audience is important as well - most timekeeping systems have similar backend functionality, but having a frontend interface that your team is comfortable working in will make compliance easier.
A strong foundation also relies on flexibility.  E-Discovery is a fast moving field, so having the ability to collect revenue metrics accurately for new products or pricing models with relative ease can make a difference in preventing revenue leakage.
The goal for any E-Discovery revenue professional should be to deliver a transparent and defensible invoice to the client.  Depending on the business model of the individual E-Discovery provider, many hands may touch the revenue figures before they end up on a client invoice.  This requires a crisp audit trail to allow a smooth review process.  No matter what systems are used, the underlying figures need to be reliable.  Effective client invoicing relies on everyone else doing their jobs well - from project managers to operational staff to developers.  Ideally, invoicing requires putting these pieces together and overseeing the flow of numbers, not struggling with finding the right data.