Why Your Unbilled WIP is a Liability

In a law firm, your inventory is Work In Progress (WIP). It is the accumulated cash value of every email, phone call, and court appearance sitting waiting to be claimed.

But unlike physical inventory, WIP has an expiration date. The longer it sits unbilled, the less likely your client is to pay it.

Yet, in most legacy software, billing this WIP is a navigational nightmare. You have to dig into a matter, generate a bill, go back to the list, find the next matter, and repeat.

This is where Nojumi changes your billing workflow. We believe your unbilled work should be available at your fingertips, not hidden inside individual folders. Nojumi allows you to access a global WIP Page, viewing all unbilled time across the entire firm in one list, and issue invoices directly from that screen.

Here is why keeping your WIP list clean is critical for your firm’s health.

The "Navigation Trap" (Stopping the Click-Fatigue)

If you are still using legacy software, your billing process likely looks like this:

1. Review the WIP
2. Browse the matter/open billing tab
3. Generate the Invoice.
4. Navigate back to WIP.
5. Search for the next Client/Matter.

This constant back-and-forth isn't just annoying; it is a massive time sink. If you are billing 50 matters at the end of the month, those extra clicks add up to hours of wasted administrative time.

The Nojumi Fix: The Interactive WIP Page. We eliminated the CSV export entirely. In Nojumi, your WIP report is live on-screen. It isn't a static document; it is an interactive dashboard that connects directly to your firm's performance page.

• Filter Instantly: Slice your data by Matter, Practice Area, or Timekeeper to see exactly what you need.
• Multi-Select Invoicing: You can select different matters from the list and issue all their invoices in a single click.
• Stay on One Screen: No opening folders, no navigating back and forth. You stay on the global WIP page, and the invoices go out in seconds.

The "Backdating" Problem (And How the Timer Solves It)

Let’s be honest about how lawyers track time. When you rely on manual entry, you are forced to "finish the work first" and remember to log the time later.

This leads to lawyers frantically trying guess how long tasks took and backdating entries. This method is prone to error and often results in lost revenue because small tasks (like 6-minute emails) are simply forgotten.

The Nojumi Fix: Real-Time Capture. The solution to backdating isn't better memory; it's better tools. Nojumi places a Timer right at your fingertips, accessible from anywhere in the application.

• Capture, Don't Create: Instead of creating a time entry after the fact, you simply start the timer when you pick up the phone.
• Automatic Logging: When you stop the timer, the entry is automatically added to the WIP list for that specific matter.
• Eliminate the Scramble: Because time is captured live, there is no need to "catch up" at the end of the month. Your WIP list is always up to date, accurate to the minute, and ready to be billed.

The Tax Trap of Unbilled Work

Many lawyers treat WIP as a "savings account", work they can bill later when they need the cash. This is a dangerous mindset.

WIP is not just "uncollected money"; in Ontario, WIP can become a liability. If work sits unbilled for too long, it can complicate your tax reporting and distort your firm's financial health. Furthermore, clients are significantly more likely to dispute a bill for work done six months ago than work done last week.

By letting WIP sit, you are effectively giving your client an interest-free loan while you absorb the overhead costs of your staff. Nojumi’s dashboard highlights aging WIP, encouraging you to convert that time into revenue before it becomes a liability.

The Bottom Line

Don't let your hard work rot on the shelf.

By centralizing your WIP into a live, on-screen dashboard and using the global timer to eliminate backdating, Nojumi helps you clear your inventory, simplify your tax obligations, and get paid for the work you have actually done.