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Time tracking and billing software is supposed to make life easier, not harder. But sometimes, even the best tools break down. That’s exactly what happened when TimeSolv—a popular billing platform for law firms and other professionals—ran into a glitch that caused clients to get overbilled. Yikes!
TL;DR
TimeSolv had a glitch with its rate tables, which are used to apply the right billing rates to each client or matter. This glitch caused incorrect, higher rates to be used for some invoices. Eventually, users noticed, and a manual audit helped catch and fix the overbilling. It was a mistake—but also a wake-up call for checking your invoices more carefully.
What Went Wrong?
It all started with a rate table update. TimeSolv lets firms set up different billing rates depending on the client, staff person, or work type. Sounds great in theory. But a software update messed up how these rate tables were applied.
Suddenly, random matters started pulling in the wrong rate. A paralegal’s time might be billed at a partner’s rate. Or a discounted client got billed full price. You can imagine the confusion!
How Did Nobody Notice at First?
Good question. The glitch was subtle. It didn’t throw errors. It didn’t break the app. Invoices looked totally normal—until you took a close look at the math.
At first, no one suspected TimeSolv. Firms assumed someone had just mis-entered a rate. Maybe a new staff member made a mistake? Maybe an outdated rate was left in place?
Here’s why it flew under the radar:
- Only some invoices were affected.
- The problem wasn’t easy to reproduce.
- Billing managers trusted the system’s math.
- Clients rarely double-checked their invoices.
The First Red Flag 🚩
The issue finally came to light when a vigilant attorney noticed an angry email from a long-term client. The client said:
“Hey… Why am I being charged $425/hour for work we agreed would be billed at $275?”
This made the attorney sit down and compare rate tables, timesheets, and the invoice. That’s when the mystery began to unravel.
The Manual Audit Begins
Once the issue was acknowledged, the fun really started. Firms began reviewing past invoices using spreadsheets, notepad scribbles, and even colored highlighters. Total billing chaos.
Here’s how one firm handled it:
- Downloaded every invoice from the past 6 months.
- Mapped expected rates to each staff and matter.
- Compared expected vs actual billed amounts.
- Flagged overbilled (and underbilled!) items.
- Issued corrected invoices or client credits.
Manually auditing that much data is no picnic. But sometimes, old-school detective work is the fastest way to find the truth.
TimeSolv’s Response
To be fair, TimeSolv didn’t try to dodge responsibility. Once they realized what was going on, they responded with transparency.
They released a patch to fix how rate tables were applied. They also contacted affected users and offered to help identify impacted invoices. But the glitch lasted long enough to cause damage.
Lesson learned: Software is only as good as the logic behind it. And when money’s on the line, even little bugs can become expensive problems.
How Firms Made Things Right
After hours of auditing, many firms reached out to their clients. These were not easy conversations to have! But honesty mattered.
Conversations often looked like this:
“Hi, we discovered you were accidentally overcharged on your last few invoices due to a rate table issue. We’ve issued you a credit and updated our tools to ensure accuracy going forward. Thank you for your understanding!”
And you know what? Most clients appreciated the honesty.
Ways You Can Avoid This In The Future
If this story gives you a bit of billing anxiety—good! It means you’re ready to tighten up your invoice process. Here’s how:
- Spot-check invoices monthly. Choose a few at random and verify the math.
- Use flat rates when possible. Less room for misapplied hourly charges.
- Limit rate table complexity. Simpler structures are easier to debug.
- Have a second pair of eyes review invoices before sending.
- Use billing notes wisely. Explain any changes or anomalies directly in the invoice.
Billing Isn’t Set-and-Forget
Billing software is a great assistant—but it’s not perfect. It follows rules. And if those rules are set up wrong (or glitch out), you can end up in hot water fast.
Even seasoned firms fall into the “set-it-and-forget-it” trap. They treat rate tables and time entries as fire-and-forget missiles. But money deserves a little more respect.
One mistake like this could tip a client relationship into the red zone.
The Silver Lining
Here’s the good news: this was a fixable mess. Clients were reimbursed. Software was patched. Trust was mostly restored.
And a lot of firms walked away with better systems, more attention to detail, and a new mantra:
Trust but verify.
Simple Takeaways
If you’re using any billing system—TimeSolv or otherwise—learn from this story. You don’t need a perfect memory. Just create systems that protect you from forgotten rate changes and invoice mistakes.
Because when it comes to billing, two things are true:
- Clients notice when they’re overcharged.
- And they remember it for a long time.
Quick Recap
- TimeSolv had a rate table bug that led to client overbilling.
- Firms had to manually audit invoices to fix the mistake.
- TimeSolv patched the issue and helped with recovery.
- The experience reminded everyone to double-check billing!
So, lesson of the glitch? Billing should be a team sport. And your strongest player is a good audit system, not blind faith in technology.
