Guide
Glossary
Practice management system (PMS)
A practice management system is the software a professional firm uses to run client work: client records, jobs or matters, time recording, work in progress, billing and the reports partners rely on. Accounting firms commonly use tools such as Xero Practice Manager, which Xero now includes in Xero Partner Hub. Law firms use systems such as Actionstep, LEAP or Clio, which usually add matter documents, templates and trust accounting. Because the practice management system holds the firm's time and billing data, it is the main source for utilisation, WIP and lock-up reporting, and the system most automations and integrations connect to.
Also called PMS, Practice management software, Legal practice management software
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Example
In an accounting firm
For example, a 40-person accounting firm records all time and invoices in its practice management system, yet partners still receive a hand-built spreadsheet each week. Connecting the system to a reporting tool means WIP and utilisation figures come straight from the source, and new clients set up at onboarding flow into the system without anyone re-keying their details.
Guides that explain it in context
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