LEAP Legal Time Recording: Tips, Tricks & How to Import Time Entries

LEAP Legal Software is a dominant force in Australian legal practice management, particularly among small to mid-size firms. Its Australian origins mean it is designed around local conventions — Law Society certified trust accounting, Australian precedent libraries, and integration with government registries. For time recording and billing, LEAP offers a comprehensive set of tools, but there are nuances that trip up even experienced users.

This guide covers LEAP's time recording conventions, the critical GST handling difference you need to know, how to import time entries from external sources, and how AI tools can help you generate LEAP-ready billing entries from meetings, calls, and documents.

LEAP's Time Recording Basics

LEAP uses the standard Australian 6-minute unit system (0.1-hour increments). Time entries in LEAP consist of:

• Date — when the work was performed
• Matter — the LEAP matter number
• Description — the billing narrative
• Units / Duration — time in 0.1-hour increments
• Fee earner — the lawyer or staff member
• Rate — the hourly rate (GST-exclusive — see below)
• Fee type — typically "Time Based" for hourly billing

LEAP supports multiple billing arrangements within a single matter, including time-based fees, fixed fees, and disbursements. For time-based entries, the system calculates the total fee by multiplying the duration (in hours) by the hourly rate.

The GST Convention: Why It Matters

This is the single most important thing to understand when working with LEAP billing data:

LEAP uses GST-exclusive rates by default. When you see a rate of $500/hour in LEAP, that is the ex-GST rate. LEAP adds the 10% GST automatically at the invoice level. The total charged to the client for one hour at $500/hr would be $550 (including GST).

This matters because:

• If you are importing time entries from an external source, your rates must be GST-exclusive. If you enter $550 thinking it is the total rate, LEAP will add another 10% on top, resulting in a $605 charge for one hour — a 10% overcharge.
• If you are exporting LEAP data and comparing it with entries from another system that uses GST-inclusive rates, you need to adjust accordingly.
• When generating billing entries with AI tools, make sure the tool knows to output GST-exclusive rates for LEAP. LexUnits handles this automatically when you select "LEAP" as the export format.

Common rate configurations in LEAP

These are indicative ranges for Australian firms as of 2026. Actual rates vary by firm, location, practice area, and experience. Your firm's rate card should be configured in LEAP's fee earner settings.

Time Recording Tips for LEAP Users

Use LEAP's built-in timer

LEAP includes a timer function that runs in the background while you work. Start the timer when you begin a task, and it automatically calculates the duration when you stop. This is far more accurate than estimating at the end of the day. You can run multiple timers simultaneously for different matters if you are switching between tasks.

Use matter-specific templates

If you perform the same types of work repeatedly (e.g., conveyancing, family law, or commercial leasing), set up description templates in LEAP. This saves time and ensures consistency. Common templates include standard descriptions for file reviews, attendances, correspondence, and research.

Record disbursements separately

LEAP distinguishes between fees (time-based or fixed) and disbursements (search fees, court filing fees, counsel fees, etc.). Make sure external costs are entered as disbursements, not time entries. Some disbursements attract GST and some are GST-free — LEAP handles this if the disbursement type is configured correctly.

Use activity codes for reporting

If your firm uses activity codes (e.g., "ATT" for attendance, "DRF" for drafting, "RSH" for research), apply them consistently to time entries. This enables powerful reporting in LEAP — you can analyse how your firm's time is distributed across activity types, which helps with pricing, resourcing, and identifying efficiency improvements.

Importing Time Entries into LEAP

There are situations where you need to bring time entries into LEAP from an external source — bulk imports from a legacy system, entries generated by an AI billing tool, or timesheet data from seconded staff.

Preparing your CSV for LEAP import

LEAP's import format expects these columns:

Example CSV:

Date,Matter ID,Description,Duration,Fee Earner,Rate,Fee Type
20/03/2026,MAT-2026-0142,"Reviewing commercial lease agreement; preparing summary of key terms for client",0.8,Sarah Mitchell,500,Time Based
20/03/2026,MAT-2026-0142,"Telephone attendance on landlord's solicitor re: proposed rent review mechanism",0.2,Sarah Mitchell,500,Time Based
19/03/2026,MAT-2026-0098,"Drafting response to notice of intention to enforce security; researching s 420A Corporations Act",1.2,James Chen,400,Time Based

Import process

1. Prepare your CSV file following the format above, with all rates GST-exclusive
2. In LEAP, navigate to the data import or billing import function (location varies by LEAP version — check with your LEAP administrator or support)
3. Upload the CSV file and verify the field mapping
4. Preview the entries to check dates, matter numbers, and amounts are correct
5. Confirm the import
6. Verify the imported entries by checking one or two matters in LEAP's time entry view

Important: LEAP matter numbers may use a different format to what you expect. Some firms use sequential numbers (e.g., "12345"), others use structured IDs (e.g., "MAT-2026-0142"). Confirm your firm's matter number format before preparing the import file.

Generating LEAP-Ready Entries with LexUnits

LexUnits includes a dedicated LEAP export format that automatically handles the GST-exclusive rate convention. When you generate billing entries from a recording, transcript, email, or document and select "LEAP" as the export format, LexUnits:

• Formats all dates as DD/MM/YYYY
• Uses decimal hours (0.1 increments)
• Outputs rates as GST-exclusive
• Includes the matter number from your session context
• Generates professional billing descriptions in Australian legal style

The resulting CSV is ready for direct import into LEAP with no manual reformatting required.

Common Pitfalls When Working with LEAP Billing

1. GST double-counting — entering GST-inclusive rates into LEAP, which then adds GST again. Always verify your rates are ex-GST before importing.
2. Matter number mismatches — LEAP is strict about matter IDs. An entry with a non-existent matter number will fail to import. Cross-check every matter number in your import file.
3. Mixed time formats — entering "30" (minutes) instead of "0.5" (decimal hours). LEAP uses decimal hours; minutes will be interpreted as 30 hours of work.
4. Forgetting to record short tasks — a 3-minute phone call is still 0.1 hours. LEAP's minimum unit is one unit (6 minutes). Ten short calls a day that go unrecorded represent an hour of lost billing.
5. End-of-week catch-up — recording all time entries on Friday for the entire week. By then, details are forgotten and entries become vague. Record daily, or use audio recordings that can be processed later.
6. Not using LEAP's auto-time feature — LEAP can automatically record time spent on certain activities within the platform. Check whether your LEAP configuration has this enabled and take advantage of it.

Related Guides

• The Complete Guide to Legal Time Recording in Australia
• How to Import Time Entries into Actionstep
• Importing Time Entries into Actionstep, LEAP, and Clio (Overview)

Last updated: March 2026. LEAP's interface and import process may vary by version. Contact LEAP support or your firm's LEAP administrator for version-specific guidance.