Overview

Efimis is updating several key terms across the platform to align with industry-standard terminology and improve consistency. These changes will take effect early April 2026 and will appear throughout all screens, filters, reports, dashboards and workflows.

These are terminology changes only. There is no impact on functionality or data, and users do not need to take any action.

Why This Change Matters

• Aligns Efimis with industry standards for UK and AU legal practices
• Improves clarity for new and existing users
• Standardises language across all regions
• Supports reporting and integrations such as LEDES

All existing data, workflows, and permissions remain unchanged. Only the terminology displayed in the system is updated.

Key Terminology Changes

1. Matter Roles

Purpose: Clarifies roles across matters and reports

• Supervisor → Person Responsible
• Person Responsible / Matter Fee Earner → Person Acting
• Person Assisting → No change

Where it applies:

• Matter screens and forms
• Grids and columns (including team equivalents)
• Filters and reports including:
  • Matters, Invoices, Disbursements, Work Items
  • Invoice Overview, Bulk Trust to Office Transfer, Cost Disclosure

All filters, columns, and reports will reflect these new terms. Team equivalents have also been updated to match the new terminology.

2. Time & Work Items

Purpose: Aligns terminology with common legal practice 

• Work Items → Time
• Work Item → Time Entry

Where it applies:

• Time entry forms and grids
• Reports and dashboards

Any previous "Work Item" references are now "Time Entry". Users can continue working as before, with no change to workflows or data.

3. Task Types → Activities

Purpose: Matches LEDES billing structure terminology

• Task Type → Activity
• Timed Fee → Timed
• Itemised Fee → Itemised

Where it applies:

• Task Type forms and grids
• Billing Rate Set colums
• Work Item details and listings
• Reports and exports

Each "Activity" can now include multiple time entries, making reporting and LEDES billing clearer.

4. Financial Terminology

Purpose: Standardises accounting language

• Journal → Ledger

Where it applies:

• Reports (e.g., Balance Sheet, Cashbook, General Ledger, Trust/Client Trial Balance, etc).
• Screens and forms (Accounts navigation, Posting Templates, Payment Requests)
• Filters and column headers

Exception: Drill-down transaction tabs labeled "Journal Entries" will remain unchanged. Some Excel exports may still display old names temporarily; future updates will align headers fully.

5. Structure Terminology

Purpose: Simplifies firm hierarchy terms

• Division → Branch

Where it applies:

• Firm structure settings
• Reporting and dashboards

6. Performance Tracking

Purpose: Clarifies KPI references

• KPI → Targets

Where it applies:

• Dashboards and widgets
• KPI-style reports

Some reports (e.g., Targets Widget) are only accessible from the Home Screen. This behaviour remains unchanged.

Where You Will See These Changes

• Matter screens – roles, filters, grids
• Time entry screens – Time and Activity terminology
• Financial screens and reports – Ledger terminology
• Dashboards and widgets – Targets instead of KPI
• Filters and search options – updated labels
• Firm structure settings – Branch replaces Division

Quick User Tips 

• No action is required on your part.
• All data, workflows, and permissions remain intact.
• Updates are purely visual – no changes to how you work.
• Filters, columns, and report labels now reflect the updated terms.
• Team equivalents have also been updated in Matter Roles.
• Exceptions: Drill-down “Journal Entries” tabs and some Home Screen-only widgets remain unchanged.

Scan headers and filters to familiarise yourself with the new terms - it will help when building reports or reviewing dashboards.