Yield Section

The Yield section allows users to generate simple disbursal sheets. Multiple settlement scenarios can be created and saved. 

• The Settlement Scenarios tab pulls from two collection sections: Medical Bills and Expenses, and is limited in the data that it pulls from each collection item. This tab exports a Word document with the information pulled in, which could then be edited and customized in Word. 
• The Customized Settlements tab uses FVDA to allow users to pull information from any collections sections, as well as all supported field types from across your Filevine project. In this tab, users can edit and comment on a live .vine document, based on a customized template. The template can be customized in Outlaw. The Customized Settlements tab provides greater customization and data access. However, it requires an Outlaw subscription to use.

Tip

If you do not have an Outlaw subscription, you will not be able to use the Customized Settlements tab of the Yield section, and you will see an error message indicating that you do not have an Outlaw API key set. However, you will still be able to use the Settlement Scenarios tab unaffected.

Settlement Scenarios

The Settlement Scenarios tab is divided into three parts: Medical Bills, Expenses, and the Settlement Calculator. Filling out the Medical Bills and Expenses sections will add amounts to the Settlement Calculator, which can then be adjusted. 

Click on the pencil icon to the right of “New Scenario” to rename the scenario, and + Add Notes to add any notes about this scenario.

Medical Bills and Expenses

If you are manually entering data, fill out all fields in the row. Click the “adj” pencil icon to easily enter adjustments and reductions to the bill, and click the checkmark when you are done to finalize that bill and bring up the next row.

You can also automatically enter all bills or expenses at once by clicking the “Replace all with ‘Meds/Expenses’” button. This button will appear when a collection item has been added to the project’s Meds or Expenses section, and when the Meds or Expenses section contains specific fields and field selectors. Your Meds section must have the following two specific fields and field selectors:

• a “Person” field with the field selector "provider": {{meds.provider}}
• an “Amount - Currency like $0.00” field or "Calculated Currency" field with the field selector "amount": {{meds.amount}}

Your Expenses section must contain the following two specific fields and field selectors:

• a “Text - Single Line” field with the field selector "title": {{expenses.title}}
• an “Amount - Currency like $0.00” or "Calculated Currency" field with the field selector "amount": {{expenses.amount}}

Without these fields and field selectors, the Yield section will not be able to pull from your Meds or Expenses section. If you do not see the button, check that the respective section has at least one collection item entered, and then use the Customs Editor to check that the Meds or Expenses section contains the two fields and field selectors. 

Clicking the “Replace all with ‘Meds/Expenses’” button will add all medical bills from the Meds section or all expenses from the Expenses section. Clicking this button will also replace any bills or expenses currently entered, so any manual data should be entered after this method is used.

Settlement Calculator

As you enter medical bills and expenses, they will be added to the settlement calculator. In the calculator, enter a settlement date and adjust the attorney percentage as necessary to calculate the “Total to Client.”

Generate the Settlement Document

At any time, click on the Word icon at the top of the Yield section to generate a settlement document in Word. 

Multiple Scenarios

To create another scenario, click the plus button next to “Settlement Scenarios” in the top left. Every new scenario will automatically be saved. When you create a new scenario, the medical bills and expenses will remain the same, but the settlement offer and attorney percentage fields will reset to their defaults. 

Switch between scenarios by clicking on “Settlement Scenarios” and selecting the desired scenario from the dropdown. 

To delete a scenario, navigate to the scenario and click on the trashcan icon along the top of the page. Use caution when deleting yield scenarios, as they cannot be undeleted. 

Customized Settlements

The Customized Settlement tab houses an Outlaw widget where you can generate a .vine document.

In this tab, you can generate a .vine document from the template. Each document can be treated as a scenario, where you can import project information such as Medical expenses or Liens, then adjust the amounts in the model. The scenario documents can then be downloaded as either a .docx file or a PDF.

Generate a Document

Select the “Settlement calculator” template from the dropdown. Rename the document if desired, and click Generate to generate the .vine document. 

Once it is generated, the document is listed under the widget, and the document opens in the slideout, where you can input and test out information. 

Plug Information into the Document

Click on a generated .vine document to open the slideout. In the slideout, you can add settlement information, select collection items to be included, and view projected total disbursement and settlement summaries. 

The default template includes:

• a settlements table: Here, you can add settlements. Input a date, description, amount, and attorney fee percentage. The fee settlement is calculated from this information.
  
• tables for three collections sections: Liens, Medical, and Expenses sections are included by default. To select existing collection items, click Select [Collection Section Name] in blue. In the popup, select the existing items you would like to include, and click Update.
  
  
• a summary of the settlement: The summary is generated based on connected and calculated variables, including awards, fees, totals from the collections sections, reductions, and the total projected disbursement.
  

Add Comments or Formatting

Once the document has been generated and filled out, comments can be added within the Filevine section to discuss the document terms. To add a comment, click on a segment of the document and click the chat bubble icon. Enter your comment and click Comment. 

Your comment appears on the document as a chat bubble icon. Other users can click to view and respond to the comment. 

You can also finish formatting the document in Microsoft Word, if desired. To do so, download the document as a DOCX  file. Open the document and click document icon. In the dropdown, select Download DOCX. You can then open the document in Word. 

Send Final Versions

If you have finalized the settlement, and would like to send the document, you can do so by either downloading the document, or sharing the document directly from Filevine through Outlaw. 

To download the document as either a DOCX file or a PDF, open the document and click on the document icon. Select the desired file type. 

To share the document from Filevine, open the document in Filevine and click the people icon. Select a user to share with or add a user. You have the option of sending the document by email or with a link. 

Customize the Template

If you would like, you can customize the template further to suit your needs, or even create multiple settlement calculation templates for different needs. For example, you may want to include your company logo or letterhead, have a summary only at the top of the document, change the acceptance language, or add another collection section. 

Change the Template Logo

For example, a common template customization is changing the logo image at the top of the template to your own logo. Follow the instructions below to customize the template logo. 

In Outlaw, click Templates and find the template you are using for the settlement calculator. Click the ellipsis and select Edit Template. 

Select the [#firmlogo] section at the top left to edit it. In the dropdown, click “x” next to the default logo image. Then, click Upload Image to upload an image file from your device. (Files must be PNG/JPG and below 1MB.)

Your image will appear in the dropdown. Click Update. 

Any document generated in the Filevine project will now contain your team logo. 

Other Customizations

Below is a list of the variable and syncing features relevant to the Settlement Calculator template. For more general information about connected variables, creating and customizing templates, and permission and access, consult the FVDA table, or view the FVDA section of Outlaw’s Help Center directly.