In Lawcus, invoice statuses represent the different stages an invoice goes through during its lifecycle. These statuses help users clearly track whether an invoice is in draft, pending approval, sent to a client, partially paid, or fully completed.
Below is an overview of the seven invoice statuses available in Lawcus and what each one means.
1. Draft
Draft invoices are newly created invoices that are still in editable form. At this stage, users can make changes to line items and other invoice information before finalizing or sending the invoice.
2. Sent
Sent invoices are those that have been emailed or shared with the client. These invoices are now awaiting payment or partial payment from the client.
3. Partial
Partially paid invoices are those where only a portion of the total invoice amount has been paid. This may include payments made through client funds, trust balances, or manual payments, with an outstanding balance remaining.
4. Paid
Paid invoices are those that have been fully settled. The total invoice amount has been received either through client payments or available matter/lead funds.
5. Approved
In Lawcus, we allow the option to enable an invoice approval process. When this is turned on, invoices created in draft are submitted for approval to a user with the appropriate permissions (such as an admin or owner).
The Approved status includes all invoices that have been reviewed and accepted by the approver, confirming they are correct and ready to be sent to the client for payment.
6. Pending Approval
Pending approval, invoices are those submitted by a timekeeper or attorney for review. These invoices remain in this status until they are reviewed and approved by an admin or designated approver.
7. Rejected
Rejected invoices are those that have been reviewed but not approved. This may occur due to many reasons, including incorrect time entries, missing client information, tax adjustments, or other required corrections. Rejected invoices must be updated and resubmitted for approval.
Understanding the Different columns in the Billing tab
There are several columns available in the Billing Settings, each providing different information about your invoices. Some of the available columns are listed below:
Last Sent By
The Last Sent By column displays the date and time when the invoice was most recently sent, along with the person who sent it. Adding this column to the Billing tab allows you to quickly identify who last sent the invoice.
Created At
The Created At column displays the date and time when the invoice was originally created. This date remains unchanged even if the invoice is later modified or sent.
Modified At
The Modified At column displays the date and time when the invoice was last modified. This can include changes made to the invoice after it was originally created.
Modified By
The Modified By column displays the name of the person who last modified the invoice. This makes it easier to identify who made the most recent changes and follow up with them if needed.
Paid Date
The Paid Date column displays the date when the invoice was fully paid. If the invoice has only been partially paid, this column will remain blank until the outstanding balance has been paid in full.
Last Payment Received Date
The Last Payment Received Date column displays the date when the most recent payment was recorded against the invoice. This includes partial payments. When an additional payment is received, the column is updated to reflect the date of the latest payment.
Summary
Invoice statuses and billing columns in Lawcus provide a clear and structured workflow from creation to completion, ensuring better tracking, accuracy, and financial control.