INVOICE SETUP AND PRINTING IN LEGALSUITE

 

 

Author:                    Laura Stewart

Date:                      July 2008

Audience:                Bookkeeping

Summary:                           How invoices are setup and printed in LegalSuite

 

 

CONTENTS:

 

·                     Introduction

·                     Matter setup

·                     Invoice setup

·                     Invoice printing

·                     Emailing of invoices

·                     Conclusion

 

Introduction:

 

LegalSuite has a function whereby users can create, print and email invoices. Invoices are created in order to bill the client. Invoices can be created at any point during the month. This whitepaper will assist you in how to setup matters to create invoices and how to print and email invoices.

 

 

Matter Setup:

To setup invoices per matter, click on the matters icon .

 

·         Right click and insert, the following screen will appear (Fig 1):

 

Fig 1: Changing Matter Screen

 

On the invoicing tab the ‘Create invoices’ check box must be ticked. If you wish to override the standard invoice settings, this can be done in the ‘Override Invoice Layout’ on the right hand side.

 

 

 

Balance:

·         Brought Forward – invoice shows brought forward balance

·         Full – invoice shows all transactions from inception

 

Fees / Disbursements:

·         Itemised – Each fee/disbursement is shown separately on the invoice with the amount next to it. These fees can be summarized, all fees and disbursements with the same description will be summarized as one fee/disbursement with one combined total.

 

·         Essay Style – Shows one total for all fees.

These fees and disbursements can be separated by a semi-colon in a paragraph format with only one total for all combined fees or each on a new line like the itemized style but with only one total and not a separate amount for each fee. These to can be summarized as one fee/disbursement if they have the same description.

 

Invoice Setup:

 

·         Click on the all matters icon .

·         Select the invoice icon .     

 

 

 

 

·         Select the ‘Print Invoices’ option.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following screen will appear (Fig 2):

 

Fig 2: Invoices Screen

 

 

 

 

·         Click on the invoice setting icon .

 

The following screen will appear (Fig 3):

 

Fig 3: Standard Invoice Settings Screen

 

Layout Tab:

 

·         Paper - Select the type of invoice format. Invoices either print on blank paper on a laser printer, or on pre-printed stationery on a dot matrix printer.

·         Order By – The order in which you would like your invoices to print out.

·         Format – When printing invoices you can separate your invoice and statement data to suit your requirements.

 

Print invoices and statements – fees, disbursements, all vatable amounts, payments and receipts will show on one page.

 

Separate invoices and statements – the invoice will show at the top of the page showing fees, disbursement and all vatable amounts with the statement at the bottom of the page showing payments, receipts and journals.

 

Separate pages – Invoice will be printed on one page and statements will be printed on a separate page.

 

Print invoices as statements – all transactions will be print on a statement.

If you wish to show the vat amount on the statement, the Show Vat check box must be ticked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Customise Tab:

 

Fig 4: Standard Invoice Settings Screen

 

 

Press the Insert, Change, or Delete button to add, edit or delete customized data.

 

Adding text to your invoices:

 

Fig 5: Update Invoice Settings

 

In this example we are adding trust bank details to our invoices:

 

Location          -           The location will be remittance

Type                -           The type will be text and click on the  icon as we are inserting system variables in

the text.

Description      -           Description will be Default Trust Bank Details.

Positions          -           LegalSuite has automatically filled in the positions according to what location the user

selects.

Font                 -           Font in this case has been set to Arial.

 

You must enter the English and Afrikaans text in the fields on the right.  If the “Account Language” for the matter is set to English then the English text will be printed and the Afrikaans text will be printed for matters set to Afrikaans.

 

 

Adding images to your invoices:

 

Fig 6: Update Invoice Settings Screen

 

 

Letterheads with images are usually set up by LegalSuite Head office.

 

 

Advanced Tab:

 

Fig 7: Advanced Tab on Standard Invoice Settings Screen

 

 

 

·         Body Filename – This file contains the information to be printed in the body of the email. You will set the wording for this email message in a RTF file and entering the name of the RTF file here.

 

·         Overrides – You can override the invoice settings that have been set on your matters and force all invoices to use these settings.

 

·         Extend Essay Style – Normally the text on essay style invoice does not print all the way across the page.  You can force the text to print across the amount columns by ticking this field.

 

 

 

Printing Invoices:

·         Click on the all matters icon . 

·         Click on the invoice icon .

 

·         Select print invoices.

 

The following screen will appear (Fig 8):

 

Fig 8: Invoices Screen

 

 

·         Click on the filter icon .

 

·         The following screen will appear (Fig 9):

 

Fig 9: Filter Invoices/Statements Screen

 

Filter for whatever information you require. 

 

·         Click  .

 

·         The invoices screen will appear (Fig 8).

 

·         Click on the printer icon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·         Select print invoices. If you wish to only print one invoice, highlight the selected invoice and choose print this invoice.

 

Invoices can either be saved in a PDF format where information cannot be tampered with or they can be saved in a word document where information can be manipulated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emailing of Invoices:

 

LegalSuite has a facility whereby you can email invoices to clients from the program. This saves printing invoices and wasting paper.  Invoices will reach their destination with no delay in posting.

 

In order to set up clients for this emailing process. Click on the address book icon .

 

·         Click on the insert icon .

 

·         The following screen will appear (Fig 10):

 

Fig 10: Address Book Will Be Changed Screen

 

In the contact Details block, right click and insert. The type will be Email invoicing, insert the clients email address here.

 

In order to email invoices. Click on the all matters icon .

 

·         Click on the invoices icon .

 

·         Select print invoices.

 

·         The print invoices screen will appear (Fig 11):

 

 

Fig 11: Invoices Screen

 

·         Click on the email icon  .

 

A few options will appear:

·         Email invoice – to email all invoices select this option

·         Email this invoice – to email the invoice currently highlighted

·         Emailed tagged invoices – if you wish to email a few invoices, tag them and select email tagged invoices

·         Set email address – if the invoice that is currently highlighted does not have an email set to it in the address book. The email address can be set here.

 

The invoices will sit in your drafts folder in your Microsoft  Outlook. Once sent they will sit in your sent items.

 

Please note that in order to email invoices from LegalSuite you will need full office outlook installed on your computer.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:

 

LegalSuite has a simple way of creating and printing invoices. If you follow this help document you will find the process simple and easy.