Setting Billing Options for the Firm

Billing defaults you can select for your firm include the following:

• Whether invoice numbers are generated by firm or by office
• The invoice template
• Default invoice headers and footers
• The office to use on invoices and statements
• Methods of dating an invoice
• Email addresses to use for invoice emails
• Prorating methods, reasons, and whether to include expenses in write up and write down calculations

Individuals who have rights to override the firm's settings can override the firm's bill through date in the Billing module. Otherwise, the defaults set in this procedure apply to all billings.

Tip: You can expand areas in this window by clicking to the right of the section header.

To set up billing defaults for your firm, do the following:

1. Open Dashboard, click Application Links on the navigation panel, and then click Settings and defaults under Firm.
2. Click Practice > Billing Settings on the navigation panel.
3. Enter your firm's default preferences in each section of the window.
• Firm defaults

Component	Description
Do you want to generate invoice numbers by firm or by office	Select Firm or Office as the default for generating invoice numbers, then do one of the following: Firm. If you select this option, select a starting invoice number. Refer to the Next available invoice number entry below. Office. If you select this option, you must add each office and enter additional information in the Office setup for invoice numbers section of the window. Tip: If your firm assigns invoice numbers by office, we strongly recommend that you include an office prefix in the invoice number to prevent the creation of duplicate invoice numbers.
Next available invoice number	Enter a starting invoice number that is one number higher than any existing invoice number for your firm. If this is a new database, you can use the default starting number 1, or you can enter a different number. Notes: This option is only available if you selected to generate invoice numbers by firm. If you are editing the number, once the number is increased, it cannot be decreased. If you delete an invoice that has not been posted, that invoice number may be used for another invoice, even if it is not the next available invoice number.
Invoice template	Select a default invoice template for your firm from the list. This template will be used for all invoices unless specified otherwise.
Font/Font size	Select the default font and font size to use for new templates, headers, footers, and paragraphs. Note: Existing items are affected in the following ways when you update the default font: The font used for in-progress and posted invoices is not updated. The font used in existing paragraphs are retained and used in invoices. The font used in existing heading and footers is updated only if you select the Apply to header/footer check box. If you do not select this check box, the default font is applied.
Apply to header/footer	Select this check box to apply the firm default font to existing headers and footers. Note: Selecting this check box does not update the fonts displayed in the header and footer templates. However, when the header or footer is generated in an invoice, the font settings are overridden by the firm default setting.
Sender email address	Enter the firm's email address to use when emailing invoices to clients. Be sure this is a valid, monitored email address in case the client responds to the email. You can set up additional invoice emailing options in your billing user options. See Setting Your Billing User Options for more information. Important:  If this field is blank, you will be unable to email any invoices. This email address will be included as a blind carbon copy (BCC) on every invoice emailed.
CC to this email address	Select this option to receive a carbon copy of the email at the sender email address.
BCC to this email address	Select this option to receive a blind carbon copy of the email at the sender email address.
DMARC is enabled	If your firm has enabled Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance in our domain, select this option.
From email address	This option only applies if DMARC is enabled. To prevent your invoice emails from being flagged as potential spam or spoof emails, the From email address must be from the Wolters Kluwer domain. By default, BillingService is used as the From address. You can change this if needed. Invoices will be emailed from the From address. The Sender email address will display as the sender and the reply to email address. The Sender email address is also used if you choose the CC or BCC option above.
Office options	Select an office from the list to replace the office keyword selection used on invoices and statements.

• Office setup for invoice number This section is only available if you selected to generate invoice numbers by office.

Component	Description
Office name	Select the office you are setting up invoice numbering for.
Prefix invoice numbers	Select whether to add a prefix to invoice numbers to identify the office. If so, enter the prefix for the selected office. Tip: If your firm assigns invoice numbers by office, we strongly recommend that you include an office prefix in the invoice number to prevent the creation of duplicate invoice numbers.
Next available invoice number	Enter a starting invoice number that is one number higher than any existing invoice number for the firm. If this is a new database, you can use the default starting number 1, or you can enter a different number. Notes: If you are editing the number, once the number is increased, it cannot be decreased. If you delete an invoice that has not been posted, that invoice number may be used for another invoice, even if it is not the next available invoice number.
Add office	Click to add the office information you entered to the grid.

• Invoice date

Component	Description
Date options for invoice dates	Select a date option for the system to use when creating the default invoice date during the final print. The invoice date will be editable. System date. Select this option to set the date to the current system date. Bill through date. Select this option to set the date to the staff override bill through date.
Firm bill through date	Select whether to use the system date or a specific date for the firm bill through date. System date. Select this option and invoices will default to the current system date when the invoice is created. Specific date. Select this option to specify a date to use as the firm bill through date. This date will default to the bill through date on the Home and Administration tabs in Billing when the options are enabled.

• Prorate write up write down

Component	Description
Billing method to prorate write ups and write downs	Select a format for write up and write down calculations.
Use reason code for write up/down	Select an option defining reason code requirements for write-ups/downs. Tip: Selecting Required will allow you to generate accurate reports by reason code that will provide you with the information needed to analyze firm wide write-up and write-down amounts.
Use reason code for write off	Select an option defining reason code requirements for write-offs.

• Invoice totals
• The total types listed in this section are available to print on an invoice. Enter the label to use for each total type. The labels you enter will be used on all invoice templates. If a total type is blank, the default text will be used.

Total type	Example label
Total Services	Services rendered
Total Expenses	Expenses incurred
Progress Bills Applied	Retainer applied Note: This total displays as a negative amount.
New Progress Bills	Retainer
New Tax	Tax
Progress Tax Applied	Retainer tax applied Note: This total displays as a negative amount.
Total Taxes	Tax
Courtesy Discount	Professional discount
Invoice Total	Invoice total

4. Click OK.