Asking for funds on account

A funds request asks a client to pay money on account into the client account for a matter: costs on account, completion monies, filing fees or a retainer top-up. The money is the client's until a bill is settled from it.

Asking

1. Open Client account, Funds requests, or a matter's Client account, Funds requests, and choose Ask for funds.
2. Choose the matter. The request is asked of the matter's client.
3. Say what it is for and when it is due. A description is printed where the purpose alone does not say enough.
4. Give the currency, the amount and the client account it is paid into.
5. Write a message for the letter if the client needs one, then Draft request.

A draft can be changed, previewed as the client will read it, or cancelled.

Sending

Send draws the request on the letterhead with the bank details and the reference the client quotes, and files it on the matter.

• By email: it goes to the client's own addresses, or the ones you give, with the letter attached.
• By letter: it is drawn for printing. Once posted, Mark as posted with the day.

Where the firm takes client money online in the request's currency, the letter and the email also carry a pay link for what is still owed. The client can pay by card or mobile money, or from the client portal.

A request already sent can still be changed, with the reason, which the record keeps.

What comes in

A receipt into the client account on the matter is matched to the oldest open request there, as it is posted, unless the firm turns that off under Settings, Ledger. Two receipts at once never count past what was asked. Use Match a receipt for money the match did not place, and Undo the match with the reason where it was placed wrongly; the receipt itself stays.

A request reads Part paid until the whole sum is in, then Paid.

Reminders

While a request is unpaid, a reminder goes by email on the days the firm sets, counted from the due day (by default three days before, and three and ten days after). Each goes once. A client whose collections are on hold is not chased. The day after a request falls due, the person who drafted it is told once.

Keeping a retainer topped up

On the matter's billing arrangement, Money on account sets a minimum, a target and, if wanted, a floor.

• When what is available falls below the minimum, a top-up is drafted for the partner, asking for what brings it back to the target. It follows the figure as money comes and goes, and is withdrawn once the retainer is back above its minimum. No top-up is drafted where a payment schedule already keeps it topped up.
• When a bill is posted on such a matter, the top-up the bill leaves needed is asked with the bill, printed as its own section apart from what the bill owes, and sent with it. A bill layout can leave that section off.
• Below the floor, new time on the matter is warned of or refused, as the firm sets under Settings, Ledger.

Outstanding funds

Reports, Outstanding funds requests shows what clients were asked and have not paid as at any day, by how long past due, grouped by client, matter, lawyer or office. Each figure opens the requests behind it.