In this video we will create invoice and billing statement templates, review the available settings, and see how templates can be applied at the client or matter level.
Overview
Invoice and Billing Statement Templates control what information appears on billing documents and how invoice and payment activity is presented to clients.
Accessing Templates
Select your username.
Navigate to Firm Settings.
Select the Settings tab.
Select Invoice Templates or Billing Statement Templates from the left menu.
To edit an existing template, select the pencil icon.
Creating a Template
Select Add Invoice Template or Add Billing Statement Template.
Enter a Name for the template.
Select Default if the template should become the firm's default.
Configure the display options.
Select Save.
Invoice Templates
General Options
Setting | What it does |
Show SurePoint Payment Services Link on Invoice | Adds a Pay Now with SurePoint Pay option at the bottom of the invoice. LawPay firms see the same setting with LawPay referenced |
Show Client in Bill To Field on Invoices | For invoices addressed to someone other than the client. Bill To shows the client in addition to the recipient's name and contact info |
Client Payment Summary / Matter Payment Summary | Includes payment summary information at the client or matter level |
Show Interest Line Items | Lists each interest entry individually. Interest is recorded as cost entries and is already reflected in invoice summaries, so leave this off if you don't want each entry listed |
Client Summary vs. Matter Summary
Show Client Summary is for firms that bill at the client level.
Show Matter Summary is for firms that bill at the matter level.
Both offer the same options. The only difference is whether information is summarized for the client or for a specific matter.
When one is turned off, the settings beneath it are greyed out because they no longer apply.
Summary Fields
Field | What it displays |
Invoice Total | Total fees and costs on the invoice |
Interest | Interest amount. Keeps total interest visible even if individual interest lines are hidden |
Invoice Discount / Discount Note | Discount amount and the note entered on the invoice. A discount still appears if these are off. If they are on and no discount is applied, the amount shows as zero |
Previous Balance | Balance carried forward from previous invoice(s) |
Credits and trust funds | See display options below |
Net Due | Amount due after the invoice total, interest, discounts, previous balances, and any applicable credits or trust funds |
Display Options for Credits and Trust Funds
Option | Result |
Show Only When Funds Available | Appears only when there is an applicable credit or trust balance |
Always Show | Appears on every invoice (handy for firms that regularly hold client retainers) |
Always Hide | Never appears |
Additional Invoice Sections
Show Time Summary for Invoice
Adds a time summary at the bottom of the invoice. Columns you can include or exclude: Timekeeper, Role, Rate, Hours, Amount. Example: turn off Rate if the firm doesn't want hourly rates displayed.
Show Invoice Summary
Summarizes information for the current invoice only. The Matter Summary can include more (such as previous balances), so the two can overlap. Many firms choose one rather than both.
Show Trust Replenishment Summary
Options: Show Only When Funds Available (only when replenishment is needed), Always Show, or Always Hide. When displayed:
Required Replenishment is the amount needed to bring the trust balance back to the required level.
Net Due Plus Replenishment adds that amount to Net Due, showing the total needed to pay the invoice and replenish trust.
Example: if a matter must keep $10,000 in trust and the balance falls below that, the invoice shows the amount needed to replenish.
Custom Info Section
Adds custom text to the invoice, such as firm-wide wire transfer instructions.
Caution: Anything entered here appears on every invoice that uses the template. Avoid client- or matter-specific information.
Custom Filename
Controls how invoice files are named when downloaded. The default is the word Invoice followed by the invoice number. Use the list of supported field names to customize it.
Example: client name, matter name, invoice number, and date, separated by dashes.
Matter Header Template
Controls what appears in the blue bar across the middle of the invoice. By default it shows the matter name. Use supported fields to build a custom format.
Flat Fee Invoices
Applies to invoices billed as a flat fee. Example: $7,500 in hourly time entries, but the agreed flat fee is $10,000.
Show Flat Fee Time Entries | What the invoice shows |
On | Each time entry is listed without hours, rate, or amount. The $10,000 flat fee is the amount due |
Off | Time entries are not listed. A single flat fee line item appears instead |
The single line item's wording comes from Flat Fee Line Item Description, which reads Fees For Services Rendered by default. Replace it with your preferred wording.
Line Item Settings (Column Settings)
Despite the name, think of this section as column settings. Turn a column off to hide it. Options are grouped by fee type:
Fee type | Columns specific to it |
Hourly Fees | Number, Date, Member, Description, Hours, Rate, Amount, Totals Hours, Totals Amount, Adjusted Hours, Adjustment |
Expenses | Number, Date, Member, Description, Amount, Totals Amount, Adjustment |
Fixed Fees | Number, Date, Member, Description, Quantity, Rate, Amount, Total Amount, Adjustment |
Tips:
Show Number is the internal charge number assigned in SurePoint Pro. Because it is primarily internal information, most firms choose not to display it on client invoices.
Many firms turn off Show Member under Expenses, since they prefer not to tie a specific person to an expense.
If applicable, Sales Tax options let you choose which sales tax columns appear.
Billing Statement Templates
A billing statement summarizes invoice and payment activity. The template supplies default selections, which can also be adjusted when you generate an individual statement.
Setting | What it does |
Name | The name of the template |
Default | Select to make this the firm's default billing statement template |
Statement Type | See below |
Client Note | Short message that appears underneath the address |
Footer Note | Appears at the bottom. Commonly used for payment or wiring instructions, but can hold any message. |
Transaction Order | Ascending lists oldest first. Descending lists most recent first |
Split Charge/Credit Columns | Off (default): a payment is listed directly under the invoice amount. On: charges and credits appear in separate columns |
Show Credit Available | Displays any available credit on the client's account |
Statement Type
Type | Best for |
Open Invoices (And Payments Applied to Them) | A summary of all open invoices for the client or matter, plus payments applied to them |
Invoices and Payments in Date Range | Use if a client wants to see what they were invoiced and paid during a period (for example, last year). It does not necessarily show the current total amount due |
Assigning Templates to Clients and Matters
How to Assign Templates:
Client-Level Assignment
Navigate to the client’s Settings tab.
Locate the sections for Default Invoice PDF Summary and Billing Statement Settings.
Select the desired template from the Template dropdown list.
Optionally, choose Customize Settings to create a client-specific template without altering firm-wide templates.
The selected template applies to the client and all matters under that client unless overridden at the matter level.
Matter-Level Assignment
Navigate to the individual matter’s Settings tab.
Within the Default Invoice PDF Summary and Billing Statement Settings sections, assign a different invoice or billing statement template if the matter requires a unique billing format.
This overrides the client-level template for that specific matter.
Tip: Assigning templates at different levels provides granular control, ensuring billing documents meet client or matter-specific requirements without disrupting firm-wide standards.
Quick Tips
Use a default template for firm-wide consistency, and client- or matter-level assignments when a different format is needed.
Use Customize Settings for one-off needs so you don't alter shared templates.
Keep the Custom Info Section firm-wide, since it prints on every invoice using the template.
Choose either the Invoice Summary or Matter Summary unless you want both, because they can overlap.
If a setting looks greyed out, the parent option above it is turned off.
Custom Filename & Matter Header Template Fields
The fields below can be used within the Custom Filename and Matter Header Template fields of your invoice templates. When the invoice is generated, each field is replaced with the matching information from your records.
Client Fields
· {client.number}
· {client.name}
· {client.first_name}
· {client.last_name}
· {client.email}
· {client.phone}
· {client.billing_address.full_address}
· {client.billing_address.address_1}
· {client.billing_address.address_2}
· {client.billing_address.city}
· {client.billing_address.state}
· {client.billing_address.zipcode}
· {client.billing_address.country}
Matter Fields
· {matter.name}
· {matter.number}
· {matter.description}
Invoice Fields
· {invoice.number}
· {invoice.date}
· {invoice.due_date}
· {invoice.expense_total}
· {invoice.time_entry_total}
· {invoice.fee_total}
· {invoice.total}
· {invoice.subtotal}
· {invoice.discount}
· {invoice.start_date}
· {invoice.end_date}
· {invoice.start_of_prior_month}
· {invoice.end_of_prior_month}
· {invoice.start_of_month}
· {invoice.end_of_month}