Invoice Drafts

General Information

By selecting the Invoice Drafts menu item, you can create invoice drafts. You can filter the invoice drafts by location and employee. To create an invoice, you must first create an invoice draft. This draft will be assigned a unique draft number until the final invoice is generated.

If you accessed the invoice draft view via a context menu jump from a case file, the case file will be preselected; otherwise, you will need to select it.

When you click New, you must first select the desired invoice purpose. The following invoice purposes are available:

• KFA(E) - Application for Cost Assessment (Individual)
• KFA(S) - Application for Cost Assessment (Cross-instance)
• LAR(E) - Service Billing (Single Invoice)
• LAR(S) - Service Billing (Collective Invoice)
• VSR(E) - Advance Invoice (Single Invoice)

If the case file is not already preselected via a context menu jump, please select it, optionally select a secondary currency, and click Next. When you click Next, the invoice information (if available) will be automatically populated.

Ideally, you should enter all relevant billing information in the billing configuration of the case file or in the associated billing configuration of the invoice recipient when creating the case file, so that this information is automatically populated when creating invoice drafts.

The invoice number range is preselected according to the firm-wide configuration and can be changed. The invoice type is preselected appropriately and can also be changed.

Depending on the invoice purpose, not all invoice types may be available. For example, for the invoice purpose Application for Cost Assessment, only the RVG invoice type can be selected, and for the invoice purpose Advance Invoice, only the Flat Rate Invoice and RVG Invoice types can be selected.

The posting period is determined based on the draft date. When finalizing the invoice draft, the posting period is also updated after updating the invoice date. If the posting period is already closed, the invoice cannot be posted. A message will appear. There is an option to "Set Manually" for the posting period. If this option is active, the posting period can be changed. When finalizing the invoice, the posting period will not be changed.

In the invoice code field, you can select from the following values: - Invoice, Code: 380 - Credit Note, Code: 381 - Self-billed Invoice, Code: 389

When creating an invoice, "Invoice" is always preselected.

The language of the invoice draft is set by default to the language of the associated case file. It can be changed. The descriptions of the service types for the associated time entries are automatically translated into the selected invoice language.

You can select a payment term. The due date can be linked to the payment terms in the configuration. The due date can be manually adjusted. If no payment term is entered, the due date will match the invoice date.

By selecting the tax scenarios for revenue and tax-exempt expenses, you define the relevant tax scenarios for an invoice. If you have configured only one tax scenario for tax-exempt expenses, it will be preselected by default.

In the tax scenario selection window, you can manage the layout of the list, such as rearranging column positions or grouping (e.g., by account). The layout is saved per user and will appear the same way the next time you open the selection window. You can reset the layout using a button.

You can manually enter the service period, or it will be automatically filled in when adding time entries, expenses, and additional fees. The service period is a required field. Invoice drafts without a service period cannot be finalized.

You must also select the invoice recipient. In addition to the recipient's name, the contact number is displayed. If the invoice recipient has an invoice address assigned, it will be automatically selected. If no unique invoice address is assigned, the VCard address will be selected automatically. As a user, you can manually access all addresses of the invoice recipient.

The invoice address is pulled from the template of the invoice contact and can be edited in the invoice draft.

If a contact person is available for the invoice recipient, they will be automatically entered in the contact person field. The contact person can be manually removed.

The invoice recipient must be assigned a debtor account so that the automatic invoice posting can be generated.

If the invoice recipient has a VAT ID number assigned in the contact management, the number will be displayed here as read-only.

The posting text can be prefilled with the case file name if needed. The configuration can be set under System Administration > General Settings in the Accounting tab.

In the Subject field, you can enter an invoice subject.

The LEDES Active checkbox indicates that a LEDES file should be created for the invoice. This setting is taken from the billing contract and activates the checkbox. The checkbox can be deselected if needed.

The E-Invoice Active checkbox indicates that an e-invoice should be created. This setting is taken from the billing contract. The checkbox can be deselected if needed.

Once the invoice draft is saved, you can manually add services to the draft using the Hours, RVG, and Expenses buttons. The Add Services button automatically adds hours and expenses for you with a single click. If the Service Period From and Service Period To fields are filled with dates, services within that period will be added. If no dates are entered, all services will be added without restriction.

The quick info gives you a fast overview of the amounts for fee and expense items. You can create a draft document for review at any time and update it if the draft changes. The quick info is only for a quick initial overview. The exact list of invoice items, as they will later appear in the document, can be found in the Invoice Items view. There, you can also perform further editing at the item level, such as adding discounts. The Invoice Items view is described in more detail below.

In any case, you should include the hours that were recorded for the case file during the billing period in the draft, even if you are not creating an hourly invoice. By comparing the hours spent to the revenue, you can calculate the effective hourly rate for the case file.

You have the option to enter a signing attorney and a different secretary for the invoice, different from the HVRA, so that this information can be printed in the final document. By default, the HVRA of the case file is preselected as both the HVRA and the Attorney Document. The Secretary Document is preselected as the employee of the logged-in user, provided this user is also assigned as secretary to the HVRA employee of the case file.

At the bottom, you can specify whether an accompanying letter document should be automatically generated before the invoice document. You can select a letter recipient, a contact person, and a letter address.

You can also use the checkbox to specify whether a payment slip document should be automatically generated at the end of the invoice document. Swiss ESR payment slips and payment slips with Swiss QR code are supported.

To use the automated letter and/or payment slip functionality, you need to activate the advanced document creation feature, either firm-wide or in the template selection dialog when creating invoice drafts. You must also have a system template configured for your letters and a system template for your payment slip.

Special Information

On the Special Information tab, you can configure settings for creating an RVG invoice or a KFA. Here, you set the version of the fee schedule for your RVG invoice. The version valid at the time of the mandate decision date of the associated case file is preselected. You also specify whether you want to bill as a private or court-appointed attorney. Section 13 RVG is preselected. The value in dispute is also pulled from the case file. This value is then prefilled in the added RVG fee items. You can also specify the number of clients to apply an increase according to No. 1008 VV RVG. In the PKH section, you can enter information required for a cost assessment application in a PKH proceeding.

Settings for the expense allowance, discount, and fee cap can be made in the Invoice Items section.

Bank Accounts

Using the Invoice Info > Other > Bank Accounts button, you can view the list of automatically populated bank accounts that are stored at the location of the associated case file or in the recipient's billing configuration. You can edit the list. With the Standard option, you specify the explicit bank account where payment is expected.

You cannot add bank accounts that are not stored at the respective location.

Invoice Items

Clicking the Invoice Items button takes you to the Invoice Items view. This view first gives you an overview of the current items in your invoice draft. The item list will later appear in the invoice document without changes. This allows you to check exactly whether all items are correct or if adjustments are needed, without having to create a test invoice draft.

Additionally, invoice items can be edited directly in this view. The buttons in the Items group are provided for this purpose:

• Percentage Discount
• Fixed Discount
• Discount Order
• Add Expenses
• Expense Allowance %
• Expense Allowance (fixed)
• Expense Allowance (%) -> (fixed)
• Tax-free Expense Allowance
• Expenses according to RVG
• Additional Fee
• Add Services
• Apply Received Advance
• Reset

The functions are described below:

Discount

With the Percentage Discount button, you can add a discount item. The percentage to be deducted from the fee is set in the item details. If you have set a percentage discount in the billing configuration of the case file, the discount item will be automatically added and prefilled with the correct value.

With the Fixed Discount button, you can add a discount item for a fixed amount. In the item details, you can specify the amount to be deducted from the fee as a discount.

The Discount Order button changes the order of the two discount items.

Expenses

With the Add Expenses button, you can re-add previously deleted expense items. This allows you, for example, to bill all incurred expenses with one invoice. The Add Expenses button is functionally equivalent to the old All Expenses Settled feature (checkbox in the old invoice view).

With the Expense Allowance % button, you add a percentage expense allowance. This allowance is not available for RVG fees. If you have set an expense allowance in the billing configuration of the case file, the expense allowance item will be automatically added and prefilled with the correct value. In the item details, you can select the assessment basis. By default, the expense allowance is calculated based on the fee plus additional fees, without discount deductions.

The Expense Allowance (%) -> (fixed) button converts the existing percentage expense allowance into a fixed expense allowance.

The Tax-free Expense Allowance button adds a tax-free expense allowance. This is only available for advance invoices.

With the Expenses according to RVG button, you can specify that expenses are calculated according to the RVG guidelines, e.g., when numerous costly copies are made that can be billed at a higher rate under No. 7000 VV RVG than at a low price per copy.

Additional Fee

With the Additional Fee button, you can add additional fee items to your invoice draft. Either select a previously created fee from the Additional Fees view, or click Next in the selection window and enter the additional fee directly as an invoice item. Additional fees are not available for RVG invoices.

Add Services The Add Services button corresponds to the button of the same name in the invoice draft view. This function adds all services (time entries and expenses) from the case file of the invoice draft for the service period of the invoice.

Apply Received Advance

With the Apply Received Advance button, you can apply one or more received advances, i.e., deduct them from the invoice amount.

Only advances that have been paid can be applied.

When finalizing an invoice draft, you will be notified if there are applicable advances that have not yet been applied in the invoice draft.

You can edit advance payment items in detail: In the Manually Applied field, you can set a manual application amount that differs from the automatic application amount. By default, the entire possible application amount is pre-filled automatically.

In the case of overpayment, i.e., when the amount to be applied exceeds the invoice amount, you can use the Settle via Client Funds checkbox to specify that the credit should automatically be posted to client funds.

With the Distribution Order combo box, you can specify the order in which the advance payment should be applied. By default, the application is made first to tax-free expenses, then to expenses, and finally to the fee.

For advance payment items, the Distribution ribbon group provides you with the Billing Distribution and Revenue Distribution App. buttons.

In the billing distribution, you can manually distribute the shares of the advance payment. In the Revenue Distribution App. you can also manually distribute these shares.

For a more detailed description of the billing distribution of advance payment items, please refer to the document Advance Payment Invoice Handout located in the Handouts section:

Go to the Handouts here

Reset

The Reset button undoes all manual changes made to the invoice items.

View

In the View ribbon group, you can switch between the different possible invoice type variants to quickly compare how the invoice items are displayed for each type.

Switching the invoice type view does not change the invoice type of the invoice draft. You can only change the invoice type in the invoice draft view. In the invoice item view, you can recognize the current invoice type by which type is shown in bold in the quick info.

After you have finished editing the invoice items in the Invoice Items view, you can create a document directly in the view or finalize the invoice draft.

Create LEDES File

With the Create LEDES File button, you can already create files for LEDES invoices, even for invoice drafts. Instead of the invoice number, the draft number is written into the file. Otherwise, all services and information from the associated LEDES contract are written into the file, just as when finalizing the invoice.

Invoice Types

The available invoice types are Hourly Invoice, Flat Fee Invoice, and RVG Invoice. The cost assessment application is processed under the RVG Invoice type, even though it is only an application. However, cost assessment applications cannot be finalized. The selection of invoice types depends on the chosen invoice purpose. For example, the invoice purpose "Advance Payment Invoice" only allows the Flat Fee Invoice and RVG Invoice types.

Hourly Invoice

With the Hourly Invoice type, time and expenses are billed. The Hours button takes you to the time allocation area. The New button lets you access the time entries recorded for a file, provided the time entries are marked as completed and a valid hourly rate (standard rate, agreed rate at contact level, or agreed rate at file level) has been set. Enter the date up to which the recorded times should be included in the invoice and refresh the view. If there are still open hours in this period, these hours will be displayed and you can finalize these times. The Add Services button automatically adds hours and expenses for you with a single click. All completed, not yet billed times and all expenses up to the "Date To" of the service period are added.

In the invoice draft, you can correct the times if needed. The number of billable hours and the hourly rate can be changed. You can also write off the activity completely so that the time is not included in the billing value. Hours with non-billable service types are automatically written off. In the Alternate Description field, you can enter a new activity description, for example, to translate the description text of the hour item. The invoice document uses the "Alternate Description" field instead of the "Description" field from the original time entry.

The Invoice Language and the Translation of the Service Type Description into the invoice language are displayed for you.

Write Off

Selected entries are written off. You can select multiple hour items in the list and use the Write Off button to write them off in bulk. This way, you don't have to write off each item individually.

Reload Rates

With the Reload Rates button, you can update the hourly rates of the hour items. If the hourly rates of employees have changed between adding the hour items and finalizing the invoice draft, you can select the relevant hour items and click the Reload Rates button. The amounts for the selected hour items will then be recalculated.

Adjust Activity

You can adjust the billable hours and the description for each hour item you have added to a draft. By default, these adjustments do not affect the original time entry. However, if you want the changes to also update the original time entry, select the relevant hour items and click Adjust Activity. The Alternate Description will then overwrite the Description field of the time entry, and the value from the Billable Hours field will be written to the Allocated Hrs. field of the time entry. The adjusted hours will then be updated in the records.

Adjust Billable Hours to Interval

You can combine multiple activities for interval billing. This means, for example, if an employee has recorded the same activity three times in one interval and the duration for each activity was rounded, the system will combine the three activities into one and apply the interval rounding only once. This gives the client a clear calculation of the total duration of the activity for the day, according to the agreed interval of the firm. To combine, select the desired hour items and click the Adjust Billable Hours to Interval button. You can undo these changes with the Reset Billable Hours and Interval button.

Reduce Billable Hours

With the Reduce Billable Hours button, you can reduce one or more selected activities by a certain percentage. The reduction always applies to the amount in the Billable Hours field. The value in the original time entry does not change automatically. To do so, you must use the Adjust Activity button.

Reset Billable Hours and Interval

For all selected entries, the values for Billable Hours and Interval are reset to their original values.

Expenses

The Expenses button takes you to the expenses area. The New button lets you add the expenses recorded for the file to the invoice. You can change the amounts of the expenses in the invoice draft or exclude them from billing by checking the "Do not bill expense" checkbox, so they are not included in the billing value. For expenses with non-billable service types, this checkbox is set automatically.

Write Off

Selected entries are written off.

Group Expenses

For the presentation of expenses in the invoice document, they can be grouped. Exception: tax-free expenses cannot be grouped. Grouping means that in the Expenses: all expenses text marker, only one expense item with the total sum is displayed. Any selected expenses can be combined into one expense item using the Group Manually button. The grouping is shown in the Group No. column by a shared group number.

The Group Automatically button only groups expenses that come from the same travel expense import and start with the same receipt number. The receipt number format must be [Trip Number]-[Receipt No.] (e.g., 4-1; 4-2; 4-3, etc.).

If the date, description, or type of all grouped expenses match, this information can be transferred to the text marker. If not, the fields remain empty or the description is set to the group number.

RVG Invoice

Another billing type is the RVG Invoice. The RVG button takes you to the RVG Invoice area. The New button lets you select the fee code from the thematically organized fee schedule.

By default, the RVG fees relevant for civil proceedings are displayed. You can switch to criminal law or display all RVG fees.

The option to filter for civil or criminal RVG fees is only available in the current RVG versions from 08/01/2013 onwards. For older versions, all fees are always displayed.

You can use the search field to search the fee list by fee number and description.

Alternatively, in the RVG item view, you can quickly enter the fee code in the quick entry field. Unique matches are immediately added to the fee list. If there are multiple matches, a selection window appears with the best match preselected. The search covers the fee numbers and the description text of each fee.

You can specify the exact position in the fee list where the next RVG item should be added. To do this, select an existing RVG item in the list. New RVG items are always added below the selected item.

The added fees can be edited by you. You can deviate from the value recorded in the file, and the number of fees can be entered in the Quantity field. If there are multiple clients, you can optionally increase the amount for multiple clients.

The § 15 III RVG button allows you to calculate differential fees, where the positions to be offset are specified by indicating the position.

The Check Offsets and § 15 III RVG button shows you existing offsets and offsetting options, as well as § 15 III RVG adjustments, which can be selected and executed with a click.

With the Add Free RVG Fee button, you can create free fee items.

All recorded fees can be arranged in any order using the arrow buttons.

The calculation of the fee amounts is based on the settings you have made regarding the RVG version and the fee table (§§ 13 or 49 RVG) in the special invoice details. The default law version is based on the mandate decision date of the associated file. The fee table according to § 13 RVG (private attorney) is preselected.

The Generate Items button automatically adds hours and expenses for you with a single click. All completed, not yet billed times and all expenses up to the "To" date of the service period are added.

Document Flat Fee No. 7000 VV RVG

If you add copy expenses to an RVG invoice draft, Lexolution automatically creates an RVG fee item No. 7000 VV RVG. The copy expenses are shown in the Calculation tab in detail for the fee item in the "Newly Incurred" area and, if applicable, in the "Overall View" area. The calculation of the billable amount is automatic. The new rules for calculating the document flat fee from the RVG version of 08/01/2013 are taken into account. You can also enter any free copies and already billed copies that have occurred in the matter so far.

You can find the previously billed copies and the free copies in the calculation view of the document flat fee of the last RVG invoice in the same matter, in the "Overall View" area.

Post and Telecommunications Flat Fee No. 7002 VV RVG

When calculating the amount (20% of the RVG fee, max. 20 EUR), all fee items above the respective 7002 fee in the fee list are taken into account. This ensures that, even if the Post and Telecommunications Flat Fee No. 7002 VV is used multiple times in an RVG invoice, the amount is calculated correctly each time.

Cost Assessment Application

The cost assessment application is available to you as a special case of the RVG Invoice. When creating a new RVG invoice draft, select the invoice purpose Cost Assessment Application. As with the RVG Invoice, you can set the relevant tax situation, the recipient of the document, the fee table, the law version, the value in dispute, and the number of clients, as well as add RVG fee and expense items to your application. Additional functions not needed for the cost assessment application are disabled and not available. This especially applies to the ability to add hours to your cost assessment application and to finalize the draft.

On the Special Information tab, you can enter any advances and payments you received during the legal aid process. You can also specify whether the application should show the standard fee for a private attorney, in case the law firm is entitled to receive the difference to the private fee if the legal requirements are met.

You have the option to create cross-instance applications for cost determination. To do this, first create separate applications for each instance. In a second step, create a new cross-instance cost determination application (Invoice Purpose = Cost Determination Application (Cross-Instance)).

You can then add the previously created applications to this cross-instance cost determination application. Using the bookmark Cost Determination Application: Fees and Expenses Dynamic, the applications will be displayed for each instance along with a cross-instance total.

You can delete cost determination applications at any time.

Flat Fee Invoice

A third way to bill is with a flat fee invoice. To create a flat fee invoice, first select the invoice type "Flat Fee Invoice" and then switch to the invoice items view. The system has already created the item Flat Fee Honorarium. You can edit this item and enter the desired amount for the flat fee in the Amount field.

Finalize Invoice Draft

To finalize an invoice draft, the following fields must be filled out: Invoice Type, Tax Situation Revenue, Tax Situation Tax-Free Expenses, Invoice Recipient with Invoice Address, and Customer Account.

In general, the recorded times should be assigned as hourly items to create a fair revenue distribution key (regardless of the invoice type).

You can set a firm-wide option to always be asked when finalizing an invoice draft whether the revenue distribution has been done correctly.

You can set a firm-wide option so that you can only finalize if the acquisition distribution has been filled out in the related file.

There should be a system template corresponding to the invoice type available for generating the invoice document.

When the invoice is finalized, the invoice document is generated, which can be viewed at any time within the invoice or through the file register of the case.

It is possible to generate invoice documents (only finalized invoices) as PDFs instead of Word files. The advantage is that the invoice document in PDF format can no longer be edited manually.

If LEDES active is set in the invoice draft, an additional separate validation for required fields will be performed.

If E-Invoice active is set in the invoice draft, an additional separate validation for required fields will be performed. Once the invoice has been successfully finalized, it will appear in the Invoice Dispatch view. You must also specify whether to create the invoice as XRechnung or ZUGFeRD.