Invoicing process

Invoices are prepared using Keyed-In according to the following process:

• Lawyer uses the Invoice Builder on Keyed-In (selecting Matter Management/Submit an Invoice) which submits the Invoice request to the Invoicing Team for processing.
• An email is sent to the Invoicing Team detailing the submission. All fee earners are copied into this. If you notice any errors at this point, you should let the Invoicing Team know.
• The Invoice is created by the Invoicing Team and a copy of this, together with the related Fee Note, (see Fee Notes section) is sent to each lawyer with time on the Invoice by email at the end of the working day on which it is produced. This email will also confirm the method of delivery and, if email is selected, the email address/es that the invoice will be sent to.
• The Invoice is then held until midday the following working day (providing time for the lawyer to raise any issues they have with the invoice before it is sent to the client). At midday all invoices prepared the day before (and where the lawyer has selected email as the method of delivery) are sent out by email. Following this Invoices will be uploaded to billing portals or put in the post. Where the chosen method of delivery is "via lawyer" then the lawyer that submitted the invoice (or as agreed by the acting lawyers) must send the Invoice out without delay. If a colleague whose time is on the invoice goes unpaid due to a failure to send out the Invoice, then the lawyer preparing the Invoice and the Client Owner may be required to compensate any colleagues who are out of pocket.
• The day after Invoices have been issued to the client, a copy of these is saved to the NetDocuments folder for the related matter.

The Invoicing Team endeavours to process invoices on either the same or next business day that they are submitted, although there may be occasions where this is not possible (for example, where Invoice submission is made very close to the end of the working day or on an especially busy day, typically month end or before a public holiday). On these occasions the Invoices will be produced as soon as possible. Where there is a special need for Invoices to be issued ahead of the normal time frame, it is possible to expedite the process by calling the Invoicing Team to request this.

Where two or more lawyers are working on one matter, the Lead Lawyer should coordinate the submission of Invoices. Keyed-In accommodates the Lead Lawyer raising Invoices for multiple lawyers.

You can only write off, write down or omit to bill your own time and then only up to £100,000 of time. Any greater reduction requires the consent of Central Office, who will generally agree, but wish to be consulted on why such a large sum is not to be recovered. Where you wish to write off the time of a colleague (save for Pod Principals as regards their Pod Members) or omit time relating to the period being invoiced (see the rules on interim statute invoices above regarding not invoicing all time relating to a given period), then you must secure the consent of the relevant colleague. You can do this through the invoicing process. Keyed-In will notify the colleague who can agree the change and this will release the Invoice. If the write-off/omission is not agreed by the colleague whose time it is, then the draft Invoice will be held until such time as the write off/omission is approved or otherwise resolved. To avoid any delay, best practice is to agree with any and all relevant colleague(s) any adjustment that will be needed to their time before the Invoice is raised. They can then either adjust their time accordingly before you raise the Invoice or quickly approve the release. Once that is done, you can submit the Invoice request.

Where the client requires Invoices to be submitted via a billing portal then please complete the relevant section on client inception to ensure that this is correctly set up.

Hint: Invoice requests can only be submitted once a matter is correctly set up on Keyed-In, this includes issuing the Engagement Letter and clearing AML checks.

Hint: We can accept payment by credit card via our website www.keystonelaw.co.uk/payments. Payment cannot be accepted over the phone or in person.