Record an Invoice Payment by Operating Retainer

If your jurisdiction allows, you can deposit a retainer in your operating account and pay invoices from it.

You may also have a credit due to returned funds, or a recovered overpayment.

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From Matters

You can apply operating retainers from two screens within matters:

• Matters (main screen)
• Matter Details 

Matters (Main Screen)

To apply an operating retainer balance to invoices for one matter:

1. From the left navigation panel, click Matters.
2. From the toolbar atop the Matters screen, click Action > Apply Operating Retainer.
   The Apply Operating Retainer opens, displaying all matters with an operating retainer balance.
3. In the Apply Date field, you can leave it set to today’s date, or click the drop down to select a different date.
4. To the far right of the applicable matter, in the Applied field, enter the payment amount.
   The entry checks the box to the far left of the row.
5. Repeat step 4 for other rows, if applicable.
6. In the lower right corner, click Apply Credits.
   The Matters screen refreshes with the updated balances. 

Matters Details

To apply an operating retainer balance to invoices for one matter:

1. From the left navigation panel, click Matters.
2. On the Matters screen, double-click the matter, or single-click it, then from the toolbar, click Details.
3. From the Matters Details left navigation, click either Billing or Banking.
   The screen opens: Billing displays Time/Expense and Invoices while Banking displays Transactions and 3rd Party Bills.
4. Click Invoices or Transactions, as applicable.
   The applicable screen opens, displaying a toolbar atop the screen.
5. From the toolbar, click Invoice Payment Using > Existing Operating Retainer.
   The Apply Operating Retainer screen opens, displaying all matters with an operating retainer balance.
6. In the Apply Date field, you can leave it set to today’s date, or click the drop down to select a different date.
7. To the far right of the applicable matter, in the Applied field, enter the payment amount.
   The entry checks the box to the far left of the row.
8. Repeat step 7 for other rows, if applicable.
9. In the lower right corner, click Apply Credits.
   The Matters screen refreshes with the updated balances.

Multiple Matters

To apply an operating retainer balance to invoices for multiple matters:

1. From the left navigation panel, click Activities.
2. From the Activities left navigation, click Invoices.
3. Beneath the toolbar on the Invoices screen, if the Applied Filters field does not display Status = Unpaid, use the Filter panel to select it. 
4. Single-click the client to whose matters you wish to apply payments.
   The row highlights.
5. From the toolbar, click Invoice Payment Using > Existing Operating Retainer. 
   The Apply Operating Retainer screen opens, displaying all matters with an operating retainer balance.
6. To the far right of the applicable matter, in the Applied field, enter the payment amount.
   The entry checks the box to the far left of the row.
7. Repeat step 6 for other rows, if applicable.
8. In the lower right corner, click Apply Credits.
   The Matters screen refreshes with the updated balances.