Billing lifecycle
Every invoice in ProGuard Legal moves through a defined sequence of states. This exists so that work isn't billed twice, drafts can't accidentally go to a client, and partners always review before sending.
The states
- DRAFT — being prepared. Line items (time entries, expenses) can still be added or removed.
- PARTNER_REVIEW — submitted for approval. No further edits until reviewed.
- APPROVED — signed off by a partner. Ready to send.
- SENT — delivered to the client.
- PAID — fully paid.
- PARTIALLY_PAID — some payment received, balance outstanding.
- OVERDUE — due date passed without full payment.
- DISPUTED — client has raised a dispute.
- CANCELLED — voided.
Who does what
| Action | Who | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Create draft | Associate / clerk with billing access | Billing → New |
| Add time entries to invoice | Drafter | From time entries list |
| Submit for review | Drafter | Invoice detail → Submit for review |
| Approve or reject | Partner | Invoice detail → Approve / Reject |
| Send to client | Partner / admin | Invoice detail → Send |
| Record payment | Admin / finance | Invoice detail → Payments → Add payment |
| Generate PDF | Anyone with access | Invoice detail → Download PDF |
What's on an invoice
- Header — client, matter, invoice number, dates, currency
- Line items — time entries, expenses, manual line items
- Taxes — configured under
Admin → Currenciesand firm settings - Totals — subtotal, tax, total, amount paid, balance due
- Notes — internal and client-facing
Payments
Payments are tracked separately so the audit trail is intact. Partial payments are supported: each payment reduces the balance and moves the invoice to PARTIALLY_PAID until fully settled.
Expense categories
Before logging expenses, an administrator should set up Expense Categories under Billing → Expense Categories. Each spend is assigned a category, which also feeds the reports.
Multi-currency
If your firm works in more than one currency, an administrator can enable the additional currencies under Admin → Currencies and set exchange rates. Invoices can then be drafted in the client's preferred currency.