Billing & Disbursement Invoicing

Q: Do the conveyancer and partner still need to be involved?

Yes, the conveyancer reviews the completed matter and the partner still approves the invoice before it goes out.

Q: Will this work with our existing practice management and accounting tools?

The workflow is built around whatever practice management and accounting tools the practice already uses.

Q: What happens to matter files and past invoices already in the system?

Existing matter files and invoice history stay in place and are used as the source of truth for each new invoice.

Q: How are unusual disbursements or scope changes handled?

Items that fall outside the standard fee and disbursement pattern are flagged for review rather than invoiced automatically.

Accurate, timely invoices leave your conveyancing file and your trust account stays clean without manual chasing.

120 hrs

Manual time identified

Companies have mapped

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About This Automation

Billing and disbursement invoicing closes out a completed property matter by reconciling receipts, calculating fees, and issuing an invoice. Manual reconciliation and multi-step sign-off routines slow down cash collection and invite line-item errors.

The automated version pulls fee and disbursement data directly from the matter file, applies fee and VAT rules consistently, and routes the draft for approval before sending. Invoices go out faster with fewer errors and a clear audit trail.

Key features:

Pulls fee entries and disbursement receipts directly from the matter record

Applies fee schedules and VAT rules consistently across every invoice

Builds an itemized draft invoice without manual data entry

Routes the draft for approval and tracks sign-off status automatically

Sends the approved invoice to the client and updates the matter ledger

Keeps a record of every invoice and approval in the matter file

Data insights How it works Apps used What you get FAQ

Top friction points when done manually

The issues teams report most often with this process

#	Friction point	Companies Report This
1	Disbursement receipts hard to match Matching search fees and land registry charges against the ledger takes repeated manual checking.	80%
2	Approval sits untouched Draft invoices wait for partner sign-off and often require chasing by email.	67%
3	Fee calculation not trusted Staff recalculate fees and VAT in a spreadsheet rather than relying on the system output.	53%
4	Manual invoice line entry Each disbursement and fee line is typed into the invoice by hand.	40%
5	Scattered record keeping Copies of sent invoices are filed manually into the matter record.	26%

Disclaimer

Automation readiness

How well-suited this process is for automation

Process Pain Score™

8.8/ 10

AI Fit Rating™

8.6/ 10

Automation Lift Index™

8.2/ 10

Hidden Overhead™

6.4/ 10

How The Automation Works

The full workflow, from trigger to completion.

1. Matter Marked Ready To Billtrigger

A status change to Ready To Bill fires the workflow automatically.

2. Pull Billing Data

The Billing Data retrieves fee entries and disbursement receipts for the matter.

3. Calculate Fees And VAT

The Invoice Calculation totals fees, applies VAT and itemises each disbursement.

4. Draft Invoice

A draft invoice is created with every line item populated from the calculated totals.

5. Partner Reviews High Value Invoice

Invoices above the configured threshold route to a partner for a quick approval before sending.

6. Send Invoice To Client

The invoice is finalised and emailed to the client directly.

7. Update Matter Ledger

The matter is marked billed and the ledger balance is updated automatically.

8. Post Billing Confirmation

A confirmation with invoice number and amount is posted to the billing team's channel.

Most popular tool stack used

— the complete tool combinations companies use

55% of companies

28% of companies

15% of companies

Disclaimer

What you get when you map this process

Everything you need to understand, plan, and build your automation.

ROI and business case

What this process costs today and what changes once it's automated.

Launch schedule

What gets built, in what order, and what success looks like once it's live.

Process runbook

How the automation runs day to day, including exceptions and human decision points.

Developer handover pack

Full build spec, logic, and configuration — ready to hand off without a briefing call.

Integration and connections guide

Every tool connection, credential, and data mapping the build needs.

Test and QA plan

551 hrsIdentified

19Mapped

View

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know before mapping this process.

What parts of the billing process does this automation handle?

It handles pulling fee and disbursement data, calculating fees and VAT, drafting the invoice, and routing it for approval before sending.

Do the conveyancer and partner still need to be involved?

Will this work with our existing practice management and accounting tools?

What happens to matter files and past invoices already in the system?

How are unusual disbursements or scope changes handled?

View more FAQs

Process pain:8.8/10

Mapped by:4 Companies

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Page updated 10 August 2026