What is an interim fee?
An Interim Fee is a fee raised before the related work is completed. The amount sits as a credit (negative balance) on the client’s WIP ledger, meaning the client is effectively paying in advance for future work. This is the same as an Estimate to Complete type bill in AE/AO.
Navigating to the Billing screen
To create an Interim Fee, open the Processing menu at the top of the screen and select Billings from the drop-down list.
Alternatively, you can launch the Billings screen from the Modules area on your user dashboard.
Creating an interim fee
Within the Billings screen, select the Type of Bill as Fee.
When you open the fee, the batch details are displayed. The same batch details apply to Invoices , Fees , and Reversals.
Batch details
Processing Office | This will default to the office you’re allocated to as an employee. If you need to raise the fee to a different office, change the office selection here. |
ProForma No | Leave this as-is, the system will use auto numbers to allocate the next invoice/fee number. |
Invoice Date | System Options control how your Invoice Date is set: Capture Date – can be pre- or post‑dated within the current or future period. System Date – sets the date to the day the invoice is approved (or the last day of the current period). EOM System Date – sets the date to the last day of the current period. e.g. if approved on 15 March, the invoice will be dated 31 March. |
Approver | Choose either System Assigned (based on your approval settings) or select a specific Approver , again according to your approval settings. |
Debtor details
Client | Choose your client by typing their name or client code. |
Biller | Biller defaults to the Client Partner , but you can change this if needed. |
Office | Office defaults to the Processing Office selected above. |
Service Line | Service Line defaults to the Service Line linked to the Biller. |
Once you’ve completed the Batch and Debtor details, you can move to New Bill Item.
Client – this will prefill from the Debtor details.
Task – select the task you want the WIP credit to sit against.
Fee Time – enter the net amount you want to bill and check the GST settings are correct.
Fee Disb – if you’re billing in advance for a disbursement, enter the amount here.
To add narrations, you can:
Type directly into the Narration box.
Use the Std Fee drop-down to select a standard fee note (you can search by typing in the box).
Use the Narration Builder to choose recently used narrations for this client or user.
Once the fee line is complete, click the Save icon on the bill item so it saves correctly, moves into the blue section, and adds the amount to the bill.
You can then add another line, or edit an existing line, by selecting the Pencil icon in the blue section.
If you’re happy with the Fee, click Save and close.
Once you save and close, you’ll be able to return to this Fee later to continue working on it.
If you’re ready for the Fee to go through the approval process, click Submit , then click Yes to confirm the submission.
WIP credit display in the client WIP table?
The negative WIP will show against the Task with an Activity type ESTFEE and a negative value.
Offsetting WIP credits from a fee against WIP raised for a client
Once you’ve completed the relevant work for a client, you’ll need to clear the WIP against the WIP credit created when you raised the fee.
To do this raise an Open Item Fee , where you:
Select the WIP credit , and
Select the relevant WIP you want to offset, applying any required adjustments.
Refer to the Open Item Fee guidance for more detailed steps.
You can also use the WIP Management Dashboard to select and write off WIP at task level. Please see the instructions for that feature for more information.