Billing and PaymentsPurpose
1.2. Automatedly send invoices, collect payments, apply taxes, issue receipts, and monitor payment status on a set schedule for clients on retainer or long-term projects.
1.3. Sync data with accounting, CRM, and tax calculation systems using automation to centralize financial records and automate reporting.
1.4. Allow billing frequency automation (e.g., monthly, quarterly), pro-rata adjustments, and automatic notifications to clients.
1.5. Enable automating failed payment retries, card update requests, and automated service suspension for non-payment, improving billing efficiency and compliance.
Trigger Conditions
2.2. Automation of contract status change to "Active Recurring."
2.3. Scheduled recurring billing date met (e.g., every 1st of the month).
2.4. Automated workflow triggered by successful client onboarding or first payment received.
2.5. Automation triggers on card expiry or payment failure event.
Platform Variants
3.1. Stripe
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Subscriptions API" to create recurring charges and automated webhooks for billing events.
• Sample: Configure webhook for invoice.paid and setup recurring plan ID.
3.2. PayPal
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Billing Plans and Agreements API" for scheduled, automated billing cycles.
• Sample: Configure billing plans with frequency and automated agreement creation.
3.3. Square
• Feature/Setting: Automates "Subscriptions" for scheduled invoicing and automated payment capture.
• Sample: Set frequency and card-on-file automation.
3.4. QuickBooks Online
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Recurring Invoices" in the Sales module; configure automation with scheduled intervals.
• Sample: Set customer, amount, and schedule for invoice automation.
3.5. Xero
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Repeating Invoices" feature for automated invoice issue and reminders.
• Sample: Choose client, interval, and enable automatic emailing.
3.6. Zoho Subscriptions
• Feature/Setting: Automates full recurring billing workflow—charges, reminders, receipts.
• Sample: Define plans, automate renewal, and enable webhooks.
3.7. FreshBooks
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Recurring Templates" to automate scheduled invoices and payment reminders.
• Sample: Set recurring frequency and enable payment reminders.
3.8. Chargebee
• Feature/Setting: Automates "Subscription Billing" with API to setup recurring billing cycles and notifications.
• Sample: Use product_catalog API and webhook events.
3.9. Braintree
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Recurring Billing" using "Subscriptions API" for scheduled charges.
• Sample: Create subscription with planId and automate transaction monitoring.
3.10. GoCardless
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Subscriptions" for direct debit, scheduled payment collection automation.
• Sample: Create mandate and automate collection interval.
3.11. Recurly
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Recurring Invoices API" for regular client billing cycles.
• Sample: Configure invoice schedules and automated email delivery.
3.12. Sage Intacct
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Recurring Billing Module" with API for schedule-based automating invoice generation.
• Sample: Set schedule and automate posting to GL.
3.13. Bill.com
• Feature/Setting: Automate scheduling of bill creation and automated payments.
• Sample: Use workflow rules and automated reminders.
3.14. Oracle NetSuite
• Feature/Setting: Automates "SuiteBilling" recurring contracts module via saved searches and schedules.
• Sample: Configure recurring schedules and automate workflow events.
3.15. SAP Concur Invoice
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Recurring Expense Automation" with scheduled processing.
• Sample: Set up automated recurrence rules and approvals.
3.16. Wave
• Feature/Setting: Automate recurring invoicing with automated reminders and payment links.
• Sample: Select recurring template and configure notifications.
3.17. Intuit Payment Solutions
• Feature/Setting: Setup and automate recurring payment links.
• Sample: Create payment schedule and automation triggers.
3.18. Paddle
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Subscriptions API" for SaaS-style recurring payments and tax handling.
• Sample: Configure product_id with interval automation.
3.19. Invoiced
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Recurring Billing" engine for scheduled invoices and retries.
• Sample: Configure recurring template and automate dunning rules.
3.20. Zuora
• Feature/Setting: Automate "Recurring Billing Schedules" via the REST API for contract-based invoicing.
• Sample: Set schedule, automated notifications, and invoice workflow.
Benefits
4.2. Automation enables predictable cashflows for patent attorney practices.
4.3. Reduces billing errors and late payments via automated reminders and retries.
4.4. Enables automated recurring payment management, improving client experience and retention.
4.5. Centralizes and automates reporting, simplifying reconciliation and compliance in legal services.