Smartbills asks for the client and matter when each cost is captured and keeps firm spend apart from anything that touches client funds.
Every recoverable cost carries its matter from the start
Whoever incurs the cost picks the client and matter from a list. Court fees, filings, couriers and travel carry that allocation from the start and billing never has to guess later.
- Client and matter picked from a list, never typed
- Recoverable and non-recoverable separated as the cost is captured
- A receipt behind every disbursement you bill
A clear line between firm spend and client funds
Smartbills handles firm operating expenses and disbursements. Trust and client accounts stay in your practice management system, and Smartbills never writes to them.
- Operating spend and disbursements only
- No trust ledger, on purpose
- Posts to your ledger with client and matter attached
Why teams switch
Disbursements turn up after the client has been billed.
We only find the courier charge and the filing fee after the client's invoice has already gone out.
Smartbills asks for the client and matter the moment the cost is captured. Recoverable disbursements land on the next bill and stay off the write-off list.
A partner asks what a matter has cost so far and nobody can answer until it is billed.
Costs by client and matter update as expenses post. A partner can check where an open file stands without waiting for the billing run.
We can't risk firm spending and client money ending up in the same place.
Firm operating expenses and disbursements are handled here, while trust accounting stays in your practice management system. The line between the two is explicit, and nothing in Smartbills crosses it.
The products that do the work.
Each product works on its own, and when you run two, the same record carries from the receipt to the ledger entry.
Expense management
Capture receipts, categorize expenses and check policy compliance as expenses are submitted.
Accounts receivable
Accounts receivable automation that sends each invoice on time, escalates the reminders on schedule and lets customers pay from a link.
Accounting automation
Accounting automation software that codes each transaction and posts the journal entry to your accounting software the day it happens.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What people ask us before they sign up.
Get started
Bill the disbursements you're writing off today
Capture one month of file costs against their matters and see how much more reaches the client's bill.