Paul W. Carlson, CPA (00:00):
This is the second video in our MyCase payment plan series. In our first video, we discussed how to use deposit into credit as a process to take an initial payment from a client by only entering the client's name, email address, and credit card information. Now that the client has left the office, we need to take some time to build out the client information within the system, create a case, and then create an invoice for the remaining payments. So if you ever need to see what client payments are pending within the process, or we have these deposit into credits, if you want to see a list of the things that need to be applied to invoices, we can run the non-trust retainer account summary. And so here we see the $1.02 for Ruby. I'm actually running real transactions through a MyCase merchant account charged into a credit card and that's why we're using these small test transactions.
(01:02):
So the first step is to edit Ruby's contact information. At this point we just have the name and email address. We're going to want to add a lot more information so we can manage the case and interact with the client. Next step is we need to add a case for Ruby. So we're going to pull up Ruby. We're going to call this case X. Case number, we want to use case numbers sooner than later. Practice area. This is important because we're going to use this practice area in creating management reports for our accounting service and CFO service clients, that we rely on data out of MyCase to run these metrics that we don't use the accounting system as the source of this information. The MyCase integration doesn't work the way you would think it would, and so we need to have this accurate information within the system. Case open is today and that's fine. So billing is going to be a flat fee for $3.02. We're going to go ahead and staff this, and here we have the case open.
(02:17):
So you will need to add more details, upload some documents, but that's enough to take care of the accounting details. So now we need to create an invoice for the client. We're going to do invoice, add invoice. Okay. So it automatically populates with a $3.02 flat fee that we designated when setting up the case. So let's go from the top to the bottom. Invoice number, it auto-populates, invoice date today is fine. We want set payment terms to due date because once we change this to due date, then this automatic reminders box appears. And what this does is when we have payment plans, MyCase is going to send reminders seven days before the payment is due, on the due date, and then seven days after if it's missed. And so we certainly want that to be turned on. Most firms who are doing payment plans are using these against prepaid flat fee cases so we can go ahead and have the funds deposited to operating.
(03:21):
And then we're going to scroll down. There's our $3.02. Next thing we want to do is, so here's our $1.02 that we grabbed on that initial payment. So what we want to do here is we want to turn on a payment plan. And so how MyCase is a little quirky, the way it wants this done is it wants us to enter the first payment that has already been made in this box. And then when we go to the next screen, it will auto apply this amount to this payment. Then we want to schedule our future payments. So the next payment will be due October 4th for a dollar, and then the following payment will be due November 4th for a dollar. So at this point, we have no more remaining balance, that our payment plan schedule matches the invoice amount. And the other box we want to check is we want to hit automatic payments.
(04:26):
And what this does is we made that initial charge against the case, MyCase has saved the credit card information within the system so we can have it go ahead and automatically charge that credit card that's already in MyCase. And from that we can hit save. So let's just take another quick look. We have our flat fee of $3.02, installment due. So notice that MyCase said, oh, hey, we received that $1.02 on September 4th. So we'll go ahead and use that as this initial payment. So it's not going to double charge the client for that payment. So you want to make sure that we see this posting on the invoice, we have the payments for the following two months, and we're all set there. Next thing you want to do is you want to share this invoice into the client portal so they can see it online, and that makes sense.
(05:21):
And then you probably also want to email the invoice to the client just so they can have a copy as well. And we should be all set. So the one thing you do want to watch and double check is if we collected money upfront that we're watching this initial payment. So MyCase is saying, hey, we see this payment's already in the system. We're not going to double charge the client on this day. And with that, that's a quick overview of how to set up the client, the case, and the invoice, and the future payment plan. Our next video is going to be how to use MyCase to monitor the status of payment plans. Thanks.
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