Orion Law Management Orion Desktop Articles Accounts Receivables Deposit Transaction Input Updated April 14, 2024 15:48 This section provides instructions for entering transactions in the AR Manager: You can perform the following tasks: Enter a New Transaction Edit a previously Saved transaction Apply payments received to invoices Write off a portion of a bill Delete a transaction Transfer money in and out of Retainer and Trust ledgers Entering Accounting Transactions To enter an accounting transaction: Click on AR Manager Icon on your Orion task bar From the button bar, click New The following screen appears: Enter the appropriate date for the transaction (it will default to today's date). Enter client matter number and enter the Code type. If there are outstanding invoices, they will appear in the lower panel if you’ve entered an appropriate code. Note you will not see anything register in that lower panel in terms of outstanding invoices “until” the client matter number and an appropriate transaction code is entered such as a PMT (payment) or CR (credit) or WO (Write off) - simply entering the client matter number by itself will not make the invoices appear, it has to have the appropriate code as well. Fill in the fields as required. See the field descriptions at the end of this section for specific information. If you are applying a PMT, WO, or CR to an existing invoice you will need to right click while your cursor is in the bottom panel where the invoices are listed and choose one of the apply options that appears as a menu choice. Apply (which prorates the application against the invoices listed based on the apply "order" already selected) Apply (tagged) if you want to just hit specific invoices - make sure you check the box next to the invoice first). Detail Apply - to individually hit certain timekeepers or types of expenses (this is usually not needed) Make sure you see an amount in the apply column prior to doing a Save or a SAVE and Post. To save your changes, click Save or press the F10 key. This will allow you to come back at a later time, to make any additional changes if needed. It will also allow you to post it in a separate step at a later time. If you are sure the transaction is correct you may, depending on your firm's procedures, use the Save and Post option to Save and post it all in one step. Make sure to choose the correct GL Period and Year when prompted. You may also use Action/ Payment Application Posting off the AR Manager screen to Post previously saved , but not posted transactions, as a group at a later time. This allows firms to review the transactions prior to doing the actual Posting which is the step that creates the GL transactions associated with the AR transaction. Make sure to choose the correct GL period and Year at the top of the screen prior to doing the post option. Note most reports do not present transactions “until they are posted”. Select the transactions you want to post and use Post Transactions Field Descriptions – AR Accounting Transactions Screen are list in this table Field Description Record # The number of the transaction. Date The date of the accounting transaction. To look up a date, click the drop-down to display a calendar. Note: For reconciliation purposes, it is recommended that you use the date the payment was received/deposited so you can use your Daily Deposit report to balance to the bank. The date you enter is also used to update the Last Payment Date field in Matter Status. Client-Matter Identifies the transaction for a Client-Matter and is a required field. If you do not know the correct number, you can press the F8 key or click the Look-Invoice Look up button. If you have received a check that has no identifying Client-Matter Name or Client-Matter Number but does have an Invoice Number on it, you can locate the Client-Matter Number by the Invoice Number. To do this, click the button to the right of the field. Enter the Invoice Number as it appears on the check and if such an Invoice Number exists in your system, Orion populates the Client-Matter field with the Client-Matter Number owning that Invoice Number. Note: Even if you are entering a payment, credit, or write-off to be applied across several Matters, you must enter a Matter code. The Apply and Posting programs automatically create the proper transaction for each Matter receiving credit. Code The Accounting Code for the transaction. To view a list of available Codes, click the down arrow. Valid Accounting Codes are as follows: CR - Credit Adjustment PMT - Payment WO - Write-Off RDP - Retainer Deposit RDS - Retainer Disbursement RAP - Retainer Applied as Payment TDP - Trust Deposit TDS - Trust Disbursement TAP - Trust Applied as Payment Note: If you are entering a RAP or TAP transaction, it must be entered with the Client-Matter Number to which it will be applied. You cannot apply RAP or TAP transactions across multiple Matters. Bank Code The Code for the bank in this transaction. Amount The amount of the transaction. If you are entering a RDS, RAP, TDS, or TAP, Orion will not allow you to enter an amount greater than the amount shown as the current retainer or trust balance. Retainer/Trust Balance The balance in the Retainer/Trust account. Check # The check number. This information is saved with the transaction, but is not displayed on any Orion reports. Received from/Paid to Who the check was received from or paid to in Orion. This information is saved with the transaction. Description Description of the transaction. You can enter or edit text within this field. If you require more space for entering a description, you can click Expand to open up a larger memo box. When you have finished typing in the memo box, click OK. Editing an Accounting Transaction You can edit a saved accounting transaction as required. Note: Only text changes are allowed on any accounting transaction that has appeared on an invoice or has been applied and posted, or any transaction created by the Accounts Payable module. On any transaction that can be edited, Codes cannot be edited. For example, you cannot change a PMT code to a CR Code. You will need to delete the transaction and re-enter it using the correct accounting Code. .To edit a saved accounting transaction: Click on AR Manager Icon on your Orion task bar . You may expand the list of transactions shown on screen or filter for specific transactions by clicking Transaction Filter. From here you can narrow (or expand) your search range by date, Client-Matter, Code, or Bank. The initial transactions listed on the AR manager screen default to the current WEEK - you may alter that here using the Transaction Filter Date settings: Another way to access a transaction: Simply click on New, and if you know record number, enter it directly into the Record # field and hit enter. If you do not know the record number, you can click the Look-up button next to the record field to display the Transaction Lookup screen. There is a Transaction Filter option on that screen, as well, where you can display a range of transactions based on date or specific client matter or type of code. Once the transaction is displayed, edit the fields needed. To save your changes, click Save or press the F10 key. To clear the screen without saving your changes, click Clear. Deleting an Accounting Transaction Use this procedure to delete a saved accounting transaction. You cannot delete a transaction that has been invoiced or applied and posted nor can you delete a transaction created through the Accounts Payable module. Access the AR Accounting Transactions screen for the desired transaction. In the Record # field, enter the record number of the transaction you want to delete. If you do not know the record number, you can click the Look-up button next to the Record # field to display the Transaction Lookup screen. Once you have displayed the correct transaction, Click Delete or press the Ctrl+Delete keys. The system prompts you to confirm the deletion. All application records associated with the accounting transaction will be removed upon deletion. Then click the appropriate button to confirm the delete YES - OR if you want to back out and not delete choose NO when prompted. Retainer and Trust Activity Overview Most firms consider a retainer to be an advance payment for services rendered. In other words, the retainer is deposited directly into the operating account as unearned fees and then applied as payments to invoices as they are generated. Some firms consider this a non-refundable deposit while others agree to bill against it. Occasionally, a Client will overpay an invoice or may pay the same invoice twice. If this relates to an on-going Matter, the overpayment would be treated as a Retainer Deposit (RDP). When funds are received that are to be deposited into an escrow account, the transaction is entered as a Trust Deposit. (TDP). Consult with your firm’s administration on your specific policy on how Retainer and Trust funds should be administered prior to using these codes mentioned below. Retainer/Trust Deposits (RDP/TDP) To enter a Retainer Deposit (RDP), use the RDP accounting code. To enter a Trust Deposit (TDP), use the TDP accounting code. When you enter and save a Retainer/Trust Deposit, the Retainer/Trust account for the Client-Matter is automatically updated. The updated amount is reflected in all Client-Matter screens and reports. When you enter a Retainer/Trust Deposit, Orion does not allow you access to the Apply function since Retainer/Trust Deposits cannot be applied to an invoice. Furthermore, you are not allowed to post a Retainer/ Trust Deposit. Or to do a Trust Deposit After the data is entered in the above screen with the appropriate fields, simply hit SAVE. Retainer/Trust Disbursements (RDS/TDS) Retainer Disbursements (RDS) and Trust Disbursements (TDS) are used to move money out of a Client-Matter Retainer/Trust account where the payee is someone other than the firm. To enter a Retainer Disbursement, use the RDS accounting code. To enter a Trust Disbursement, use the TDS accounting code. When you enter and save a Retainer/Trust Disbursement, the Retainer/ Trust account for the Client-Matter is automatically updated. The updated Retainer/Trust balance is immediately reflected in all Client-Matter screens and reports. You are not allowed to post a Retainer/Trust Disbursement. Simply SAVE it. Or to do a Trust Disbursement (use the TDS code) Note: If you run into a situation where you have entered a Retainer/Trust Deposit under the wrong Client-Matter (Client A), you can move it to the correct Client-Matter (Client B) by entering a Retainer/Trust Disbursement for the Client-Matter for which the deposit was originally entered (Client A) and a Retainer/Trust Deposit for the correct Client-Matter (Client B). Note some firms may require actual check trail for these procedures. Retainer/Trust Applied as Payment (RAP/TAP) (on an invoice to be generated) NOTE: DEPENDING on FIRM PROCEDURES, you may enter the TAP on the distribution line of a voucher to create a check payable to the FIRM vendor in Accounts Payable Manager. The TAP will then be reflected and available in AR Manager to apply and post against an invoice when the invoice is created. (This process allows you to cut the check to the firm and have the TAP available to be applied to an invoice all in one step.) The Retainer Applied as Payment (RAP) and Trust Applied as Payment (TAP) accounting functions are unique in that Retainer/Trust money is typically used to pay off an invoice that has not yet been generated. When you create the RAP/TAP transaction, there is no accounts receivable against which to apply it. However, if you do not create the RAP/TAP transaction prior to generating the invoice, the invoice will print with a Total Amount Due that is greater than what the Client actually owes. To reflect a RAP or TAP as a payment on an invoice that is currently being generated, simply enter a RAP/TAP transaction through the Accounts Receivable Entry program. Note in this case you will simply SAVE the transaction with a date on or before the invoice date that you plan to use, rather than attempting to SAVE and Post. When you enter and save a RAP/TAP transaction, the Retainer/Trust account for the Client-Matter is automatically updated. The updated Retainer/Trust balance is immediately reflected in all Client-Matter screens and reports. Since the RAP/TAP cannot be applied at this time (no accounts receivable), exit the Accounts Receivable Manager and go into the Billing program to generate an invoice. Once you verify that the invoice is correct, post the invoice using the Post Invoices program in Billing Manager under Action/Post invoices. Once the invoice has been posted, go back into the Accounts Receivable Entry program, call up the RAP/TAP, and apply it against the invoice. You will need to make sure you see something in the apply column prior to posting. Use the right click/ Apply or check mark the box next to the invoice and right click and choose to Apply (tagged) or simply type the dollar amount in direct into the apply column). Remember, you cannot apply a RAP or TAP transaction across multiple Matters. It must be applied to the Matter under which it was entered. To pay off an invoice that has yet to be generated with Retainer/Trust money, complete this process: Stage Description 1 Make the necessary changes to Work In Process using the Bill Preparation - Fees and Bill Preparation - Costs/Expenses programs. 2 Go into the Accounts Receivable Manager and enter and save the amount, but do not apply the amount of the RAP/TAP. 3 Print and post the invoice. 4 Apply and post the RAP/TAP transaction to the invoice. Example Here is an example of the above: A client pays the firm $10,000 as an advance payment. The $10,000 should be deposited in that Client-Matter's retainer account (RDP). Now it is time to send the client his first bill. The firm has $1,000 in fees and $500 in expenses to bill the client. The client, since he has already paid the firm in advance, would like to see an invoice that looks like this: Prior Balance: $0.00 Current Charges: $1,500.00 Less Retainer Applied as Payment: $1,500.00 Total Due: $0.00 Retainer Balance: $8,500.00 To accomplish this, follow stages 1-4 above. Entering a Retainer/Trust Transfer Use this procedure to transfer money into and out of trust and retainer accounts. When performing a retainer or trust transfer, Orion creates two transactions. The first part is an RTO (Retainer Transfer Out) or TTO (Trust Transfer Out). The second part is an RTI (Retainer Transfer In) or a TTI (Trust Transfer In). Steps To perform a transfer: From the button bar, click Action and select Retainer/Trust Transfer. The following screen appears. Fill in the fields as required. See "Field Descriptions – Retainer/Trust Transfer Screen" Click Add Target Enter or select the Client-Matter to which to transfer money. Enter the amount to transfer and click OK. Add more targets as needed To make the transfer, click Perform Transfer. The system tells you the transfer was successful Click OK to exit screen Field Descriptions – Retainer/Trust Transfer Screen The following table describes the fields. Field Description Type The type of account: retainer or trust. Date The date of the transfer. Client-Matter The Client-Matter from which money is being transferred. Bank Code The bank within which the transfer is being made. Amount The amount of the transfer. This must equal the target amount. Retainer/Trust Balance The amount of the transfer. This must equal the target amount. Editing a Retainer/Trust Transfer You can change the description of a retainer or trust transfer. To edit a transfer, From the AR Manager, double-click the desired transaction. In the Description field, change the description as needed. Click Save. Was this article helpful? Yes/No