How to Protect Trust / Client Funds

The Protect Funds function allows you to put a 'lock' on some or all of a matter's Client / Trust funds. The purpose of this is to ensure that the protected funds aren't applied to invoice or a payment that was not intended. For example, upon receiving a deposit from a client for a Visa Application Charge, you can Protect these funds so that they are not used for payment of professional fees. Once funds are protected they can not be transferred or used for payments until such time as an authorised individual has released them.

There are two ways in which funds can be protected:

  1. At the time of receipting, you can select to protect some or all of what is being deposited
  2. At any time you you can protect some or all of the funds currently in the Trust / Client Account

Note that the ability to Protect Funds was released in version 8.7.7

1. At the time of Receipt

For instructions on how to receipt Client / Trust funds, see: Receipt a Deposit

At the time you record a receipt for Client / Trust funds deposit, you have the option to tick that you want to protect some or all of the funds being deposited. The purpose of ticking the Protect box is so that the system knows to make a copy of the information entered and present it to you in the new Protect Funds form which will appear after the receipt is saved and closed.

 

1.1. Tick Protect

To protect an amount, click the tickbox in the Protect column of the receipt

1.2. Review

Once you have saved and closed the receipt, the new Protect Fund form will appear with a copy of the row(s) that you indicated you wanted to protect. You have the option of now editing the reason and/or the amount to be protected.

1.3. Save and Close

To finish click Save & Close

2. At any time

It is possible to protect/lock funds in a matter at any point in time provided there are available funds in the Client / Trust Account.

2.1. Open the Client Funds tab and click More

First open the Client Funds tab and then click the More button followed by Protected Funds

The Protected Funds window will now appear

2.2. Click Protect

Now click the Protect button.

2.3. Record the amounts to be protected

The Protect Funds window will now appear. Insert details and the amount that you want to protect.

2.4. Click Save & Close

Once you have finished listing the amounts you want to protect, click Save & Close

3. Viewing the Protected Funds

After you have protected the funds, you will see across the bottom of the Client / Trust Fund tab a summary of the protected and non-protected funds.

You can view specific details of the protected funds by click the More button and then clicking Protected Funds

The Protected Funds window will now appear displaying details of the Protected Funds in this matter.