Invoice-Level Locking to Improve Multi-User Workflows
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When an invoice for a particular client is opened, all invoices associated with that client become locked, preventing editing by multiple users. While this mechanism is intended to preserve data integrity, it creates significant workflow challenges for firms that do not consolidate all client matters into a single invoice as only one team member can proceed at a time. Many of our clients require invoices to be issued separately by matter, and their billing portals reject consolidated invoice. For firms managing a high volume of matters, this restriction introduces unnecessary bottlenecks.
We believe that locking invoices at the individual invoice level rather than the client level deserves consideration, as it affects not only our operations but likely those of many other firms as well. Alternatives could include:
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Offering firm-level configuration settings to allow firms to choose their preferred invoice locking behavior.
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Exploring real-time conflict resolution strategies, which competing platforms have already proven feasible.
As our firm grows, the need for multiple billing personnel to work in parallel on the same client’s invoices will only increase.
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