Record and Manage Online Bill Payments

With Clio Payments, you can record online bill payments, enabling your firm to apply a debit or credit card payment or a Pay by Bank payment to a bill directly, using a client's stored payment method. This is separate from the client making a payment themselves, through a bill email, a secure payment link, or a QR code. You can record debit or credit card and Pay by Bank payments, track their status, void credit card payments that are authorised but not yet completed, refund completed payments, and link them to the correct matter.

Understand online payment sources

Debit or credit card

Record a card payment using a client's stored debit or credit card. A card payment can take 5-7 business days to be fully processed and deposited into your bank account.

Pay by Bank

Record a Pay by Bank payment using a client's stored Pay by Bank payment method. A Pay by Bank payment can take 5-7 business days to be fully processed and deposited into your bank account.

Record a single bill or multi-matter bill payment

You record payment for a single bill and a multi-matter bill the same way. A multi-matter bill is one bill that includes activities for multiple matters belonging to one client.

1. Go to the Billing tab, or the Bills subtab in a matter or contact.
2. Click the down arrow next to Send and select Record payment.

3. Select the payment source (Debit or credit card or Pay by Bank), then select the deposit account, payer, and amount paid. When the amount paid is less than the amount due, you can write off the remaining amount and add a description or note.

   Note: When the payment currency differs from the bill or deposit account currency, Clio shows the conversion rate and any gain or loss at the time of payment. If the currency difference results in an underpayment, it can be written off. An overpayment marks the invoice paid in full.

4. Click Billing information to enter the client's payment details.
5. Click Record payment.

Record payment for one client's multiple bills

1. In Clio Manage, click Billing.
2. Click Record payment.
3. Search for the client. All unpaid bills for that client appear.
4. Select the payment source (Debit or credit card or Pay by Bank), then select the deposit account, payer, and amount paid for each bill. When the amount paid is less than the combined total, you can write off the remaining amounts.
5. Click Billing information to enter the client's payment details.
6. Click Record payment.

Edit a recorded online bill payment

Via the Bills subtab

1. Go to Billing, or click the Bills subtab in a contact or matter.
2. Click the bill ID to open the bill.
3. Under the Payments subtab, click Edit next to the payment.
4. Make your changes and click Edit payment.

Via the Transactions subtab

1. Go to the contact or matter's Transactions subtab.
2. Select the account where the funds were deposited.
3. Find the payment transaction and click Edit.
4. Make your changes and click Edit payment.

Void a recorded online bill payment

Void a credit card payment while its status is "Authorised" to stop it from completing. The full amount returns to your client, and you are not charged transaction fees. Voiding a payment is final.

1. In Clio Manage, click Online payments.
2. Select the Transactions subtab.
3. Optional: Click the Authorised quick filter.
4. Find the payment and click Void in the Actions column.
5. In the Void window, click Void payment.

You can also void from the bill by opening it, selecting the Online payments subtab, and clicking Void next to the payment.

View bill payment statuses

1. In Clio Manage, click Online payments.
2. Select the Transactions subtab.
3. Optional: Use the All, Authorised, Completed, or Failed quick filters, or click Filters to narrow your results.
4. Find your payment and review its status.

Authorised

The payment details are accepted, and the payment is being processed. You can void a credit card payment in this status.

Completed

The payment was processed successfully and deposited into your firm's bank account. You can refund it.

Failed

The issuing bank rejected the payment details, or an error occurred during the transaction.

Chargeback

A dispute led to a chargeback, and funds were debited from your firm's bank account.

Disputed

The payment has been disputed. This status appears for any dispute, whether an inquiry or a chargeback.

Evidence Submitted

You submitted evidence to dispute a transaction. A response from the issuing bank typically takes 40 to 90 days.

Dispute Lost

The bank ruled in the cardholder's favor, the dispute was not eligible for evidence, or your firm accepted the dispute.

Dispute Won

The case resolved in your favor, and the chargeback funds were returned to your firm.

Link a payment to a contact or matter

When a client pays through a payment link or QR code, link the payment to a contact or matter after it processes. You receive an email when the payment is made and again when it is processed and ready to link.

From the payment email

1. Open the email confirming that the payment has been processed.
2. Click Link to a client or matter.

From Clio Manage

1. In Clio Manage, click Online payments.
2. Optional: Click Filters to narrow your results.
3. Find the payment, and under the Client column, click Link.
4. Search for a contact or matter.
5. Click Link payment.

For a secure payment link

When a client pays via a secure payment link, the payment is already linked to the correct client, so you only need to link the payment to a matter.

1. In Clio Manage, click Online payments.
2. Optional: Click Filters to narrow your results.
3. Find the transaction and click Edit.
4. Choose the relevant matter for the payment.
5. Optional: Uncheck Apply payment to issued invoices automatically. When checked, the payment applies to the oldest invoice.
6. Click Save payment.

Unlink a payment

If a payment is incorrectly allocated, you can move it to the correct client without issuing a refund, or unlink and relink it.

1. In Clio Manage, click Online payments.
2. Optional: Click Filters to narrow your results.
3. Find the payment and click Edit.
4. Under Client, select the new client. After you select a client, you can choose a matter. A payment links to a client and, optionally, to a matter, but not to a matter alone.
5. Optional: Check Apply payment to issued invoice automatically to apply the payment to approved bills for this client.
6. Click Update payment, then click Yes, update payment to confirm.

Up next

• Payment Refunds: Issue full or partial refunds for completed transactions.
• Record Manual Bill Payments: Record a payment received outside Clio Payments, such as cash, cheque, or client funds.