Set up collection triggers, throttle and statement emails

Configure Smart Statements for the first time: decide when statements go out, how often a client can receive one, who they come from, and what they say. By the end, your firm's first statements will be staged for review the next weekday.

Before you start

• You need permission to view and edit Collections settings.
• Know your firm's standard payment terms (for example, Net 30). You build triggers around them.
• Decide who should appear as the sender and which firm addresses should get a copy of each statement.

1. Open Collection Statements settings

1. Log in to the Firm Portal.
2. Select Settings from the top menu.
3. Under Collections, select Collection Statements.

2. Set your triggers

A trigger tells Aiwyn when an invoice is old enough (or close enough to due) to prompt a statement. When any unpaid invoice meets a trigger, Aiwyn stages a statement that includes all of that client's unpaid invoices.

This walkthrough uses a firm on Net 30 terms that wants to remind clients 5 days before the due date, 15 and 30 days after it, and then every 30 days for a year. Enter these triggers:

Each trigger number is one less than the day you want the reminder, because the trigger fires once an invoice is more than that many days past due.

3. Set the throttle

The throttle stops a client from getting statements about the same invoices too often. Enter the minimum number of days between statements. Most firms choose 7 days.

Without a throttle, a client with several invoices can receive a reminder each time a different invoice crosses a trigger. See How triggers and the throttle decide when a statement is sent for how triggers and the throttle interact.

4. Set the “From” name and email and your copies

1. Enter the From name and email address clients will see. Use a name and address clients recognize from your firm.
2. Add firm addresses to CC or BCC so your team receives a copy of each statement.
3. Optionally, vary CC and BCC by aging bucket. Recipients are chosen by the age of the client's oldest outstanding invoice, so you can, for example, copy a partner only on balances over 60 days.

5. Write your message contents

Each aging bucket (0–30, 31–60, 61–90, 91–120, 121+ days) has its own Subject, Headline and Message.

1. Start with the 0–30 days bucket. It is the default: any bucket you don't customize uses its wording.
2. Insert variables so each email shows the client's own details. For example: Subject Statement for ${client_name} from ${firm_name} and Headline You have ${total_invoice_count} invoice(s) for a total balance due of ${total_amount_due}.
3. Customize later buckets as the tone should firm up. An asterisk (*) next to a bucket shows it has been customized.
4. Use the rich text editor for formatting, tables, images and links.

For the full variable list and sample wording for each bucket, see Statement email and variable reference.

6. Review exclusions and save

1. In Excluded Clients, click Manage Excluded Clients and check off any clients who should never receive statements. (Skip this if your firm manages exclusions in its practice management system.) Clients with an AutoPay plan are excluded automatically.
2. Leave automatic sending off for now so statements stage for review.
3. Click Save.

What happens next

• Statements begin staging the next weekday after you save your triggers.
• Aiwyn stages (or, once automated, sends) statements between 11am and 2pm Eastern**, Monday–Friday**.
• Changes you make later apply only to statements not yet staged. Statements already waiting for review keep their original content.

Next steps

• Send your first collection statement
• How triggers and the throttle decide when a statement is sent
• Collections settings reference