| Email Statements Overview | 
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Tabs3 Billing provides the ability to automatically generate PDF statements for clients when generating final statements. Clients can be configured to receive email statements or mail statements. Once configured, you are ready to generate final statements. When statements are generated, statements for clients who are configured to receive mail statements will be sent to the printer; whereas statements for clients who are configured to receive email statements will be sent to the Email Statements window. Use the Email Statements window to manage email statements; you can preview the email message that accompanies the statement, review the PDF statement, mark the statement as reviewed or held, and actually send the statement from this window.
The following provides a summary of the various information used when emailing statements.
| Initial Setup |
The ability to email statements from Tabs3 Billing requires Microsoft Outlook, an SMTP server, or a Microsoft 365 account, and is designated on the Main tab of Tabs3 Billing Customization. If you select Outlook, no further setup is required. If you select SMTP, you must configure the SMTP server in System Configuration using the Settings | Outgoing Email Configuration program. If you select Microsoft 365, you must sign in with an Exchange Online / Microsoft 365 email account. Note: If you are using New Outlook for Windows, we recommend selecting Microsoft 365 or SMTP. New Outlook does not support sending email statements in a batch.See KB Article R11942, “New Outlook and Tabs3 Software,” for more information. |
| Email Templates | You can define an email template that will be used to generate the email message that will accompany the PDF statement. Email templates allow you to standardize or customize your email messages, allowing you to provide an efficient and professional way to bill your clients. If configured for credit card processing, you can add a link to the email message that will allow the client to pay their bill online. Personalize one of the email templates provided with the software or create your own. Then, designate which email template will be used as the default for new clients. |
| Email Address | Enter the client's email address. This is entered in the contact record for the matter contact and can be viewed on the Address tab of the Client file. |
| Configure Client's Bill To Record | The client's Bill To record controls the statement delivery method, which email template will be used, and where it will be sent. Bill To records are accessed in the Client file via the Billing Preferences tab. The Statement Delivery Options section includes the Bill To records. Highlight the desired Bill To record and click Edit to open the Bill To Record window. An Additional Bill To record can be defined for clients who require a duplicate statement or a statement sent to a third party. |
| Generate Statements | Once configured, run statements using the Generate Statements program. Final statements for clients who are configured to receive email statements will be sent to the Email Statements window. |
Note: To send statements to the Email Statements window, from the Print Dialog box you must either click the Preview button or select the Printer/Email Statements Window option and click OK.
Note: Duplicate statements, email statements, and envelopes are not generated when draft statements are run. However, cover statements are generated.
Note: You can print email statements by selecting the Print option from the Preview window. When printing email statements, the text "Note: Copy of Email only statement." will be printed in the footer of a Final statement for Bill To contacts that are only receiving an email statement. This line only appears when printed from the Preview window.
| Email Statements Window | The Email Statements window is a temporary holding area where final statements can be previewed before being emailed. You can preview the email message that accompanies the statement, review the PDF statement, mark the statement as reviewed or held, and send the statement from this window. Only statements that have been marked as reviewed will be sent. You will be prompted to Update Statements for statements that have not already been updated. |
| Email Statements Verification List | Upon exiting the Email Statements window, you will be prompted to print an Email Statements Verification List. This verification list shows all emails that were successfully sent, as well as those that failed to send and those that were deleted from the Email Statements window without being sent. If you selected to update statements from the Email Statements window, you will be prompted to print an Update Statements Verification List as well. |
| Email Statements Report | The Email Statements Report can be used to print a history of emailed statements to clients and/or contacts. This report shows the contact to whom the email was addressed, the email address to which it was sent, the file name of the statement, when it was sent, and which user sent the statement. |
| PDF Statement Storage, Copies, and Security |
The PDF statements are stored in a Statements folder under the Current Working Directory. A separate folder is created for each day statements are sent, which is named after the Statement Date in YYYYMMDD format. Each PDF file name includes the Client ID and statement number. To ensure that a copy of each sent email statement is retained in a single account, we recommend that a firm email address be included in the Bcc Recipients field of the email template. You can elect to apply a password to a client's email statements via the Billing Preferences tab of the Client file. Encryption occurs when statements are emailed, with the exception of secure clients, where encryption occurs when the statement is generated. |
| Unbilled or Undone Statements | If a final statement is unbilled, or an updated statement is undone, the PDF statement is removed from the Statement Date folder. Additionally, if the PDF statement was not sent via email, it will be removed from the Email Statements window. If an updated statement was sent via email, the record will print on the Email Statements Report with the PDF File Name and Stmt Date fields struck through to indicate the statement was undone and the PDF statement was deleted. |
| See also: | Email Statements Window |
| Email Preview Window | |
| Generate Statements Print Dialog | |
| Email Statements Report | |
| Email Statements PDF Naming Conventions | |
| Knowledge Base Article R11409 - Comparing Methods for Email Statements | |
| Tabs3 Billing Statements Guide | |
| Tabs3 Statement Formatting Guide | |
| Knowledge Base Article R11913 - Emailing Tabs3 Billing Statements | |
| Knowledge Base Article R11361 - Email Statements Error Messages | |
| Knowledge Base Article R11767 - Using the Tabs3 Payment Link | |
| Knowledge Base Article R11582 - Statements Information Resources |
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