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Adding Matter Custom Fields to Invoices in LeanLaw

How to add matter name, matter ID, reference numbers, and other custom fields to LeanLaw invoices — including setup in QuickBooks, mapping in LeanLaw, and troubleshooting missing fields.

Many law firms need to include identifiers on client invoices beyond the standard fields — such as the matter name, matter number, client reference number, or court case ID. LeanLaw supports this through a custom field mapping system that connects LeanLaw matter data to QuickBooks invoice fields.

📋 QuickBooks Online plan requirement: Adding custom fields to invoice headers requires QuickBooks Online Essentials or Plus (or higher). This feature is not available on the Simple Start plan. Custom Fields for advanced reporting (column-level) require QuickBooks Online Advanced.

 

How Custom Fields on Invoices Work

Adding a custom field to invoices is a two-step process that spans both QuickBooks Online and LeanLaw:

  1. Create the custom field in QuickBooks Online and give it a name (e.g., 'Matter Name', 'Case Number').
  2. Map the custom field in LeanLaw's Invoice Presentation settings to a LeanLaw value (e.g., the matter's name or ID from LeanLaw).

Once mapped, every new invoice created and synced to QuickBooks Online will automatically include the custom field in the invoice header.

 

Create the Custom Field in QuickBooks Online

The steps for creating a custom field in QuickBooks Online differ slightly by plan:

 

QuickBooks Online Essentials / Plus

  1. In QuickBooks Online, go to the Gear icon → Custom Fields.
  2. Click Add Field.
  3. Enter a Name for the field (e.g., 'Matter Name'). This name will appear as the field label on the invoice.
  4. Set the Data Type (Text is most common for matter names and reference numbers).
  5. Ensure the field is active and applied to Invoices.

 

QuickBooks Online Advanced

  1. In QuickBooks Online, go to Settings → Custom Fields.
  2. Click Add Field and configure as above — Name, Data Type (Text, Dropdown, Date, or Number), and Category.
  3. If choosing Dropdown, add the dropdown options.
  4. Apply to Invoices and Save.

💡 Pro tip: The name you give the custom field in QuickBooks Online is what appears as the label on the final invoice. Choose names that are clear to clients — e.g., 'Matter Reference' rather than 'Matter ID' if your clients are unfamiliar with internal matter IDs.

 

Map the Custom Field in LeanLaw

  1. In LeanLaw, go to Settings → Invoice Presentation (or Settings → Invoice Email → open your template → Configure).
  2. Click the Custom Fields button or section.
  3. Your active QuickBooks Online custom fields will appear in the list.
  4. For each field, select the LeanLaw Value you want to map to it from the dropdown (e.g., Matter Name, Matter ID, Client ID).
  5. Check the checkbox next to each field you want to display on invoices.
  6. Click Save.

📋 Note: Only custom fields that are active in QuickBooks Online will appear in the LeanLaw Custom Fields list. If a field is not showing, verify it is enabled in QuickBooks Online.

 

Available LeanLaw Values for Mapping

LeanLaw Value

What It Populates on the Invoice

Matter Name

The matter's name as entered in LeanLaw.

Matter ID

The matter's auto-generated or manually assigned reference number.

Client ID

The client's reference number.

Custom Fields

Matter-level custom fields configured in LeanLaw (if any) — e.g., court case number, opposing party, jurisdiction.

 

Activating and Syncing the Changes

After saving your custom field mappings in LeanLaw, the fields will appear on all new invoices synced to QuickBooks. To verify the mapping is working:

  1. Bring one existing invoice back to Draft status in LeanLaw.
  2. Re-submit it to QuickBooks.
  3. Open the invoice in QuickBooks Online and confirm the custom fields are populated correctly.

⚠️ Existing invoices: Custom field mappings apply to new invoices only. Invoices already in QuickBooks Online will not be retroactively updated — you would need to bring them back to Draft and re-submit to apply the new fields.

 

Troubleshooting: Matter Number Not Appearing on Invoice

If the matter number is mapped but not showing on invoices, common causes include:

  • Data type mismatch: The LeanLaw field value format doesn't match the QuickBooks Online field's data type. For example, mapping a text value to a number-type QuickBooks Online field. Recreate the QuickBooks Online custom field with the correct data type.
  • Field not active in QuickBooks Online: Verify the field is enabled in QuickBooks Online and applied to invoices (not just estimates or sales receipts).
  • Mapping not saved: Double-check that the mapping was saved in LeanLaw's Invoice Presentation settings after configuration.
  • Invoice predates the mapping: Fields only populate on invoices created after the mapping was set up. Bring older invoices back to Draft and re-submit.