Documentation - Cadence IP

Connecting Xero

Cadence IP integrates with Xero to push invoices directly into your accounting system. Navigate to Settings → Integrations → Xero to set up the connection.

1

Authorise Xero

Click Connect Xero to start the OAuth flow. You will be redirected to Xero to grant access to your organisation. Select the Xero organisation you want to connect.

2

Configure defaults

Once connected, Cadence IP will pull in your chart of accounts, tax rates, branding themes, and tracking categories. Configure the defaults described in the next section.

3

Test with a draft invoice

Create a test invoice and push it to Xero as a Draft. Verify it appears correctly in Xero before using the integration for live billing.

Token refresh

Xero OAuth tokens expire after 30 minutes but Cadence IP refreshes them automatically. If the connection ever shows as disconnected, click Reconnect to re-authorise.

Default invoice settings

Configure your organisation's default invoice settings under Settings → Invoice Settings. These defaults are applied to every new invoice unless overridden at the template or invoice level.

Setting	Description
Currency	Default currency for invoices (e.g., AUD, NZD, USD). Can be overridden per invoice for foreign clients.
Revenue account	The Xero revenue account code for professional fees (e.g., 200 - Sales).
Disbursement account	Separate account code for disbursements and third-party costs passed through to clients.
Tax type	Default tax treatment (e.g., GST on Income, BAS Excluded, Tax Exempt). Pulled from your Xero configuration.
Branding theme	Which Xero branding theme to apply when pushing invoices. Controls the invoice layout, logo, and colours in Xero.

Invoice templates

Invoice templates define pre-configured line items for common billing scenarios. Each matter type can have multiple invoice templates. Navigate to your matter type's Invoice Templates tab to create them.

A template consists of one or more line items, each with a description, quantity, unit price, account code, and tax type. Line item descriptions support variables like $field.Application No and $matter.name .

PCT national phase entry invoice template

You create a template called "National Phase Entry - Australia" with these line items:

Line 1: Professional Fees

Description: Professional fees for filing national phase entry in Australia for $field.Title ($field.Application No )

Amount: $2,200.00 · Account: 200 - Sales · Tax: GST on Income

Line 2: IP Australia Filing Fee

Description: IP Australia official filing fee

Amount: $370.00 · Account: 210 - Disbursements · Tax: BAS Excluded

Payer role

Each invoice template has a Payer setting that determines which matter role receives the invoice. Set it to "Applicant" to automatically address the invoice to the contact assigned to the Applicant role.

Generating invoices

To create an invoice from a matter, open the matter page and go to the Invoices tab. Click + New Invoice and select an invoice template, or start with a blank invoice.

1

Select a template

Choose from the available invoice templates for this matter type. The line items, descriptions (with variables resolved), and account codes are pre-populated.

2

Review and adjust

Edit line items, adjust amounts, add or remove rows, and change the payer contact if needed. The invoice total updates in real time.

3

Add time entries (optional)

Click Add Time Entries to pull in unbilled time. Select the entries you want to include — they are added as line items with the description, hours, and rate from each entry.

4

Push to Xero or download PDF

Click Send to Xero to create the invoice in your Xero account (as Draft or Approved), or click Download PDF to generate a local copy.

Billing time entries

When adding time entries to an invoice, you can select specific entries from the unbilled list for that matter. Each selected entry becomes an invoice line item showing:

The time entry description
Hours as the quantity
The user's hourly rate as the unit price
The total (hours × rate)

Once an invoice is finalised, the included time entries are marked as billed and no longer appear in the unbilled time dashboard.

Mixed invoices

You can combine template line items (fixed fees) with time entries on the same invoice. For example, a fixed filing fee plus variable time for drafting, all on one invoice.

Disbursements

Disbursements are third-party costs that you pass through to clients, such as patent office filing fees, search fees, and associate charges. Navigate to the Disbursements tab on a matter to manage them.

1

Add a disbursement

Click + Add Disbursement and enter the description, amount, currency, and date. Optionally upload a supporting document (receipt, invoice from associate, fee notice).

2

AI extraction (optional)

When you upload a PDF or image of an invoice, Cadence IP can use AI to extract the amount, currency, date, and description automatically. Review the extracted values and confirm.

3

Include on invoice

When generating an invoice, disbursements appear as available line items. Select the ones to include, and they are added with the disbursement account code and appropriate tax treatment.

Foreign associate invoice processing

Your Japanese associate sends a PDF invoice for JPY 185,000 covering the filing fee and translation costs for a national phase entry. You upload the PDF to matter M-42. AI extracts the amount (JPY 185,000), date, and description. The disbursement is stored and converted to AUD when added to the client invoice.

Foreign exchange conversion

IP practices regularly handle costs in foreign currencies — WIPO fees in CHF, USPTO fees in USD, JPO fees in JPY. Cadence IP converts these to your base currency when adding disbursements to invoices.

Exchange rate source

Cadence IP fetches daily exchange rates automatically. The rate at the time of disbursement creation is stored for audit purposes.

FX spread

Configure a percentage spread (e.g., 2%) under Settings → Invoice Settings. This is added on top of the market rate to cover currency conversion costs.

WIPO fee in CHF converted to AUD

You are invoicing for a PCT national phase entry. The WIPO transmittal fee is CHF 1,330. The current CHF/AUD exchange rate is 0.5850, and your configured FX spread is 2%.

Original amount: CHF 1,330.00

Market rate: 1 CHF = 1.7094 AUD (1 / 0.5850)

With 2% spread: 1 CHF = 1.7436 AUD

AUD amount on invoice: $2,319.00

Transparent conversion

The original currency, exchange rate, and spread percentage are stored on every converted disbursement. This provides a full audit trail for client queries about currency conversion.

Tracking categories

If you use Xero tracking categories for reporting (e.g., by department, matter type, or attorney), Cadence IP can assign tracking categories to invoice line items automatically.

Configure the default tracking category mappings under Settings → Invoice Settings → Tracking. You can map based on matter type, specific field values, or the assigned attorney.

Revenue reporting

Use tracking categories to generate Xero reports showing revenue by matter type (Patents vs Trademarks), by attorney, or by client. This data helps with practice management decisions without needing a separate reporting tool.

PDF generation

Every invoice can be downloaded as a PDF directly from Cadence IP, independent of the Xero integration. The PDF uses your organisation's name and details, and includes all line items, tax calculations, and totals.

If you have connected Xero and selected a branding theme, the Xero-generated PDF uses that theme's layout. The locally generated PDF uses a clean default layout with your organisation name and address.

Invoicing & Accounting