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Protected Trust Funds

  • 14/01/2026
  • Knowledge

How To
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Protected Trust Funds in LEAP allows you to lock in specific trust fund amounts for future use, safeguarding funds for disbursements or invoices. Funds can be protected once client monies have been receipted for a matter and banked. Learn how to protect trust funds and manage these allocations.

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  • Web

Create a Protected Trust Fund from Trust Funds

 
 
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The protected trust funds ledger can be popped out and maximised to fill the entire screen by clicking User-added image in the top right of the ledger.

  1. Open the matter.

  2. Click LEAP Accounting.

    LEAP Accounting will open in a new window.

  3. Click the Trust Funds > Protected Trust Funds tabs.

  4. Click Protect Funds on the toolbar to open the New Protected Trust Fund window.

  5. Select the Account and change the Date if required.

  6. By default, the Matter field is automatically filled with the matter number of the matter you opened.

  7. Select the reason the money is being Protected For. If you select the Invoice No. option, click Select List to choose the invoice from the list, then click Select.

    Once you've selected the invoice, you can double-check if it's the correct one by clicking User-added image.

 
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You can protect trust funds for:

  • Matter Debtors - Can be released for any transactions for the matter.
  • Invoice No. - Can only be released for the selected invoice.
  • Other/Third Party Payments - Can only be released by removing this protected trust funds first.

  1. Enter the Amount to be protected and the Reason for protecting the funds.

  2. Click Save & Close.

    The protected amount displays on the matter's Trust Funds Ledger as Protected Funds.

    If you have protected the funds for an invoice, you will have the ability to display this on an already generated invoice to show the total of the invoice less the amount held in protected funds. Once you have protected the funds for the invoice, re-open the invoice and re-print it. 

    Protected funds can also be modified and deleted. To modify protected funds, open the transaction from the Protected Trust Funds tab of the matter and make the necessary changes.

Create a Protected Trust Fund for an Invoice

 

  1. Open the invoice.

    The invoice must have a status of Final - Printed/Sent.

  2. Click LEAP Accounting.

    LEAP Accounting will open in a new window.

  3. Click Save & Protect Trust Funds.

  4. Check the details displayed in the New Protected Trust Fund window.

  5. Click Save & Close.

    A new protected trust fund item is created and the funds are held for the payment of the invoice.

    When the invoice is printed, the protected amount is displayed.

    Protected funds can also be modified and deleted. To modify protected funds, open the transaction from the Protected Trust Funds tab of the matter and make the necessary changes.

Release Protected Trust Funds

 

  1. Open the matter.

  2. Click LEAP Accounting.

    LEAP Accounting will open in a new window.

  3. Click the Trust Funds > Protected Trust Funds tabs.

  4. Select the Account from the drop-down list.

  5. Right-click the protected trust fund entry and select New Payment & Release Protected Funds. 

 
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  • If the funds were protected for Matter Debtors or Invoice, then the Trust to Office Transfer window will open for you to complete the transaction. See Trust to Office Transfer for more info.
  • If the funds were protected for Other/Third Party Payments, the New Trust Funds Payment window will open for you to complete the transaction. See Creating a Trust Payment for more info.

Delete Protected Trust Funds

 

  1. Open the matter.

  2. Click LEAP Accounting.

    LEAP Accounting will open in a new window.

  3. Click the Trust Funds > Protected Trust Funds tabs.

  4. Select the Account from the drop-down list.

  5. Right-click the protected trust fund entry and select Delete.

  6. Confirm the deletion.

 
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Only protected trust fund entries can be deleted. All other trust transactions must be reversed; they cannot be deleted. 

Create a Protected Trust Fund from Trust Funds

 

  1. Open the matter.

  2. Hover over the Trust Funds tab and click Protected Trust Funds.

  3. Click New Transaction to open New Protected Trust Fund window.

  4. By default, the Matter field is automatically filled with the matter you opened.

  5. The default Trust Account will be selected as the Bank Account.

    Click the drop-down list to select a different Trust Account, if required.

  6. Enter the Amount to be protected.

  7. By default, it will be today's Date.

    Click to select a different date, if required.

  8. Select the reason the money is being Protected For.

    If you select the Invoice No. option, click to choose the invoice from the list.

 
Click to edit heading

You can protect trust funds for:

  • Matter Debtors - Can be released for any transactions for the matter.
  • Invoice No. - Can only be released for the selected invoice.
  • Other/Third Party Payments - Can only be released by removing this protected trust funds first.

  1.  Enter the Reason for protecting the funds.

  2. Click Save.

    The protected amount displays on the matter's Trust Funds Ledger as Protected Funds.

    If you have protected the funds for an invoice, you will have the ability to display this on an already generated invoice to show the total of the invoice less the amount held in protected funds. Once you have protected the funds for the invoice, re-open the invoice and re-print it.

    Protected funds can also be modified and deleted. To modify protected funds, open the transaction from the Protected Trust Funds tab of the matter and make the necessary changes.

Create a Protected Trust Fund for an Invoice

 

  1. Open the invoice from Office Accounting > Payments & Debtors tab.

    The invoice must have a status of Final - Printed/Sent.

  2. Click the next to Save and then click Save & Protected Funds.

  3. Check the details displayed in the New Protected Trust Fund window.

  4. Click Save.

    A new protected trust fund item is created and the funds are held for the payment of the invoice.

    When the invoice is printed, the protected amount is displayed.

    Protected funds can also be modified and deleted. To modify protected funds, open the transaction from the Trust Funds > Protected Trust Funds tab of the matter and make the necessary changes.

Release Protected Trust Funds

 

  1. Open the matter.

  2. Hover over the Trust Funds tab and click Protected Trust Funds.

  3. Select the Account from the drop-down list.

  4. Right-click the protected trust fund entry and select New Payment & Release Protected Fund. 

 
Click to edit heading
  • If the funds were protected for Matter Debtors or Invoice, then the Trust to Office Transfer window will open for you to complete the transaction. See Trust to Office Transfer for more info.
  • If the funds were protected for Other/Third Party Payments, the New Trust Funds Payment window will open for you to complete the transaction. See Creating a Trust Funds Payment for more info.

Delete Protected Trust Funds

 

  1. Open the matter.

  2. Hover over the Trust Funds tab and click Protected Trust Funds.

  3. Select the Account from the drop-down list.

  4. Right-click the protected trust fund entry and select Delete.

  5. Confirm the deletion.

Last Modified Date
14/01/2026 7:20 pm
Title
Protected Trust Funds
URL Name
Protected-Trust-Funds-NZ

Resolution
Trust Accounting
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Protected Trust Funds