How to Create a $0 Invoice to Document Work Completed | RunSensible

Sometimes a law firm needs to issue an invoice even when no payment is due: $0 Invoice.  A client may have received included work, courtesy work, prepaid work, pro bono support, or an adjustment that brings the total to zero. In that situation, the goal is not collection. The goal is to create a clear billing record that documents the work completed and gives the client something formal to keep on file.

RunSensible supports invoice and bill creation workflows that let firms create billing records, select the client, add services or items, manage invoice details, preview the bill, download it as a PDF, print it, send it by email, or mark it as sent when the client was notified outside the system.

The Problem With Tracking No-Charge Work Outside the Billing Workflow

No-charge work is easy to lose track of when it is documented informally. A quick email, a staff note, or a comment in a matter file may explain what happened, but it may not create the same level of billing visibility as a formal invoice or bill record.

That can create problems later. Staff may not remember whether the client was informed. The client may ask for confirmation of what was completed. A billing team may need to understand why work was done, but no balance was collected. Without a consistent process, no-charge work can become harder to review and harder to explain.

A $0 invoice helps solve that operational problem. It gives the firm a structured way to show the client what work was completed while making clear that nothing is currently due.

A Realistic Use Case Scenario

A legal team completes a short client service that the firm does not want to charge for. The work still matters: staff spent time on it, the client expects confirmation, and the firm wants the record to be visible in the billing workflow.

Instead of leaving that information in an email thread, the billing team creates a no-charge invoice. The invoice identifies the client, lists the service or work performed, uses the correct invoice date, and shows a total of $0. The team previews the invoice, downloads it for internal records, and either sends it to the client or marks it as sent if the client was already notified another way.

The result is a cleaner billing history without asking the client to make a payment.

How RunSensible Supports a $0 Invoice Workflow

RunSensible’s billing workflow lets firms create invoices and bills, add products or services, apply taxes or discounts where needed, manage bill details, preview the bill before sharing it, and send or download the final document.

For firms that want to create a $0 invoice to document work, the practical workflow is to create a billing record for the client, add the relevant service or item, and configure the invoice so the final amount due is zero. The exact setup may depend on how your firm uses billing items, service descriptions, discounts, taxes, and templates.

RunSensible also supports reviewing the bill before it is sent. That is useful for no-charge invoices because the billing team can confirm the description, total, client details, and layout before sharing the invoice or storing it internally.

Step-by-Step: How to Create a $0 Invoice to Document Work

1. Start from the invoice or bill creation workflow

In RunSensible, begin by creating a new invoice or bill from the billing area. The Help Center explains that users can create invoices by going to Invoices in the navigation menu and selecting New. For bills, users can also access the Bills section and create a new bill from the top-right New button.

Use the workflow that matches how your firm handles billing records.

2. Select the correct client or matter

Choose the client in the Bill to or client field. If the invoice is tied to matter work, select the appropriate matter where the billing workflow supports that connection.

This step matters because the purpose of a $0 invoice is documentation. The invoice should clearly connect the no-charge work to the correct client, matter, or billing record so the team can find it later.

3. Add the work as an item or service line

Next, add the service or work performed as an invoice item. RunSensible’s invoice workflow supports adding items and selecting predefined products or services. If the item does not already exist, the documented invoice workflow also allows users to define new products or services from the invoice form.

For a $0 invoice, the line description should be specific enough to explain the work. For example, instead of writing “Service,” use a clearer description such as “Document review completed at no charge” or “Courtesy consultation follow-up — no payment due.”

4. Set the amount due to zero

Configure the invoice so the final total is $0. Depending on your firm’s billing setup, this may involve setting the service line at no charge or applying a discount or adjustment that brings the invoice total to zero.

Keep the description clear. The client should immediately understand that the invoice documents work completed and does not request payment.

5. Review tax, discount, and payment settings

Before finalizing the invoice, check whether any taxes, discounts, payment schedules, reminders, or online payment options are enabled. RunSensible supports taxes, discounts, payment schedules, invoice reminders, and online payment options in the invoice workflow.

For a no-charge invoice, many firms will want the invoice to show the work and the $0 balance without creating unnecessary payment prompts. Review these settings based on your internal billing process before sending.

6. Preview the invoice before sharing it

Use the preview option to review the bill as it will appear to the recipient. This is especially useful for a $0 invoice because the team can confirm that the document clearly shows no balance due and that the work description is accurate.

Previewing also helps avoid confusion before the client receives the invoice.

7. Download, print, email, or copy the invoice link

Once reviewed, RunSensible supports several ways to handle the invoice. You can download the bill as a PDF, print a physical copy, send it by email, or copy a link to the bill landing page for sharing through another communication channel.

For internal documentation, downloading the invoice as a PDF can help the firm keep a clear record. For client-facing confirmation, sending the invoice by email gives the client a formal document showing the work and $0 balance.

8. Mark the invoice as sent if needed

If the client was already notified outside RunSensible, the billing team can use the Mark as Sent action to update the bill’s status for tracking. This is helpful when the firm wants the billing record to reflect that the invoice was shared or communicated, even if the actual message happened through another channel.

Outcome

A $0 invoice gives the firm a cleaner way to document work completed without asking the client to pay. It supports better billing visibility, gives the client a formal record, and helps staff avoid relying on scattered notes or informal communication.

For firms that regularly perform courtesy work, including services, prepaid work, or pro bono tasks, this kind of workflow can make billing records easier to understand later.

If your firm needs a more organized way to document no-charge work, RunSensible supports a billing workflow that helps you create, review, send, and store invoice records in one place.

FAQs

Can I create a $0 invoice in RunSensible to document work?

RunSensible supports creating invoices and bills, adding items or services, applying billing details, and previewing or sending the document. Where your billing setup allows the total to be configured as zero, you can use that workflow to document no-charge work.

Why would a law firm issue a zero-dollar invoice?

A zero-dollar invoice can document courtesy work, included services, prepaid work, pro bono work, or an adjustment that leaves no balance due. It gives both the firm and the client a formal billing record.

Should I send a $0 invoice to the client?

That depends on your firm’s process. RunSensible supports sending bills by email, downloading them as PDFs, printing them, or copying a bill link. If the invoice is only for internal records, downloading or storing it may be enough.

Can I mark a no-charge invoice as sent?

Yes. RunSensible’s bill management workflow includes a Mark as Sent option, which is useful when the client was notified outside the system, and the firm wants the bill status updated for tracking.

Can I preview the invoice before sending it?

Yes. RunSensible supports previewing a bill before sharing it, which helps confirm the invoice details, layout, client information, and total before it is sent or downloaded.

Summary

Need to document work even when no payment is due? RunSensible helps law firms create a clear billing record for no-charge work by supporting invoice and bill creation, service line details, previewing, PDF downloads, email sending, and sent-status tracking. Whether the work was courtesy, included, prepaid, or adjusted to a zero balance, your team can keep the record organized instead of relying on scattered notes or informal email threads.

Help Center Links

• How to create and send an invoice – https://help.runsensible.com/how-to-create-and-send-an-invoice/
• Creating a bill – https://help.runsensible.com/billing/creating-a-bill/
• Managing bills – https://help.runsensible.com/billing/managing-bills/
• Emailing, previewing, and downloading bills – https://help.runsensible.com/billing/emailing-previewing-and-downloading-bills/
• Managing bills with action buttons – https://help.runsensible.com/billing/managing-bills-with-action-buttons/
• Filtering bills – https://help.runsensible.com/billing/filtering-bills/