> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.presolve.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Prepare a resolution and hand it to accounting

> Record settlement terms as a draft, let accounting complete deposit routing, and understand editing after activation.

Open **Accounting → Resolutions**, or the matter's **Accounting → Resolutions**. Legal staff record the settlement terms. Accounting completes the financial setup and activates the resolution. The case-specific view supports the same handoff: accounting users with access to the matter and the required settlement and payment-processing permissions can select routing, activate, finalize, and close resolutions there.

<Note>
  Accounting's review establishes financial readiness. It is not a separate approval of the underlying legal settlement. Screenshots below use fictional local demonstration data; amounts and fee percentages are examples, not a firm policy.
</Note>

## Legal: prepare the draft

1. Select **Add Resolution** and choose the case and resolution type.
2. Enter the amount and required dates. For **Back Fees**, the period start and end dates are optional; the settlement date is still required. Review the payor, attorney fee percentage, and displayed fee dollars.
3. Review **Case referral source** for the recorded source name and type. Set the source type in **Intake → Additional Details → Referral Source Type**. Attorney sources preselect **Has Referral Attorney**, including when no fee percentage is recorded. If a referral applies, check the referral attorney and fee details. Add supporting notes and documents through the appropriate matter records.
4. Save the resolution. A user with settlement permissions but without payment-processing authority creates a **Draft**, without selecting a deposit account.
5. Coordinate the handoff to the accounting user under your firm's task or workflow process.

<Frame caption="Legal users can prepare settlement terms without choosing a bank account. Accounting completes routing and activation.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/grand-charter/oqomiHnMlB4mkbtC/images/help/resolution-legal-draft.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=oqomiHnMlB4mkbtC&q=85&s=d8f75d5e8bcf5ced85275fd0c86feddf" alt="Legal user's Add Resolution form showing an example amount and the message that accounting will select the deposit account and activate the draft." width="1280" height="720" data-path="images/help/resolution-legal-draft.png" />
</Frame>

An accepted negotiation can also create a Draft resolution when that flow is configured. Review the draft's amount, fee/referral details, and source information before continuing. **Bulk Add** creates Draft resolutions for accounting to complete.

Draft creation does not start check creation. A Draft alone also does not change the resolution-based funding suggestion to Cash.

## Accounting: complete routing and activate

1. Open the resolution's **Edit** action.
2. Compare the amount, dates, payor, attorney fee dollars, and referral details with the source settlement information. Correct discrepancies before activation.
3. Select the appropriate **Deposit Account** for the firm, following its Operating/IOLTA policy. Use an available firm account; contact the integration owner if the correct account is missing.
4. Set **Status** to **Active** and select **Save Changes**. An initial activation without a routing account is rejected.
5. Verify the list shows the intended amount, deposit account, and Active status before linking incoming checks and proceeding with allocations.

<Frame caption="Accounting can edit financial terms, choose the deposit account, and set the resolution status. This example is already Active.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/grand-charter/oqomiHnMlB4mkbtC/images/help/resolution-accounting-routing.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=oqomiHnMlB4mkbtC&q=85&s=b3ea16f38a083876dffd0e885ed8397d" alt="Accounting user's resolution editor with enabled Active status, settlement amount, attorney fee, and the fictional QA IOLTA deposit account selected." width="1280" height="720" data-path="images/help/resolution-accounting-routing.png" />
</Frame>

The **Resolution Number** is a reference label. Read **Status** to determine whether the resolution is Draft or Active; changing the number does not change the lifecycle state.

Activation does not itself deposit funds, transfer money, or post a settlement distribution to QuickBooks. Continue by [recording the incoming check and its allocations](/docs/help/accounting/checks), then reviewing the [disbursements](/docs/help/accounting/disbursements).

## After activation

Legal staff can continue editing the resolution number, description, and notes. Financial terms, fee/referral changes, deposit routing, and status changes require accounting authority in addition to the relevant settlement permission.

<Frame caption="After activation, a legal user sees the account as read-only and can maintain nonfinancial details.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/grand-charter/oqomiHnMlB4mkbtC/images/help/resolution-legal-active.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=oqomiHnMlB4mkbtC&q=85&s=81481eca64f2e0334e03c36257818066" alt="Legal user's editor for an active resolution with disabled status, a read-only QA IOLTA account, and editable resolution number, description, and notes." width="1280" height="720" data-path="images/help/resolution-legal-active.png" />
</Frame>

Accounting also owns finalization, closing, and voiding. Finalize an **Active** resolution before closing it; only **Finalized** resolutions can be closed. Review linked receipts, allocations, disbursements, and any mismatch messages before those actions. Bulk close requires every selected resolution to be Finalized and free of blocking mismatches; if any selected record fails, none are closed. Legal users can cancel an eligible unactivated draft through **Cancel Draft**.

If someone activates a draft while you are editing it, a save can ask you to reload. Reopen the current record and coordinate any financial correction with accounting.

Related: [The litigation-cost lifecycle](/docs/help/accounting/litigation-cost-lifecycle).
