What are invoice flows?
When a client submits a case, Debitura's routing system determines which collection partner should handle it. The assigned partner (or lack of one) and the partner's response determine which of the first three flows the case follows. A fourth flow can begin later, on a case that is already running. Each flow defines the path from case creation through validation to active collection, including when and how pricing is agreed upon.
The four flows are:
Flow A: Standard pre-legal - an exclusive partner is assigned and accepts the case under standard terms from the Standard Debt Collection Agreement (SDCA).
Flow B: Custom quote (exclusive) - an exclusive partner is assigned but requests custom pricing instead of standard terms.
Flow C: Network distribution - no exclusive partner is available, or the assigned partner declines. The case is distributed to multiple partners who submit competing quotes.
Flow D: Legal or enforcement quote from your existing partner (phase change). This one happens on a case that is already Active or Paused. The partner working the case proposes advancing it into the Legal or Enforcement phase and attaches a quote for that work. No new case is created and the case is never reassigned - the same partner, chat thread and full history carry forward. The client reviews and approves or declines it from the quote's detail page, reached via the case's Action Items panel. Approving advances the case's phase and puts the quoted terms in place; declining leaves the case and the partner untouched, though if the partner marked the offer as Required, declining also automatically pauses the case and creates a task for the partner to close the case or continue collecting under the current terms.
Why it matters
The invoice flow determines the pricing model, the timeline, and the level of choice each actor has. Clients benefit from understanding which flow their case is following because it affects how quickly collection begins and whether they will need to review and select a quote. Collection partners benefit because each flow has different obligations and entry points. Debitura uses these flows to balance speed (standard terms) with flexibility (custom quotes and competitive bidding).
What determines the flow
Two factors decide which flow a case follows:
Is there an exclusive pre-legal partner available? Debitura's routing system evaluates partner matching rules (geographic coverage, claim amount, debtor type) to find an eligible exclusive partner. If a match exists, the case is assigned to that partner at creation.
What does the partner do? The assigned partner reviews the case and can accept it, request more information, request custom pricing, or decline it.
Flow A: Standard pre-legal
This is the most common flow. An exclusive partner is assigned at case creation based on matching rules. After Debitura validates the case (moving it from internal review to partner review), the partner reviews it and either accepts or requests additional details.
When the partner accepts the case, it moves to Active status and the partner begins pre-legal debt collection under the terms of the SDCA. An exclusive collection period of 6 months begins from the Collection Period Start Date - the earlier of (a) the date the partner accepts or begins work, or (b) the date of submission if all required information was provided. During this period, only that partner works on the case.
If the partner requests additional details, the client is asked to provide more documentation. Once provided, the partner can accept the case or close it.
For a complete breakdown of all case statuses and transitions, see case lifecycle.
Flow B: Custom quote (exclusive)
Sometimes a case does not fit the standard SDCA pricing (for example, a disputed claim or an unusual claim type). In this situation, the assigned exclusive partner can choose to offer custom terms instead of accepting at standard rates.
When the partner initiates a custom quote, the system creates an exclusive quote request: only that partner can submit a quote. The partner then submits a quote with custom pricing (which may include a flat fee, hourly rate, success fee, or a combination). The client reviews the quote and can accept or decline it. If the client accepts, the case moves to Active status and collection begins under the agreed custom terms.
For more on how custom pricing works, see custom quotes.
Note: the Exclusive Partner must have signed the SDCA before they can submit a custom quote in this flow.
Flow C: Network distribution
This flow is triggered in two scenarios:
No partner match at creation: if no exclusive partner's matching rules cover the case's jurisdiction, claim amount, or debtor type, the system automatically distributes the case to the partner network.
Partner declines: if the assigned exclusive partner declines the case, it is only reshared with the network when two conditions both hold: quote sharing is enabled in the client's settings, and the creditor is not a client managed by another collection partner. When both hold, the system removes the partner assignment and distributes the case to the partner network. If either condition fails, the case is closed immediately with the close code "Case never started".
In network distribution, multiple collection partners who match the case criteria receive an invitation to submit a competitive quote. Partners submit quotes with their proposed pricing and approach. Quotes are collected for 5 business days, or until the expected number of quotes is collected, whichever comes first.
The client then reviews the submitted quotes and selects a winner. The winning partner is assigned to the case, which moves to Active status. Collection begins under the terms of the accepted quote.
Decision summary
Flow | Partner at creation | Partner action | Pricing |
A: Standard pre-legal | Exclusive partner assigned | Accepts or requests more information | Standard SDCA terms |
B: Custom quote | Exclusive partner assigned | Requests custom pricing | Custom terms proposed by partner, accepted by client |
C: Network distribution | No partner assigned, or partner declines | Multiple partners bid | Competitive quotes from network partners |
D: Legal or enforcement quote (phase change) | Not decided at creation - happens later on a case that is already Active or Paused, with the same partner | Proposes advancing the case to the Legal or Enforcement phase and attaches a quote | Quoted terms for the legal or enforcement work, approved by client |
Impact by actor
Client
In Flow A, no action is required beyond submitting the case (unless the partner requests additional details). Collection begins automatically under standard terms.
In Flow B, the client receives a custom quote and must review and accept it before collection begins.
In Flow C, the client receives multiple quotes from different partners and selects the best option. This introduces a selection step but provides competitive pricing.
In Flow D, the client reviews a single quote from the partner already working the case and approves or declines it from the quote's detail page. There are no competing quotes to compare, and declining a quote the partner marked as Required also pauses the case.
Clients track all cases from the Cases list in the Client Portal.
Collection Partner
In Flow A, the exclusive partner reviews and accepts the case from the Cases Received list. Work begins under standard SDCA terms with a 6-month exclusive collection period.
In Flow B, the exclusive partner submits a custom quote. If the client accepts, the partner works under those custom terms.
In Flow C, network partners receive invitations and submit competitive quotes. Only partners whose matching rules cover the case are invited. A partner that wins the bid is assigned the case and begins collection.
In Flow D, the partner already working the case proposes advancing it to the Legal or Enforcement phase and attaches a quote. The case is not reassigned and is not shared with other partners, so the same partner, chat thread and history carry forward whatever the client decides.
Debitura
Debitura validates each case before it reaches a partner, regardless of the flow.
The routing system automatically determines the initial flow based on partner matching rules and creditor configuration.
If an exclusive partner declines a case, Debitura distributes it to the network only when quote sharing is enabled and the creditor is not a client managed by another collection partner. If either condition fails, the case is closed with the close code "Case never started".
What to expect
Most cases follow Flow A (standard pre-legal), where collection starts quickly after partner acceptance. Flow B adds a quote negotiation step, and Flow C adds a competitive bidding period. Regardless of the flow, Debitura handles case validation and partner routing automatically. Once a case reaches Active status, the financial mechanics of payments, payouts, and invoicing are the same across all flows.
Active status is not the end of the story. The collection partner already working the case can later propose advancing it from the pre-legal phase to Legal or Enforcement through an incumbent legal quote, and if the client approves that quote, the case's phase and terms change while the partner, the case and its history stay the same - a fourth path in time, not a fourth path at case creation.
For an overview of the legal agreements that govern these flows, see contracts and signatures.