Invoices
Invoices are the formal billing documents you send to clients. You can create them by converting an accepted estimate or by starting from scratch.
Creating an Invoice
From an Estimate
Once a client accepts an estimate, convert it to an invoice. The system:
- Carries over all items, contacts, discounts, shipping, terms, and disclaimers
- Re-resolves tax rates with current rates (in case rates have changed)
- Assigns the next invoice number from your settings
- Links back to the source estimate for reference
From Scratch
You can also create an invoice directly, without an estimate. The process is the same as creating an estimate — add items from your catalog or manually, set discounts, shipping, and terms.
Invoice Fields
Invoices share the same structure as estimates, with a few additions:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Invoice Number | Auto-assigned, sequential |
| Due Date | When payment is expected |
| Terms | Payment terms, e.g., “Net 30” |
| Payment Instructions | How to pay, e.g., “Make checks payable to…” |
Invoice Statuses
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Draft | Not yet sent to the customer |
| Sent | Sent, awaiting payment |
| Paid | Fully paid |
| Overdue | Past the due date |
| Cancelled | Voided |
| Partially Paid | Some payments recorded, balance remaining |
Sending an Invoice
When you send an invoice, a confirmation dialog shows the recipient emails before the email goes out:
- A styled email is sent to all contacts with a PDF attachment
- The email includes payment instructions and a link for online payment
- The invoice status changes to Sent
- Replies go to the email address in your invoice settings
Customer View
Customers receive a link to view the invoice on a public page (no login required). From there they can:
- View the full invoice with line items, taxes, and totals
- Download the PDF
- Pay online via Stripe (see Payments)
PDF Documents
Every invoice generates a professional PDF that includes:
- Your business header (name, logo, address from invoice settings)
- Bill-to section with customer and contact details
- Document details (invoice number, project, due date, currency)
- Items table with descriptions, quantities, and amounts
- Totals summary with subtotal, discounts, itemized taxes, shipping, and grand total
- Payment status badge (“Paid in Full” or “Due on DATE”)
- Terms, payment instructions, disclaimers, and footer
PDFs are automatically attached to emails and available for download at any time.
Credit Notes
A credit note is a document that offsets part or all of a paid invoice — essentially a formal refund record.
Creating a Credit Note
From a paid invoice, create a credit note:
- Full credit — if you don’t specify items, all items from the original invoice are copied
- Partial credit — specify only the items and quantities being refunded
Each credit note includes:
- Its own invoice number and PDF
- A link back to the original invoice
- A reason for the credit
Credit notes appear in your invoice list with a “Credit Note” type label, making it easy to filter and track refunds.
Duplicating an Invoice
You can duplicate any invoice to pre-fill a new form with the same items, contacts, and settings — useful for recurring billing to the same client.
Editing and Deleting
- You can edit an invoice in Draft status — item, discount, or shipping changes trigger an automatic recalculation
- Paid invoices cannot be deleted — create a credit note instead
- Cancelled invoices are voided and cannot be modified