Invoice preparation

Keep the business context together

Review the customer, invoice date, payment terms, descriptions and taxable treatment while the invoice is a draft. The amount due comes from preserved line quantities, rates and configured tax amounts. The sent PDF and line snapshot retain the exact document the customer received even after the item catalogue changes.

The invoice number identifies the business document; a delivery attempt identifies an email or download event. Sending the same issued invoice again keeps its number and amount. This distinction helps the team answer a customer who lost the original message without creating another invoice or adding the charge to receivables twice.

Give each decision a clear owner

Assistant sends their own prepared invoices within role scope. Bookkeeper and Owner / Admin can maintain drafts and manage corrections. Monetary totals are computed by the server; changing a displayed status must never create a payment or change the original issued amount.

Due dates follow the terms on the document, rather than whatever default happens to be set on the client today. If the client normally pays after thirty days, preserve that basis when issuing the invoice. Changing future client terms must not unexpectedly move the due date of invoices already sent or change their aging.

Handle exceptions with the original record

A paid invoice cannot be erased or casually voided. Refunds and disputes follow the payment provider result and the retained payment history. A duplicate send command must preserve the invoice number and document revision while tracking the delivery attempt separately.

Use Draft Invoices to compare unfinished charges before issue. A missing description, incorrect customer or inconsistent tax calculation belongs in preparation. Once the document is issued, its preserved lines and PDF provide a stable reference for collection, customer questions and any subsequent correction authorized by the owner or bookkeeper.

Find the work that needs attention

For opening balances, distinguish historical invoices from new documents that should be sent. Bring the original number, customer, currency and verified remaining amount into the import review. Recording a prior invoice as a fresh bill would confuse the customer and distort the collection queue, even if the numeric balance appears correct.

Configure it around your business

Configure numbering, issue permissions and document delivery with representative invoices before routine use. Include a tax-bearing invoice, a partially paid invoice and a corrected historical charge in that review. The customer-visible amount, the invoice balance and the related payment history should tell the same story after each permitted action.