How do I create and send an invoice?

Introduction
Invoicing is important and should not take any effort.

• With Tribe CRM, you can see at a glance the invoices that can still be invoiced.
• With Tribe CRM, send invoices online in a few clicks and always to the right contact.
• Possibly automate the sending of periodic invoices (and reminders).

The invoicing module contributes to healthy cash flow and ensures you know where to intervene. You gain more control over your debtor management.

1. How do I create an invoice template?
2. How do I create a new invoice?
3. How do I see the status of an invoice?
4. How can I send payment reminders (automated)?
5. How can I credit invoices?
6. Working with sales orders instead of invoices.

1 How do I create an invoice template?

Before you start invoicing, it is necessary to create an invoice template and e-mail template. There are a number of different articles on the knowledge base about creating and customising templates. You can use these as a reference for the adjustments you want to make.

2 How do I create a new invoice?

The starting point for creating an invoice depends on your specific situation. It is possible to link an invoice directly to a relation, but you can also create it from an activity, such as a sales opportunity, project, work order, time registration or subscription. The handling of the invoice is otherwise the same for each situation.
You will only see the above activities if you have activated the modules of the same name. Creating an invoice via one of these activities is very intuitive via the invoice button. All product lines are transferred directly from these activities to the invoice, making invoicing quick and easy. The articles on the various modules explain this further.

In this paragraph, we explain the creation of an invoice directly at a relation.

1. Find and open the relation to whom you want to send an invoice.
2. Click the + invoice button in the bar (open the options under + more, if necessary).
3. Enter the required data and select the appropriate invoice template. Click
4. The invoice does not yet contain any product lines. Now first add one or more lines by clicking on the + product You can select products from the product book here or add a new product directly. The added lines are automatically saved on entry.
5. By clicking on the preview tab, you can preview the invoice before sending it.
6. Should you want to add an additional note on this particular invoice, for example, click the edit tab. The chosen template will then be displayed. The change you make applies to this invoice only. So you are not modifying the template.
7. Click the send button.
8. An e-mail screen will now open. Adjust the text of the e-mail if necessary and click
9. The e-mail is now sent and the invoice is automatically attached to the e-mail.

Did you know?

• The invoice number and date are created only when the invoice is actually sent.

• By default, the financial e-mail address of the relation is used for the invoicing e-mail address. If not filled, the organisation’s general mail address will be used, if not filled the contact’s mail address will be used.

• A copy of the invoice via the BCC address can be sent to accounting. You can set this in configuration > invoicing.

• The default payment term is adjustable in configuration > invoicing.

3 How do I see the status of an invoice?

To give you instant insight into the status of the various invoices, there are two widgets on the invoicing dashboard by default:

Invoices by phase: Every invoice goes through a number of phases. This widget lists all invoices per phase. So you immediately have a clear overview of, for example, all draft invoices that are yet to be invoiced.

Invoiced: This widget gives you a total overview of all invoices that have already been invoiced.

Of course, you can also create your own widgets or views based on the data you want to have insight into. You can read more about creating widgets in this article and about creating a view in this article.

4 How can I send payment reminders automatically?

Unfortunately, it sometimes happens that an invoice is not paid on time. Tribe CRM allows you to automate the sending of the first and second reminders. Tribe CRM already includes a standard email template for reminders, which you can customise as you wish.  Sending reminders is done through automation. This is not activated by default. Follow the steps below to activate it:

1. Navigate to configuration > activities > invoice.
2. Open the automations tab.
3. Activate both automations by turning on the slider.

Did you know?

It is possible to exclude certain relations when sending a reminder. To do this, activate the do not send reminders slider on the customer card.

The automations ensure that reminders are sent at 7am every day. The reminder is sent only when the conditions below are met. A copy of the invoice will be attached to the reminder.

1st reminder:

• The Do Not Remind slider is not activated.
• The invoice has the status sent.
• The due date of the invoice is equal to the current date minus 1 day.

After sending the 1st reminder, the status of the invoice will automatically be changed to 1st reminder.

2nd reminder:

• The Do Not Remind slider is not activated.
• The invoice has 1st reminder status.
• The due date of the invoice is equal to the current date minus 7 days.

After sending the 2nd reminder, the status of the invoice will automatically be changed to 2nd reminder.

5 How can I credit invoices?

Occasionally it is necessary to credit an invoice. This can easily be done via the dot menu in the invoice.

Follow the steps below to send the credit invoice.

1. Open the invoice to be credited.
2. Click on the dot menu at the top right of the invoice > credit invoice.
3. The credit invoice is created with status draft. It can be found in the timeline under open activities. The original invoice is in the timeline under closed activities and has the status credited.
4. Open the credit invoice and click the send button.
5. An e-mail screen will now open. Adjust the text of the e-mail if necessary and click
6. The e-mail is now sent and the credit invoice is automatically attached to the e-mail.

6 Working with sales orders instead of invoices

Do you use sales orders instead of invoices? Then adjust this in the configuration of Tribe CRM. By simply selecting the checkbox Working with sales orders instead of invoices in configuration > invoicing, the system will make the necessary adjustment. If you want to use the sales order activity, you will also need the invoicing module.