Creating Invoices

What is an Invoice?

An invoice is how you bill customers for work you've done. It lists the work completed, materials used, costs, and what's owed.

There are two types of invoices in Cooledge:

Job Invoice - For customer work (connected to a job)
Standalone Invoice - For one-off charges (not connected to a job)

Most of your invoices will be Job Invoices.

Job Invoices vs Standalone Invoices

Job Invoice (Most Common)

Use job invoices when you're billing for completed work that's connected to quotes you sent. The invoice uses the job number (Job #1050 becomes Invoice #1050), and deposits from quotes automatically subtract. Everything stays linked together - quote to job to booking to invoice - which gives you better tracking and history.

Standalone Invoice

Standalone invoices are for one-off charges that aren't connected to a job, like miscellaneous fees or admin charges. They use a separate sequence with an INV- prefix (like INV-2001). They're quick and simple - just pick a customer and add line items, no job required.

When in doubt, use a job invoice. The extra tracking is worth it for most situations.

Creating a Job Invoice

Step 1: Open the Job

1. Go to the Jobs page
2. Find and click the job you want to invoice
3. Click the Invoices tab
4. Click Create Invoice

Step 2: Select Quotes (Optional)

If this job has accepted quotes, you can select which ones to include:

• Check the boxes next to the quotes you want to bill
• System pulls in the items from those quotes
• Deposits from those quotes automatically deduct

If you don't select any quotes:

• Invoice starts empty
• You add line items manually
• No automatic deposit deduction

Most common: Select all accepted quotes for the job.

Step 3: Review and Create

• Invoice number will be the job number
• If this is the second invoice for the job, it'll be job number + "-2"
• System creates the invoice as Draft (not sent yet)
• Click Create

Step 4: Edit Line Items

The invoice opens in edit mode:

• Review the line items (from quotes or add your own)
• Add, remove, or edit lines as needed
• Quantities and prices can be changed
• Tax calculates automatically

See "Editing Invoice Line Items" for detailed instructions.

Step 5: Send to Customer

When everything looks good:

1. Click Send Invoice
2. System generates PDF
3. Emails customer with Pay button
4. Status changes to Sent

Creating a Standalone Invoice

Step 1: Open Invoices Page

1. Go to Invoices (from main menu)
2. Click New Invoice
3. Select Standalone Invoice

Step 2: Select Customer

• Choose which customer this invoice is for
• Type to search by name
• Customer is required (but no job needed)

Step 3: Add Line Items

Start with a blank invoice:

1. Click Add Line
2. Enter description (what you're charging for)
3. Enter quantity and price
4. Tax calculates automatically
5. Add more lines as needed

Step 4: Send

Click Send Invoice when ready. Same as job invoices - PDF gets generated and emailed.

Understanding Invoice Numbers

Job Invoice Numbering

First invoice for a job:

• Invoice number = Job number
• Example: Job #1050 → Invoice #1050
• No "-1" suffix (keeps it clean)

Second invoice for same job:

• Invoice number = Job number + "-2"
• Example: Job #1050 → Invoice #1050-2

Third invoice:

• Invoice #1050-3

And so on...

Why multiple invoices per job?

• Progress billing (invoice halfway through, then finish)
• Variations or extras added later
• Customer wants itemized invoices (labor vs materials)

Standalone Invoice Numbering

Uses a completely separate sequence:

• Starts with "INV-" prefix
• Uses global invoice counter
• Example: INV-2001, INV-2002, INV-2003

Why different numbering?
Keeps job invoices and standalone invoices separate. Easy to tell which is which at a glance.

Deposit Deductions (Job Invoices Only)

One of the best parts about job invoices: deposits automatically deduct.

How it works:

1. Customer pays deposit when accepting quote ($1,500)
2. You complete work (total cost $5,000)
3. You create invoice and select that quote
4. Invoice shows:
   • Total: $5,000
   • Less Deposit: -$1,500
   • Amount Due: $3,500

Customer only pays the balance!

Multiple quotes with deposits:

• If you select 3 quotes that each had $500 deposits
• All three deposits deduct (total -$1,500)
• System never double-counts deposits

Standalone invoices don't have this.
No quotes = no deposits = customer pays full amount.

Invoice Statuses

Every invoice has a status:

Draft

• Just created, not sent yet
• You can edit everything
• Customer hasn't seen it

Sent

• Emailed to customer
• PDF generated
• Can't edit line items anymore (but can record payments)

Part-Paid

• Customer paid some but not all
• Shows amount still owed
• Send payment reminders

Paid

• Fully paid
• Amount due = $0
• Job done!

Tip: Keep invoices in Draft until you're 100% sure everything's right. Once sent, you can't edit the items.

Customer Details on Invoices

How Customer Information Works

When you create and send an invoice, the customer's name, address, and email are "locked in" at that moment. This means:

For job invoices:

• The invoice always uses the customer details from the job (not the customer record directly)
• Even if the customer moves and you update their details, the invoice shows what's on the job
• If you need to update the invoice's customer details, edit the customer from the job page (this updates the job and all its draft invoices)
• This keeps historical records accurate

For standalone invoices:

• The invoice uses the customer's current details when you send it
• If you edit the customer while creating the invoice, it will use those updated details when sent
• Once sent, those details are preserved
• If you resend an old invoice, it shows the original customer details (not their current ones)

Why does this matter?

Imagine you invoiced the Smith family for work at "123 Main St" last year. They've since moved to "456 Oak Ave". Their old invoice should still show "123 Main St" because that's where the work was done. This prevents confusion and keeps records accurate for accounting and compliance.

If Customer Details Change

For job invoices (Draft status):

• Job invoices always pull customer details from the job, not the customer record
• If you see a warning: "⚠️ Customer address changed since this job was created", it means the customer record has changed but the job hasn't
• To update the invoice's customer details, go to the job and edit the customer from there
• This updates the job and all its draft invoices at once

For standalone invoices (Draft status):

• If you edit the customer while creating the invoice, the invoice will use those updated details when you send it
• The customer record updates and the invoice uses the latest information when sent
• Once you send it, the details are locked in

After any invoice is sent:

• Customer details on that invoice stay as they were
• You can resend the invoice and it will still show the original details
• Create a new invoice if you need to bill with updated customer information

In practice: This usually "just works" and you don't need to think about it. The system preserves what was sent to customers so nothing looks weird when they review old invoices.

When to Create Invoices

For Job Invoices:

Create after:

• Work is complete (all bookings done)
• You've reviewed what was actually done
• Any variations or extras are noted

Don't create too early!
If work isn't finished, you might need to create a second invoice later for extras. Unless you're doing progress billing, wait until it's all done.

For Standalone Invoices:

Create when:

• You need to bill for something not connected to a job
• One-off fees or charges
• Admin charges
• Quick billing situation

Multiple Invoices for One Job

Progress Billing Example:

Job #1050 - Big ducted install

Invoice 1050 (Day 3 of 5):

• Materials used so far: $8,000
• Labor (3 days): $3,000
• Customer pays: $11,000

Invoice 1050-2 (Job complete):

• Remaining materials: $4,000
• Labor (2 days): $2,000
• Less deposit: -$2,000 (from quote)
• Customer pays: $4,000

Total paid: $15,000

Why do this?

• Big jobs need cash flow
• Customer prefers smaller payments
• Materials cost a lot upfront

Most jobs = one invoice. Multiple invoices are for bigger/longer jobs.

Common Questions

Can I edit an invoice after sending it? No - once sent, line items are locked. You CAN record payments, add notes, or void it. But you can't change items or amounts. If you need to change something, void it and create a new one.

What if I forget to select the quote when creating? Create a new invoice and select the quote this time. Delete or void the first one. The deposit deduction only works if you select the quotes.

Can I invoice before work is done? Technically yes, but don't. The deposit (from quote acceptance) is your up-front payment. Invoice when work is complete.

Why isn't my deposit deducting? Make sure you selected the quotes when creating the invoice, check the deposit payment went through (status = succeeded), and confirm you're creating a JOB invoice (standalone invoices don't deduct deposits).

Can I have both job and standalone invoices for the same customer? Yes! They're completely separate. Example: Job invoice for their AC install (1050), standalone invoice for a service call months later (INV-2050).

Do I need to create a job before invoicing? For job invoices, yes. For standalone invoices, no - just pick the customer directly.

Invoice Creation Tips

Use job invoices when possible:

• Better tracking
• Automatic deposit handling
• Everything linked together

Select ALL relevant quotes:

• Don't leave quotes out
• System pulls in all the items
• All deposits deduct automatically

Review before sending:

• Check quantities match what was actually done
• Verify prices are correct
• Make sure customer details are right
• Once sent, you can't change items

Add internal notes:

• "Customer wants itemized receipt - send PDF"
• "Discussed payment plan with John"
• "Materials charged separately per agreement"
• Notes don't show to customer

Send promptly:

• Invoice soon after work completes
• Faster invoicing = faster payment
• Don't let invoices pile up

Related Articles

• Invoice Numbering - Detailed guide to numbering system
• Invoice Line Items - How to add, edit, and remove items
• Sending Invoices - Email invoices and record payments
• Understanding Jobs - How jobs and invoices connect