Create & Send Invoice

This guide walks you through the entire process of creating a professional invoice and sending it to your customer. Whether you are creating from scratch or using customer defaults, you will learn how to configure every aspect of your invoice and ensure it meets compliance standards before sending.

Choosing Your Creation Mode

docs101 offers two invoice creation modes: a Guided Wizard (step-by-step, three phases) and an Expert Dashboard (all fields on one screen). Both modes support the same features and produce identical results. New users start with the Wizard by default.

You can set your preferred mode under Settings > Preferences and switch between modes at any time during invoice creation. For a detailed comparison, see Invoice Creation Modes.

The workflows described in this guide apply to both modes. The Wizard distributes these steps across three phases; the Expert Dashboard shows them on a single screen.

Creating a New Invoice

Starting Point: From Scratch vs. Customer Defaults

When creating a new invoice, you have several options:

From Scratch

Start with a blank invoice where you manually configure all fields. Use this when you need a one-off invoice with unique settings.

From Customer Defaults

If you have set up a customer in docs101 with default payment terms, currency, and invoice template preferences, you can create an invoice that automatically inherits these settings. This is faster and ensures consistency across all your customer's invoices.

From an Existing Invoice

Duplicate a previous invoice to create a new draft with all positions, discounts, and settings already filled in. Ideal for recurring or similar invoices. See Duplicate an Invoice for details.

Best Practice

Set up customer defaults for your regular customers in their customer profile. This saves time on future invoices and ensures consistency.

Basic Invoice Information

After choosing your starting point, fill in these core fields:

Field	Description	Required
Customer	Select the customer this invoice is for	Yes
Invoice Number	Unique identifier for this invoice (can be auto-generated)	Yes
Invoice Date	The date the invoice was created	Yes
Due Date	When payment is due (calculated from payment terms)	Yes
Currency	Currency for all amounts (EUR, GBP, etc.)	Yes
Order Number	Optional reference number (e.g., PO number from customer)	No

Invoice Numbering

docs101 supports configurable invoice numbering with the following options:

• Placeholders: Use {YYYY}, {MM}, and {DD} for dynamic date components
• Prefix: Add a custom prefix to all invoice numbers (e.g., "INV-")
• Padding: Configure zero-padding from 0 to 10 digits (e.g., padding of 4 turns "1" into "0001")
• Reset Frequency: Choose when the counter resets — never, daily, monthly, or yearly

Configure these settings under Business Settings > Numbering.

Invoice Format

docs101 automatically determines the invoice format based on your company country and the customer's address country:

Company Country	Customer Address Country	Format
Germany (DE)	Germany (DE)	ZUGFeRD/Factur-X
France (FR)	France (FR)	ZUGFeRD/Factur-X
All other combinations	—	PDF

The format appears as a badge next to the invoice status. In Draft status, you can click the badge to manually change the format.

Format Auto-Detection

The format is re-evaluated every time you change the customer address. If you switch from a German customer to a Dutch customer, the format automatically changes from ZUGFeRD to PDF. Manual overrides are replaced by auto-detection when the address changes.

Changing Format with Positions

If your invoice already has positions and you change the format manually, a confirmation dialog appears. Changing the format may affect VAT category data on existing positions.

Payment Terms Configuration

Payment terms determine when your invoice is due. Select a term from the dropdown and the due date is calculated automatically. Common built-in terms include:

• Immediate: Due upon receipt
• Net 7: Due 7 days after invoice date
• Net 14: Due 14 days after invoice date
• Net 30: Due 30 days after invoice date
• Net 60: Due 60 days after invoice date
• Already Paid: For invoices where payment has already been received (e.g., credit card, Stripe subscription)

You can also create custom payment terms with your own codes, labels, and template texts. Terms can use relative days (calculated from the invoice date) or a fixed calendar date. See Payment Terms for how to create and manage payment terms.

The due date is automatically calculated when you select payment terms. You can override it manually if needed.

Early-Payment Discounts

If the selected payment term has early-payment discount tiers (Skonto) configured, docs101 automatically calculates the discount amounts and deadlines for the invoice. See Payment Terms > Early-Payment Discounts for details.

Due Date Impact

The due date affects payment tracking and KPIs. Ensure it matches your actual terms with the customer to get accurate overdue reporting.

Payment Method

In addition to payment terms, each invoice has a Payment Method that indicates how the customer pays or has paid. Select the payment method from the dropdown:

Payment Method	Description
Bank Transfer	Payment via SEPA or wire transfer (default)
Credit Card	Payment by credit or debit card
PayPal	Payment via PayPal
Cash	Cash payment
Check	Payment by check
Other	Any other payment method

The selected payment method affects the payment text printed on the invoice. The {payment_method} placeholder in your payment term template is replaced with the translated method name.

Bank Account Visibility

The bank account dropdown is only shown when the payment method is set to Bank Transfer. For all other methods, the bank account field is hidden to keep the form clean. The invoice template footer can still display your bank details regardless of the payment method.

Creating a Prepaid Invoice

If you have already received payment before creating the invoice — for example, a SaaS subscription charged via Stripe, a credit card purchase, or an advance payment — you can create a prepaid invoice that is finalized directly as "Paid".

1. Create a new invoice and select the customer
2. Add your line items as usual
3. In the payment details section, select the Payment Method (e.g., Credit Card)
4. Select "Already Paid" as the payment term
5. Enter the Paid Date — the date the payment was received
6. Optionally enter a Reference (e.g., Stripe charge ID, transaction number)
7. The payment text preview shows the generated text (e.g., "Paid in full via Credit Card on 08 Apr 2026")
8. Finalize the invoice — it is set to Paid status immediately, skipping the "Open" status

After finalization, you can send the invoice via email as a receipt. The status then changes from "Paid" to "Sent", indicating the invoice is both paid and delivered.

Paid Date

The paid date cannot be set to a future date. It must be today or earlier.

Common Use Cases

• SaaS subscriptions: Customer pays monthly via Stripe → create a prepaid invoice as receipt
• E-commerce orders: Customer pays by credit card at checkout → invoice documents the transaction
• Advance payments: Customer transfers funds before work begins → prepaid invoice confirms receipt

Adding Invoice Positions

Invoice positions are the line items that make up your invoice. Each position represents a product sold or service rendered.

Adding Positions

Add positions using the inline table. Each row represents one line item on your invoice.

Prerequisite

You must select a customer and address before adding positions. This ensures the invoice format is determined, so the correct tax fields are shown.

1. Fill in a row in the positions table (see fields below)
2. Press Enter to save and start a new row, or Tab to move between fields
3. Repeat for additional positions

Position Details

Each position requires the following information:

Field	Description	Example
Title	Name of the product or service	"Website Design Services"
Description	Optional detailed description	"Custom website design for 5 pages"
Quantity	How many units	5
Unit	Unit of measurement	Hours, Pieces, Pages
Net Price	Price per unit before VAT	100.00
Tax Treatment	How this position is taxed	Standard rate, Reverse charge, Exempt, etc. See Tax Treatments & VAT
VAT Rate	Tax percentage (set automatically for most treatments)	19% (Germany), 21% (Netherlands)

Position Discounts

Discounts are managed separately from the position form. After adding a position, use the discount icon (tag icon) in the positions table to open the discount dialog and apply a percentage or fixed amount discount. See Discounts & Exemptions for details.

The tax treatment determines how the position is taxed:

• Standard rate — normal VAT at your country's rate
• Reverse charge — customer pays VAT (B2B cross-border EU)
• Exempt — no VAT charged (medical, financial, education)
• Zero-rated — taxable at 0% by law
• Not subject to VAT — outside VAT scope
• Intra-community — goods to VAT-registered EU business
• Export outside EU — goods/services to non-EU countries
• Small business — Kleinunternehmerregelung (auto-assigned when the company-level toggle is active)

For detailed VAT handling and exemptions, see the Discounts & Exemptions Guide.

Adding Positions from Product Catalog

If you have set up a product catalog in docs101, you can add positions quickly:

1. Click "Add from Catalog"
2. Search for the product by name
3. Select the product — its title, description, and default price are automatically populated
4. Adjust quantity, unit, or price if needed for this specific invoice
5. Click "Add" to include it

Products in the catalog have default net prices and VAT rates configured. You can override these on a per-invoice basis without affecting the catalog.

Deleting Multiple Positions

In Expert Mode, you can select and delete multiple positions at once instead of removing them one by one:

1. Use the checkboxes in the first column to select the positions you want to remove
2. Click Delete in the Selection Action Bar that appears above the table, or press Delete / Backspace
3. Confirm the deletion in the dialog

The remaining positions are automatically renumbered. For full details on multi-select interactions (Shift+click range selection, keyboard shortcuts), see Expert Mode > Multi-Select & Bulk Delete.

Configuring Advanced Invoice Settings

Payment Bank Account

Select which bank account should be displayed on the invoice for payment. If you have multiple bank accounts configured:

1. Click the Bank Account field
2. Select from your configured accounts
3. The IBAN, BIC, and account holder name are automatically populated

Customers use this information to send you payment. Ensure the selected account is current and can receive payments.

Invoice Template & Layout

docs101 offers different invoice templates. To select a template:

1. Click "Template" in the invoice settings
2. Preview available templates
3. Select the one that matches your branding
4. The template determines the visual layout, color scheme, and included fields

Customer-Specific Templates

You can set a default template for each customer in their profile. This ensures all their invoices match your agreed-upon look and feel.

Additional Metadata

• Project/Job Reference: Link the invoice to a specific project if applicable
• Notes (Internal): Private notes visible only to you and your team, not sent to customer
• Notes for Customer: Message displayed on the printed invoice (e.g., "Thank you for your business")

Previewing & Compliance Checking

Before sending your invoice, always preview it to catch errors and ensure compliance:

Generate PDF Preview

1. Click the "Preview PDF" button in the top right
2. A new window opens showing your invoice as the customer will see it
3. Review all fields, totals, and formatting
4. Check that your company logo and details are correct

ZUGFeRD/Factur-X Compliance

For invoices in ZUGFeRD format, docs101 generates compliant PDFs with embedded XML. The system automatically:

• Embeds structured invoice data as XML within the PDF
• Creates PDF/A-compliant output for long-term archival
• Validates the invoice structure via KOSiT (Koordinierungsstelle fuer IT-Standards)

For PDF-only invoices, docs101 generates a standard PDF without embedded XML or KOSiT validation.

Compliance Warnings

If the system detects compliance issues (e.g., missing company details, incorrect VAT structure), an alert will appear. Resolve these before sending to ensure the invoice can be processed electronically.

Check Invoice Totals

On the preview, verify:

• Subtotal: Sum of all net prices multiplied by quantities
• Total Discounts: Sum of all discounts applied
• VAT Breakdown: Net, VAT, and gross grouped by tax treatment and rate — shown in the invoice summary area and on the PDF
• Invoice Total: Subtotal minus discounts plus VAT

Rounding

VAT is calculated per position and rounded appropriately. The invoice total is the sum of all rounded position totals.

Sending the Invoice

When you are satisfied with your invoice, prepare to send it:

1. Click "Send Invoice" button
2. The Email Configuration panel opens

Configure the following:

Field	Description	Required
Recipient Email	Email address(es) to send to	Yes
Display Name	Sender name shown in recipient's email (e.g., "Invoices Team")	Yes
BCC	Optional additional recipients who receive a copy but are hidden from main recipient	No
Attachments	Optionally attach additional files (e.g., terms & conditions)	No

Recipient Email

docs101 uses the email address from your customer profile by default. You can override it for this specific invoice if the recipient is different.

Sending

Click "Send Now" to send the invoice immediately. The invoice status changes to "Sent" and the ZUGFeRD-compliant PDF is attached to the email.

Resending Invoices

You can resend invoices from any status except Draft and Canceled. If a customer did not receive the email or needs another copy, open the invoice and click "Resend". Resending does not change the invoice status.

Tracking & Confirmation

After sending:

1. You will see a confirmation message
2. The invoice status automatically updates to "Sent"
3. The sent invoice is locked from further editing

Post-Send Management

Marking as Paid

Prepaid Invoices

This section applies to regular (postpaid) invoices only. Prepaid invoices are automatically set to "Paid" during finalization — no manual action needed. See Creating a Prepaid Invoice above.

Once you receive payment, mark the invoice as paid:

1. Open the invoice
2. Click "Mark as Paid"
3. Select the paid date (usually today's date)
4. Optionally add a payment reference (e.g., bank transfer reference)
5. Click "Confirm"

The invoice status changes to "Paid" and is removed from overdue tracking. See Track Payments Guide for more details.

Following Up on Overdue Invoices

If an invoice has not been paid by its due date:

1. The invoice appears in your "Overdue Invoices" dashboard widget
2. Track the customer's account statement to see all outstanding invoices

See Account Statements Guide for comprehensive payment tracking.

Best Practices

Invoice Creation Best Practices

• Be Descriptive: Use clear, detailed position titles and descriptions so customers understand what they are being charged for
• Verify Totals: Always preview and check that all calculations are correct before sending
• Set Realistic Terms: Choose payment terms that match your actual agreement with the customer
• Use Templates: Leverage customer defaults and invoice templates for consistency
• Send Promptly: Send invoices as soon as they are approved to maintain a healthy cash flow
• Archive Records: Keep delivery confirmations and payment information for accounting and dispute resolution

Free Plan Limits

Free Plan

The free plan allows up to 3 invoices per month. ZUGFeRD/Factur-X compliance is included for all eligible invoices regardless of plan.

Reference Links

• Invoice Creation Modes - Wizard vs. Expert Dashboard — choose your preferred workflow
• Email Configuration - Email delivery, display name settings, and deliverability details
• Invoice Attachments - Upload and send attachments with your invoices
• Tax Treatments & VAT - Tax treatment options and VAT handling
• VAT Category Codes Reference - Underlying EN 16931 codes
• Duplicate an Invoice - Create new invoices from existing ones
• Discounts & Exemptions Guide - Advanced discount and VAT handling
• Payment Terms Guide - Create and manage payment terms
• Clockify Integration Guide - Browsing Clockify workspace data
• Prepaid Invoices Explained - What prepaid invoices are and when to use them