Creating and Sending Invoices

What an invoice is

An invoice is a request for payment you send a customer. It's built from line items, carries a due date and terms, and moves through a lifecycle from Draft to Sent to Paid. StretchBooks numbers it automatically and does all the tax and total math.

The invoice lifecycle

• Draft — a work in progress. You can edit freely; a customer isn't required yet.
• Sent (Issued) — the invoice is finalized and out to the customer; it counts toward your receivables.
• Partially paid — one or more payments recorded, but a balance remains.
• Paid — fully paid.
• Void — cancelled and excluded from revenue.
• Written off — treated as uncollectible.

Step-by-step: create and send an invoice

1. Open the Invoices tab and choose New.
2. Select the customer. (Required before you send; optional while it's a draft.)
3. Set the invoice date. If you leave the due date blank, StretchBooks sets it to the invoice date plus your default payment terms.
4. Add line items — for each, enter a description, quantity, unit price, and (optionally) a tax code. Add as many lines as you need.
5. Watch the subtotal, tax, and total update automatically.
6. Add notes or terms to appear on the invoice if you like.
7. Save as Draft to review. StretchBooks assigns a number such as INV-1042.
8. When you're ready, choose Send to issue it to the customer.

Editing an invoice

You can edit a draft freely. After sending, you can still update details such as dates, notes, terms, and status. Use edits to correct information; use the status actions (below) to change where the invoice sits in its lifecycle.

Status actions: send, void, write off

From an issued invoice you can:

• Send — issue a draft to the customer.
• Void — cancel an invoice that should never have gone out; it's removed from revenue and receivables.
• Write off — mark an unpaid invoice as uncollectible when you won't be paid.

StretchBooks changes status only — it never deletes an invoice — so your audit trail stays intact.

Worked example

Northlight Coaching bills Harbor & Vine Studio:

1. Invoices → New, customer Harbor & Vine Studio.
2. Line: 1:1 coaching session, qty 6, unit price $150.00, tax GST 5%.
3. Subtotal $900.00, GST $45.00, total $945.00; number INV-1042; due in 14 days.
4. Save as Draft, review, then Send.
5. Later, record a $945.00 payment — the invoice flips to Paid.

Tips

• Build in Draft and only Send when it's correct — sending finalizes the number and counts it as receivable.
• Leave the due date blank to let your default terms set it, or type a specific date for special arrangements.
• Set a default tax code in Settings so you rarely touch the per-line tax field.
• Add short terms (for example "Net 14. Interest on overdue balances.") so expectations are on the document.

Troubleshooting

"Records in sent status require an active customer." You tried to send without an active customer attached. Assign an active customer, then send.

"The selected customer was not found" or "customers can be assigned only if active." The customer is missing or not active. Reactivate them in the Customers tab or pick another.

"Tax code not found or inactive." A line references a tax code that doesn't exist or is inactive. Pick an active code (for example GST 5%) or clear the line's code.

I can't record a payment. Payments apply only to issued/open invoices with a balance. A draft or void invoice can't take a payment, and a fully paid one has nothing due.