Invoice Basics Updated December 04, 2024 18:30

Overview

You've done the work, now it's time to invoice and get paid!

Invoices are a tool to itemize the products and services you've provided to a client and to request payment. Invoices in Jobber include details like the client's billing address, invoice number, a description of the products and services provided, total amount due, invoice issued date, as well as payment terms.   

Where to create an invoice in Jobber.com

Invoices in Jobber can be created from:

• Home, or for non-admin users, dashboard
• The create button on the side navigation menu
• A client page
• An invoice reminder
• A job page

From home, dashboard or a client page

To create an invoice from Home or a client page, click More Actions > New Invoice.

When making an invoice using this method, if the client has multiple jobs in "Requires Invoicing" status, you will have the option to select which of those jobs to include in this invoice. All selected jobs will appear on the same invoice. In the invoice header, the property addresses (the address where the service took place) from the jobs and the job numbers will appear. Property addresses only appear on invoices that were generated from jobs. Invoices are associated with the client's billing address but the property address appears for reference.

If the client doesn't have any work that is ready to be invoiced yet, you can still create an invoice and fill out the details like service dates and line items. Since invoices are associated with a client's billing address, if an invoice isn't created from a job, the property address won't appear on the invoice. 

From an invoice reminder

To create an invoice from an invoice reminder, navigate to the invoice reminder from your schedule or the billing section on a job, then click Create Invoice.

The service dates and service address from the job will be transferred over to the invoice. 

From a job

To create an invoice from the job page specifically you can click on More Actions > Generate Invoice

If the job already shows as "Requires Invoicing", this option will be its own button beside More Actions.

If the client has other jobs that are in "requires invoicing" status, you can select them on the next screen. Select any jobs you'd like to include on this invoice. Jobs left unchecked won't appear on this invoice, but could be invoiced in the future.

After you click Next Step, you will be taken to the invoice creation screen where you can fill out the details for the invoice.

The service dates and service address from the job will be transferred over to the invoice. 

Build the invoice

When creating or viewing an invoice, there is a progress bar that appears on to the right of the invoice details to let you know where the invoice fits in the workflow. Items that are colored show that the invoice has progressed through that phase of the workflow. Items that are grey have yet to be created. 

Note: It's possible that your workflow won't include every step. For example, you might chose to go directly from a job to an invoice and that's ok! Seeing the quote and request icons greyed out doesn't mean you've made a mistake, it just means that that the workflow didn't include those items.

At the top, you can:

• Include a subject for the invoice
• Select Change beside the invoice number to change it
• Select the Date to change the date the invoice was issued
• Select the Payment net terms to change when the payment is due
• Fill in or add in a new custom field for all invoices

In the middle, you can:

• Add line items from your services and products list
• Set a service date for those line items

At the bottom, you can:

• Add a Client message for the invoice. Once you've entered your message, a Rewrite button will appear. This button uses AI to rewrite the text you've entered into the client message field. Once you click the button, there are options for rewrite the text to be more:
  • Cheerful
  • Casual
  • Professional
  • Shorter

• Select Change to update the client view for this invoice. This is where you can select if quantities, unit costs, line item totals, account balance, or a late stamp (if overdue) are shown on this invoice. To edit these selections for all future invoices: 

1. 1. 1. Navigate to the Gear Icon > Setting > Branding. 
      2. Click Change PDF style. 
      3. Select the Invoices tab.
      4. Select the checkboxes for the field that you want shown by default. 

• Select Add Discount to add a discount to this invoice
• Edit the tax rate for the invoice
• Select Add Deposit to record a new deposit or select a deposit from the client's account balance
• Select the invoice payment options
  • Card payments - When this is toggled on, your client will be able to pay this invoice online using a credit or debit card. When this is toggled off, your client will not have the option to pay this invoice using a card.
  • Bank payments (ACH) - When this is toggled on, your client will be able to pay this invoice online using a bank payment (ACH). When this is toggled off, your client will not have the option to pay this invoice using a bank payment.
    Note: Bank payments are only available in the United States.
• Select if the client can pay this invoice through partial payments
  • To allow partial payments on this invoice, set the toggle for Allow client to make partial payments for this invoice to On. By default, this toggle will be turned off so that your client must pay the invoice in full when paying online in client hub. 
• Add internal notes and attachments 

 

Save and update invoices

When you save an invoice for the first time, there are two options:

• Save Invoice: This saves the invoice and takes you out of the edit screen, back to the top of the invoice where you can review the invoice details. The invoice will be saved as a draft.
• Save and...: Clicking this button gives you a list of other actions you can do in addition to saving the quote. These are things that might save you a step or a few clicks. Your options are to:
  • Send as Text Message: The invoice is saved and sent to the client as a text message. Texting an invoice removes it from draft status.  
  • Send as Email: The invoice is saved and emailed to the client. Emailing an invoice removes it from draft status. 
  • Collect Payment: The invoice is saved and you are prompted to record a payment. If the payment recorded covers the invoice balance in full, the invoice status changes to "Paid".

Once an invoice has already been created, the button changes from Save Invoice to Update Invoice. The update options are to:

• Update invoice: The invoice is updated with the changes you have made. You will be taken out of the edit screen and back to the invoice to look it over.
• Update and...: 
  • Re-send as Text Message: A copy of the invoice with the updated changes is sent to the client via text message.
  • Re-send Email: A copy of the invoice with the updated changes is sent to the client via email. 
  • Collect Payment: The invoice is updated and you are prompted to record a payment. If the payment recorded covers the invoice balance in full, the invoice status changes to "Paid".

Sending the invoice

Invoices start as drafts. Once sent (or marked as sent), the invoice moves from "draft" status into either "awaiting payment" or "past due" status, depending on the invoice's due date. When an invoice is in draft status, the primary action on the invoice is Send text message, however there is also an Email option under the More Actions button, as well as a Mark as Sent option.

Email an invoice

To email an invoice to a client, open the invoice and click More Actions > Email. Emailed invoices will include a link to view the invoice online using client hub. 

When you email an invoice to your client, a pop up box will come up where you can preview the message and make edits to this particular email.

To change the recipients of this email, click ... beside the To field. You can then change the email, or add other emails to send it to.

Other actions you can take before clicking Send Email:

• Manually edit the email body to provide more or less information to your client
• Check the box to Send me a copy to BCC yourself on the outgoing email
• Add Attachments from the right of the pop-up. Attachments can be uploaded from your computer or you can choose attachments that have been added to the internal notes and attachments for this client. Attachments must total under 10MB. 
  • Note: When emailing an invoice to a client, if you would like to include the invoice PDF as an email attachment, in the attachments section of the email preview screen, make sure to check the box to include the PDF as an attachment. By default invoice PDFs are not attached to the email and your client will be prompted to view the invoice in client hub where they can view and pay the invoice. If you have not included the invoice PDF as an attachment and your client would like a PDF copy, they have the option to download one from client hub. 
• Customize your default templates - update what the default invoice email looks like as well as other email and text templates.

Text an invoice

Text message delivery is available in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

To text an invoice to a client, select the Send Text Message button.

Once you select that you would like to send this invoice via text, a pop-up will appear with a preview of the message and a link to view the invoice in the client hub. This link will expire after 24 hours, but the client can still view it by entering the last 4 digits of their phone number to sign into their client hub. 

The client's primary phone number will be the default phone number as long as it is SMS enabled. You can also chose to enter a different phone number or multiple phone numbers.

The invoice text message is customizable on an individual level, as well as set up as a template in your emails and text messages settings, found by going to the Gear Icon > Settings> Emails and Text Messages Settings.

Note: There is a 160 character limit for text messages as this is the maximum number of characters that will fit in one text. If you go over this limit, that's ok! Your message will still be delivered, it just might be in multiple text messages. That being said, most smart phones will recognize when there are multiple text messages and group them together as one message —but this varies based on different devices and cell phone providers.

Collect payment on an invoice

To enter a payment, click Collect Payment.

This will launch a pop-up where you can enter the details of the payment. You can edit the payment method and amount. Depending on the method there are other relevant fields as well such as check number. If the client has just made a partial payment, you can enter a partial amount and the invoice won't show PAID until the invoice has been paid in full.

When a payment has been recorded in Jobber it will be listed at the bottom of the invoice and will show the payment date and amount paid. You will see the remaining balance of the invoice, as well as the client's full account balance. Click the word Payment to open the payment details. 

Learn more about Collecting Payments

Invoice statuses

There are 5 possible statuses that an invoice can have and they will show in a label next to the invoice icon at the top left of the invoice. The actions that can be performed on an invoice depend on its status.

The invoice statuses are:

• Draft: The invoice has been created, but hasn't been sent to a client or marked as sent. A draft invoice will move into the next status when it is sent (either by email or text message), or marked as sent. 
• Awaiting Payment: The invoice has been sent to a client, and has not been paid yet. The invoice due date has also not passed yet. 
• Past Due: The invoice is past its due date, and hasn't been paid for, or marked Paid
• Paid: A payment for the full invoice balance has been applied, or the invoice has been manually marked as Paid
• Bad Debt: An invoice in bad debt status has been deemed partly or fully uncollectible. Either part of the remaining balance or the full invoice balance has been marked as bad debt to close out the invoice and remove it from the client’s billing history. The invoice remains in Jobber for your records.

Actions on an invoice

When an invoice has been created and is out of draft status, there are a number of actions that can be performed on it.

There are three buttons that show what the primary and secondary actions are as well as more action. In this case, the primary action is to Collect Payment on the invoice, but you can also still make edits or chose from a menu of other action. 

Collect Payment: This appears beside the More Actions button and allows you to enter and apply a payment directly to the invoice. Collecting payments in this was reduces the payment amount from the invoice balance. Once the full invoice balance has been paid through this button, the invoice status will automatically change to Paid. Learn more about how to collect payments on invoices.

Edit: This appears beside the More Actions button. This will open the invoice edit page to allow for changes to be made

More actions menu

The more action menu on invoices has many options including:

• Text Message: This will send the invoice to your client in a text message. The client will receive a text with a link to the client hub where they can view the invoice.
• E-mail to Client, or Resend E-mail to Client: This will allow you to email the invoice to your client. Learn more about Sending Invoices.
• Preview as Client: View how the invoice will look to a client viewing it in client hub.
  
  • Note: This action doesn't appear if the invoice is in Bad Debt status.
• Collect Signature: This will allow you to collect your client's signature on the invoice. A PDF of the invoice with the signature attached to it will be saved in the Internal Notes and Attachments for that invoice.
• Download PDF: This will open a PDF of the Invoice that you can download or print. Learn more about PDF Configuration settings.
• Close Invoice: Closing the invoice will give you three options:
  • With a Payment: This is the same as clicking Collect Payment. You will be prompted to enter the payment details and the invoice balance will be updated.
  • Bad Debt: This will change the invoice status to Bad Debt, deeming it uncollectible and removing it from Awaiting Payment and Past Due lists. If an invoice has been partially paid, marking it as Bad Debt will only affect the remaining balance owed.
  • Without a Payment: This will change the invoice status to Paid, but won't record a payment against it so the invoice balance will still look like it's owing.
    • Note: This option works best if you are keeping track of client balances and payments outside of Jobber, but otherwise clicking Collect Payment is a better option since it updates the invoice status and the invoice balance.  

Invoice reminders

Invoice reminders are what trigger jobs to go into "requires invoicing" status. They are generated based on your settings when you create a job on how frequently you would like to invoice. You can set up jobs to remind you to invoice at the correct times using invoice reminders.

There are different invoicing options for one-off jobs and recurring jobs. One-off jobs will prompt you to invoice once the job is closed, whereas recurring jobs can be set up to remind you to invoice at different points throughout the duration of the job such as after each visit or at the end of the month.

How to remove a job from "Requires Invoicing" status

If you have closed a job but it is in “requires invoicing” status, there will be an outstanding invoice reminder for this job which is prompting you to invoice. You will need to either delete this invoice reminder or create an invoice in order to get the job out of this status.

To check, go to the job. Then, scroll down towards the bottom of the page to the “billing” section. Click on the overdue invoice reminder. If you want to invoice, click “create invoice”. If you don’t want to invoice, click Edit > Delete. This will put the job into archived status.

Automatic payments

With automatic payments, clients who have a card stored on their profile through Jobber Payments are able to be automatically charged at the billing frequency that is set up upon job creation. Invoices will be automatically created and charged using Jobber Payments. Learn more.

Invoice follow-ups

Invoice follow-ups are available on select plans. Invoice follow-ups can be set up by admin users ny navigating to the Gear Icon > Settings > Automation. Learn more about automations. 

Invoice follow-ups automatically remind clients their invoice is past due. Pairing this reminder with Jobber Payments, gives your client an easy way to pay.