Managing
Invoices
Learn how to create, send, and manage invoices for all types of services, from recurring maintenance to one-time work orders, ensuring you get paid accurately and on time.
Duration
28 minutes
Category
Billing & Finance
Part 1: The Core of Your Cash Flow
Invoicing is the lifeblood of your business. Upbuoy's invoicing system is designed to be both flexible and powerful, allowing you to bill for services in a way that makes sense for your business while maintaining a professional and organized process.
📊 The Invoices Dashboard
The main Invoices dashboard is your central hub for all billing activity. From here, you can:
See a high-level summary of your accounts receivable.
Quickly identify overdue and outstanding invoices.
Create new invoices from scratch or from existing jobs.
Track the status of every invoice.
Part 2: Creating an Invoice: Three Primary Methods
Upbuoy provides three ways to create an invoice, each suited for a different scenario.
Method 1: From a Completed Work Order
(Most Common for Repairs)
This is the most direct and error-proof way to bill for a one-time job.
Navigate to the Work Orders page and find the job in the "Finished" tab.
Open the work order's detail page (/workorders/[id]).
Click the "Generate Invoice" button.
Upbuoy will automatically take you to the invoice creation screen (/billing/invoices/create) with all the information pre-filled:
The customer and location are selected.
The line items from the work order (parts and labor) are already added.
The total amount is calculated.
All you need to do is review, set a due date, and click "Create Invoice".
Method 2: From an Approved Quote
This workflow ensures you're billing for exactly what the customer approved.
Navigate to the Billing > Quotes tab.
Open an "Approved" quote.
Click "Convert to Invoice".
Just like with a work order, Upbuoy creates a draft invoice with all the line items and pricing from the quote, ready for you to send.
Method 3: From Scratch
(For Miscellaneous Charges)
Use this method for charges that aren't tied to a specific service stop, like selling a bottle of chemicals over the counter.
Navigate to the Billing > Invoices page.
Click the "Create Invoice" button. This takes you to a blank invoice form in the invoice creation interface.
Select a Customer
Choose the customer you want to bill.
Add Line Items
Manually add each item, description, quantity, and price.
Review and Save
Set the due date and save the invoice.
Part 3: Managing the Invoice Lifecycle
Every invoice in Upbuoy moves through a clear lifecycle. You can track this on the main Invoices page using the status badges.
📄 Draft
An invoice has been created but not yet sent to the customer. This is your chance to review it for accuracy. You can find all draft invoices in the "Draft" tab.
📤 Sent
Once you send the invoice to the customer (either via email from Upbuoy or by sending them the PDF), you should manually update its status to "Sent". This moves it into your active accounts receivable.
✅ Paid
When you receive payment, you'll record it against the invoice. If the invoice is paid in full, its status will automatically update to "Paid".
See Module 19: Recording Payments for more details on this step.
⚠️ Partial
If a partial payment is made, the status will show as "Partial" until the full balance is paid.
🚨 Overdue
If an invoice's due date passes and it still has a balance, its status will automatically change to "Overdue", making it easy to spot and follow up on.
Part 4: The Invoice Detail Page (/billing/invoices/[id])
Clicking on any invoice from the list takes you to its detailed view. Here you can perform key actions:
👀 View Details
See a professional preview of the invoice exactly as the customer sees it.
⚡ Actions Menu (...)
✏️ Edit Invoice
Takes you to the edit screen (/billing/invoices/[id]/edit) where you can modify line items, dates, or notes on a draft invoice.
📧 Send Email
Email the invoice directly to the customer.
📄 Download PDF
Generate a professional PDF to print or send as an attachment.
🗑️ Delete Invoice
Permanently remove a draft invoice. (Note: Paid invoices typically cannot be deleted for accounting integrity).
Key Takeaways
You can create invoices from Work Orders, Quotes, or from scratch.
Creating invoices from completed jobs is the best way to ensure accuracy and reduce billing errors.
The status of an invoice (Draft, Sent, Paid, Overdue) helps you manage your accounts receivable and follow up on late payments effectively.
The main Invoices dashboard provides powerful summary cards and filters to give you a clear picture of your company's financial health.
Next Steps
Creating and sending invoices is only half the battle. The next crucial step is accurately recording payments against those invoices.
Ready to learn about payments?
Proceed to Module 19: Recording and Tracking Payments