PayPolka

Invoices

An invoice is a bill you send to a client. PayPolka lets you create invoices three ways: manually from scratch, automatically as drafts from a recurring schedule, or from an accepted estimate (see Billing an estimate). However an invoice is created, it works the same once it exists.

Creating a manual invoice

From the Invoices section, choose New invoice. You’ll fill in:

  • Client — who you’re billing.
  • Issue date — when the invoice is dated.
  • Due date — when payment is expected.
  • Subject — a short description of what the invoice is for.
  • Payment terms — e.g. Net 30. This helps set the due date.
  • Tax % — the tax rate to apply, if any.
  • Discount % — an optional discount applied to the subtotal.
  • Notes — anything you’d like the client to see on the invoice.
  • Allowed payment methods — which ways the client can pay. These start from your account defaults (a snapshot taken when the invoice is created) and can be overridden on this invoice. At least one payment method must be enabled before you can send an invoice. See Payments & Stripe.

Adding line items

The line item editor on invoices is the same one used for estimates. You can:

  • Add from catalog — opens a drawer with your saved Labor Rates and Catalog Products to drop in.
  • Add line item — adds a blank row you fill in by hand.

Each line item has a type (labor, service, expense, materials, travel, or other), a description, quantity, unit price, and a calculated amount. For the full editor walkthrough, see Estimates.

The invoice detail view

Opening an invoice shows it the way your client will see it:

  • FROM — your business profile (name and address from your account settings).
  • INVOICE FOR — the client’s name, primary contact, and address.
  • Fields — invoice ID, issue date, due date, and subject.
  • Line items table — item type, description, quantity, unit price, and amount.
  • Smart totals — the Subtotal, Tax, and Discount rows appear only when they’re non-zero, so simple invoices stay clean. Amount due always shows.

Draft invoices display a DRAFT watermark so you can tell at a glance that they haven’t been sent yet.

Actions on an invoice

Depending on its status, an invoice offers:

  • Send / Resend — email the invoice to the client’s primary contact. (At least one payment method must be enabled first.)
  • Download PDF — get a PDF copy.
  • Copy invoice link — copy the public link to share directly. This is a bearer link; anyone with it can view the invoice, and it can be regenerated if needed.
  • Edit — change any of the invoice fields or line items.
  • Record payment — log a payment. See Getting paid.
  • Send a thank-you note — available on paid invoices.
  • Actions dropdown — for less common tasks: mark sent, write off, reopen, regenerate public link, and delete.

Invoice statuses

  • Draft — created but not yet sent.
  • Sent — emailed to the client and awaiting payment.
  • Paid — payment recorded in full.
  • Written off — marked uncollectible (it no longer counts as outstanding).

There’s also a derived Overdue display: any sent invoice past its due date shows as overdue. It’s calculated automatically, not a status you set.

The invoice list

The Invoices section lists invoices across all your clients with these columns: Number, Client, Subject, Date, Status, Amount, and Balance. Invoice numbers use an INV- prefix.

You can filter by status with the All / Draft / Sent / Paid / Written off tabs. Two sub-tabs split the section: Invoices (the bills you’ve created) and Recurring (your schedules — see Recurring invoices).