Creating an Invoice

Overview

Invoices are how you get paid. When work is complete, you create an invoice that documents what was done and how much is owed. BlueClerk invoices are professional, can accept online payments, integrate with accounting software, and can include photos from your completed work. You can now attach purchase orders to invoices, linking supplier orders to customer billing for complete job cost tracking.

When you create an invoice that doesn't have a linked job or ticket, BlueClerk prompts you to create one - ensuring you maintain complete work records and can schedule follow-up visits if needed.

Creating an Invoice

From a Completed Job

The most common way:

1. Complete a job with a job report
2. Click "Create Invoice" from the job
3. Confirm creation when prompted
4. Customer, property, and work details pre-fill

From Scratch

When you need to invoice without a job first:

1. Click "Finance" in the sidebar
2. Select "New Invoice" from the flyout menu
3. Fill in the invoice details

Invoice Details

Required Information

• Customer: Who you're billing
• Property: Where the work was performed (auto-filled if customer has one property)
• Line items: What you're charging for

Optional Information

• Invoice number: Auto-generated, but you can customize
• Issue date: Defaults to today
• Due date: Defaults to 30 days from issue date
• Notes: Special instructions or details for the customer
• Photos: Attach photos from the job

Adding Line Items

Search Your Catalog

1. Start typing in the item search field
2. Search runs on the server - handles large catalogs smoothly
3. See "Searching items..." message while loading
4. Select an item from the dropdown
5. Quantity and price auto-fill from your catalog
6. Adjust as needed - change quantity or price for this invoice

Manual Entry

If the item isn't in your catalog:

1. Type the description directly
2. Add quantity and unit price
3. The line item is added without catalog linkage
4. Note: Manual items won't sync to accounting software

Attaching Purchase Orders

Link supplier purchase orders to customer invoices for complete job tracking:

1. Open an invoice in edit mode
2. Look for "Attach PO" button in the invoice form
3. Click "Attach PO"
4. Select from your purchase orders - only OPEN or FULFILLED orders show
5. Filter by property if needed to find the right PO
6. Click "Attach" to link the PO to the invoice
7. The PO appears in a "Linked POs" panel on the invoice
8. View full PO details by clicking the PO number
9. Remove attachment if needed by clicking the X icon

Why Attach Purchase Orders

• Track supplier costs against customer billing
• See profit margins - compare what you paid suppliers vs. what customer paid you
• Complete job records - link all supplier orders to the customer invoice
• Better reporting - job profitability reports include supplier costs from POs
• Audit trail - prove which materials were purchased for each customer job

Marking Invoices Sent

Quick Send Button

After creating an invoice, you'll see a "Mark Sent" button:

1. Click "Mark Sent" to update status to SENT without emailing
2. Use this when you've already emailed the invoice manually or handed a paper copy to the customer
3. Invoice status updates to SENT immediately
4. Due date tracking begins - payment reminders and past due badges will activate

When to Use Mark Sent

• You printed and handed the invoice to the customer on-site
• You emailed the invoice outside of BlueClerk
• You sent via text message or another channel
• You want to track the invoice as sent without using BlueClerk's email system

Tips

• Use catalog items whenever possible - they sync to accounting software
• Add photos from the job report - they appear on the invoice PDF
• Review before sending - make sure everything is accurate
• Send promptly - the faster you invoice, the faster you get paid
• Attach purchase orders to track supplier costs and calculate true job profitability

Questions

Q: Can I edit an invoice after sending it?
A: Yes, but be careful. If the customer has already seen it, changes can cause confusion. For significant changes, consider voiding the original and creating a new invoice.

Q: What if the item I need isn't in my catalog?
A: You can add it manually on the invoice, but it won't sync to QuickBooks/Xero. Better to add it to your catalog first (Settings > Items) so it syncs properly.

Q: Can I attach invoices to estimates?
A: No - invoices are created from estimates, not attached to them. Convert an approved estimate to an invoice using the "Create Invoice" button.

Q: Do I have to send the invoice through BlueClerk?
A: No - you can click "Mark Sent" to update the status without using BlueClerk's email system. This is useful if you've already sent the invoice another way or handed a paper copy to the customer.

Q: Can I attach multiple purchase orders to one invoice?
A: Yes - click "Attach PO" multiple times to link several purchase orders to the same customer invoice. This is common when one job requires materials from multiple suppliers.

Q: What happens to attached POs when I void an invoice?
A: The PO attachments remain in the database but the voided invoice won't appear in profitability reports. Re-attach the POs to the replacement invoice if needed.

Q: Can I attach a purchase order to multiple invoices?
A: Yes - one PO can be linked to multiple invoices. This is useful when supplier materials are spread across several customer jobs or billing milestones.