Step by step: creating and processing an invoice

Introduction: What is creating invoices?

Creating invoices means drawing up an official bill for a customer for the products you have delivered. The invoice shows what the customer ordered, how much it costs, and when it should be paid.

Why create invoices?

You need to create invoices because:

• Customers know what they have to pay and what for
• You have proof that you have delivered products
• It is legally required for your administration
• You can keep track of which customers have already paid
• You can do your tax return correctly
• Customers have an official document for their own bookkeeping

How do you create an invoice?

Step 1: To the customer

Open Distribution

1. Go to "Distribution"
2. Click on "Per debtor"
3. You now see a list of all customers

Select customer

1. Find the customer for whom you want to create an invoice
2. Click on this customer
3. You now see all distributions (delivered products) for this customer

---

Step 2: Check distributions

Before you create an invoice, check that all distributions (deliveries) are correct.

What are distributions? Distributions are the products you have delivered or assigned to this customer. Each delivery appears as a line with:

• The delivery date
• The product (for example "Roses red 60cm")
• The quantity (for example 50 pieces)
• The price per piece
• The total amount

Check

1. Check whether all products are correct
2. Check whether the quantities are correct
3. Check whether the prices are right
4. If there are mistakes, correct them first before continuing

---

Step 3: Create invoice

If all distributions are correct, you can create the invoice.

Open invoicing menu

1. Click on "Invoice" at the top
2. You now see two options

---

Option A: Create invoice (only this day)

Use this option when you want to invoice for only one specific day.

When to use?

• The customer gets a separate invoice every day
• You invoice per delivery
• The customer has only had one delivery today

How to use:

1. Click on "Create invoice"
2. An invoice is now created for only the chosen day
3. Continue to step 4

---

Option B: Create invoice (all days)

Use this option when you want to invoice all outstanding deliveries.

When to use?

• The customer gets one invoice per week or per month
• You want to invoice all outstanding deliveries together
• The customer has had multiple deliveries that have not yet been invoiced

Example: The customer received products on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. With this option, you put all three deliveries on one invoice.

How to use:

1. Click on "Create invoice (all days)"
2. One invoice is now created with all outstanding deliveries
3. Continue to step 4

---

Step 4: Check invoice

Before you finalize the invoice, you must first check it.

View invoice

1. Click on "Print"
2. Click on "View and print"
3. The invoice now opens (usually as a PDF)

What to check?

• Customer details: Are the name and address correct?
• Invoice number: Is there a unique number on it?
• Date: Is the invoice date correct?
• Products: Are all the right products on it?
• Quantities: Are the quantities correct?
• Prices: Are the prices correct (including any markups)?
• Total amount: Is the total amount calculated correctly?
• VAT: Is the VAT amount correct?

If there are mistakes:

1. Close the invoice
2. Go back to the distributions
3. Correct the mistakes
4. Start again from step 3

If everything is correct: Continue to step 5

---

Step 5: Process invoice

If the invoice is correct, you can finalize it.

Finalize

1. Click on "Process"
2. The invoice is now finalized
3. The invoice number is locked in
4. The invoice can no longer be changed

What happens now?

• The invoice is official and has a unique number
• The customer can pay this invoice
• The invoice appears in your administration
• You can send the invoice to the customer (by post or email)

Done! The invoice is now created and processed.

---

Practical examples

Example 1: Daily invoice

• Situation: Customer Jansen gets a separate invoice every day
• Action:
  1. Go to Distribution → Per debtor → Jansen
  2. Check today's distribution
  3. Click on Invoice → Create invoice
  4. View and check the invoice
  5. Click on Process
• Result: Jansen has an invoice for today's delivery

Example 2: Weekly collective invoice

• Situation: Customer Pietersen gets one invoice every Friday for the whole week
• Action:
  1. Go to Distribution → Per debtor → Pietersen
  2. You see deliveries from Monday, Wednesday and Friday
  3. Click on Invoice → Create invoice (all days)
  4. View the invoice: all 3 deliveries are on it
  5. Click on Process
• Result: Pietersen has one invoice with all deliveries from this week

Example 3: Mistake discovered

• Situation: You see that there is a wrong price on the invoice
• Action:
  1. Close the invoice without clicking Process
  2. Correct the price in the distribution
  3. Create the invoice again
  4. Check whether the price is now correct
  5. Click on Process
• Result: The invoice is correct and can be sent

Example 4: Monthly invoice

• Situation: Customer De Boer gets one invoice per month for all deliveries
• Action:
  1. Wait until the end of the month
  2. Go to Distribution → Per debtor → De Boer
  3. Click on Invoice → Create invoice (all days)
  4. All deliveries from the entire month are on one invoice
  5. Process the invoice
• Result: De Boer has one clear monthly invoice

---

Important tips

Tip 1: Always check before processing

• Once processed, you can no longer change the invoice
• Check all data thoroughly
• Better to look twice than to send one invoice wrong

Tip 2: Make agreements with customers

• Discuss how often they want an invoice (daily, weekly, monthly)
• Note this in their customer data
• That way you always know which option to choose

Tip 3: Save invoices

• Print or save every invoice
• You need this for your administration
• Also handy for customer questions

Tip 4: Invoice regularly

• Don't wait too long to invoice
• Customers pay faster if they receive the invoice quickly
• It prevents you from forgetting

Tip 5: Use clear descriptions

• Make sure product names are clear on the invoice
• Customers must be able to see what they have received
• This prevents questions and disputes

Frequently asked questions

Question: Can I still change a processed invoice?

• No, once processed it's final
• You then need to make a credit note to correct mistakes
• So always check carefully before clicking Process

Question: What if I accidentally invoice twice?

• The customer gets two invoices for the same products
• You need to credit (reverse) one invoice
• Contact the customer to explain

Question: How do I know which option to choose?

• Check the customer agreements
• Or ask the customer what they want
• Usually: daily = "Create invoice", weekly/monthly = "Create invoice (all days)"

Question: Can I email the invoice automatically?

• That depends on your system settings
• Often there is an option to send invoices automatically
• Check this in the invoicing settings

Question: What if there are still products not delivered?

• Only invoice what has already been delivered
• Products that still need to come you invoice later
• Or wait until everything is delivered and then make the invoice

What to do with problems?

Problem: Invoice shows wrong price

• Don't continue with processing
• Close the invoice
• Correct the price in the distribution
• Create the invoice again

Problem: Customer details are wrong

• Close the invoice
• Go to the customer card and adjust the details
• Create the invoice again

Problem: Products missing from invoice

• Check whether all distributions have been created
• Possibly some deliveries have not yet been entered
• Add the missing distributions
• Create the invoice again

Problem: Cannot process invoice

• Check whether there are no error messages
• Check whether all required fields are filled in
• Try creating the invoice again
• Contact support if it keeps failing

Summary

You create invoices for customers in five simple steps:

• Step 1: Go to Distribution → Per debtor and choose the customer
• Step 2: Check whether all distributions (deliveries) are correct
• Step 3: Click on Invoice and choose: "Create invoice" for only today, or "Create invoice (all days)" for all outstanding deliveries
• Step 4: View the invoice via Print → View and print, check all data (customer, products, prices, total)
• Step 5: If everything is correct click on Process to finalize the invoice
• Note: Once processed you can no longer change an invoice, so always check thoroughly before clicking Process