As a small business owner, you don’t have time to chase down payments. That’s why we built our invoicing tool to include the time-saving features you need to get invoices out and the money in.

Where to Create & Send Invoices

You can manage invoices from three primary locations in the system:

Lead Records⭐️ (Recommended for new inquiries)
Project Client Tab (Best for active jobs when not using Leads)
Invoices Tab (General overview, upcoming + past due payments)

Pro-Tips for Organization

Selecting the right location for your invoices ensures your financial tracking stays organized as a lead moves through your workflow.

For New Business: Start within the Lead Record. This gives the invoice a permanent "home" early on. When the lead books, simply convert the lead to a project to keep all documentation together.
For Active Projects: Create the invoice directly within the Project. Only use this after a client is booked with a project, otherwise start in their lead record.
For Miscellaneous Clients: Use the Leads Record for clients without a formal project to keep your financial tracking centralized and organized.

Summary Recommendation: Whenever possible, create invoices within a Lead or Project record rather than the general Invoices tab to ensure they stay linked to the correct contact..

Pro-Tip: Want to get paid faster? Learn how to accept online payments through Aisle Planner's Wedpay here.

Step 1: Enable auto-numbering for Quotes & Invoices

1. Locate Your Invoice Templates

Navigate to the settings menu by following these steps:

Go to Business Settings ⚙️ (upper right corner)
Select the Templates tab
Click Invoices in the left-hand column

2. Enable Auto-Numbering (Optional)

To automate your workflow and keep your records organized:

Activate: Click the Enable Auto-Numbering button.
Set Your Start Point: We default to 0001, but you can enter any digit in the Starting Number field.
Customize Your Format: Use the Number Format field to create a custom naming convention (e.g., INV-2024-).

For example, if you enter "5001" as the Starting Number and "To La Lune - {{NUMBER}} - 2020" in the Number Format, the invoice number will appear like this on your first invoice: "To La Lune - 5001 - 2020." Each quote or invoice that is produced here on out while auto-numbering is enabled, will increment by 1.

Step 2: Create an Invoice Template

The goal is to set up as much as possible at the template level to save you time later. You can always make adjustments before sending the final version to a client.

1. Start a New Template

Click the Add New button (gold button at the bottom of the screen).
Pro Tip: Create multiple templates for different service packages or combinations you offer.

2. Name & Personalize

Template Name: Give your template a clear name for future reference.
Description: This field is optional—add details here if it helps your internal organization.
Design: Click Edit Invoice to begin personalizing the layout and line items.
Merge Fields: Set up your 'Recipient' merge fields (Lead) so data populates into those field when that invoice (or quote!) is used in a lead record.

Why do this? The more details you add now, the fewer clicks you'll have to make when it's time to get paid!

Step 3: Verify Branding & Business Info

Before finalizing your template, ensure your brand identity is consistent. The system is designed to pull this information automatically.

1. Check Your Logo

The Goal: Your logo should appear in the upper-left corner.
Fixing Blank Spaces: If you see a white gap, go to the Branding Center to upload your logo. This ensures a professional, branded experience for every client.

2. Review Contact Details

The Goal: Your business info should appear in the top-right corner.
How to Update:
- Permanently: Go to Business Settings⚙️ to fill in your default details.
- Manually: You can type directly into this area if you need to make a one-time adjustment..

Step 4: Automate the "Bill To" Section

Using Merge Fields allows the system to automatically pull client details directly into the invoice, saving you from manual data entry for every new project.

How to Add Merge Fields

Click into the "Bill To" field (located at the top left of your invoice template).
Select the "Insert Merge Field" dropdown menu that appears.
Choose your fields.

Recommended Fields to Include

At a minimum, we suggest adding these four fields to ensure your invoices are professional and complete:

{{Lead Full Name}}
{{Lead Address}}
{{Lead Email}}
{{Lead Phone Number}}

Pro-Tip: Once these are set in your template, they will automatically populate with the specific client's information as soon as you apply the template to a Lead or Project.

Step 5: Detail Your Services & Products

Define your offerings at the template level so you don’t have to start from scratch for every client.

1. Use the Product Library

Pro-Tip: Save frequently used items to your Product Library. Once saved, you can pull them into any invoice or template instantly, making your workflow even faster.

Item Descriptions: Clearly define the services or products.
Pricing: Set your standard rates.
Images: Images are only visible on quote documents.

2. Add Products to Invoices

After building your Product Library, open an invoice template
Add a line item to the invoice, start typing and your Product list will appear to select from.

Note: You can always adjust specific quantities or prices later when you apply this template to an actual client invoice.

👉 Personalize Your Message & Provide Additional Information

Don't forget to add a short note of appreciation, any payment instructions, as well as a note about your cancelation or refund/return policies to provide your clients the right guidance and information when it comes to making any payments.

Now that your invoice template is all set up, it's time to send your first invoice! 🎉

Sending Your Invoice

Open up the Lead's Record under you Sales Tab
Click 'Add Invoice' from the gold action arrow in the upper right corner

3. Locate and select the template from your list of prepared templates

4. Edit any Product Line Items, Pricing, Description or Notes

5. Adjust/ensure taxes or service charges are applied accurately

6. Create payment schedule with due dates and reminders.

Publishing & Sending Your Invoice

When you're ready to send your invoice, follow these steps:

Open the Menu: Click the gold action button (top right).
Delivery Method: Ensure Send Invoice By Email is checked.
Compose: Enter the client's info, subject line, and message—or select a pre-made Email Template.

Clients will receive a beautifully branded email with a link to view and easily pay your invoice directly online. We encourage you to send a test invoice to yourself to get comfortable with what your clients will experience and how Aisle Planner works.

*A must watch video highlighting all you need to know about Sales Documents*