Create professional invoices in Dubsado to bill your clients for services. You can create an invoice from the global Invoicing page or from within a project.
Overview of invoices in Dubsado
Invoices let you bill clients, track payments, and manage your revenue. You can create an invoice in two places: the Invoicing page in the sidebar, or the Invoicing tab inside a project.
Invoices can also be generated automatically when a client completes a proposal or through a flow. This article focuses on how to create an invoice manually. Once an invoice exists, you can also edit or delete an invoice from the same views.
Creating a new invoice
You can create an invoice from two locations in Dubsado. Both paths open a new blank invoice tied to a contact and a project.
From the Invoicing page
Use this path when you want to start an invoice without opening a project first.
Navigate to the Invoicing page in the sidebar.
Click New Invoice.
Select a Contact from the dropdown menu, or click New contact to create one.
Select a Project from the dropdown menu, or click New project to create one.
Click Create Invoice.
The project list filters to show only projects associated with your selected contact. If you select a project first, the contact field auto-populates.
From within a project
Use this path when you're already working in a project and want to add an invoice to it.
Open the project and click the Invoicing tab.
Click +New Invoice.
The new invoice is automatically associated with the project and its contact.
Setting up your invoice
A new invoice has two main parts: the invoice details at the top and the line items that make up the total. Fill in both before saving.
Invoice details
The invoice details show on the invoice overview and identify the invoice for you and your client.
Invoice # — Auto-assigned sequentially based on your previous invoices. You can change it manually to match an external accounting system.
Date — Defaults to the current date. This is the date the invoice was issued, not the due date.
Title (optional) — A descriptive title to help you and your client identify the invoice.
Notes (optional) — Additional information visible to your client on the invoice. Click + Add notes to open the notes editor. Rich text editing is available.
To edit these fields, click the Edit icon (pencil) on the invoice overview.
The invoice date is not the same as a due date. To set due dates, add a payment plan to the invoice.
Adding line items
Every invoice needs at least one line item. Line items appear on the client-facing invoice in the same order they appear in the editor.
Click + Add Item.
Enter the item name.
Add a description (optional). Toggle Add bullet points to format the description as a bulleted list.
Edit the quantity.
Enter the price per unit.
Add a tax rate (optional). You can select an existing tax item or create a new one.
Select an income category from the dropdown (optional), or click New income category to create one. Choose the category name and income type (Services, Sales, or Non-Operating).
Click + Add Item again for additional items. Drag and drop line items to reorder them, or use the three dots menu (...) on a line item to Duplicate or Delete it.
Using packages, time tracking, and discounts
The toolbar above the line items section lets you add pre-built packages, tracked time, and a discount to the invoice.
Click Add a package to apply a package template's line items to the invoice. You can customize the line items afterward without changing the underlying template.
Click Add time tracking to convert tracked time entries into line items.
Click Apply a discount to add a discount to the invoice. Choose a fixed amount or a percentage. Only one discount can be applied per invoice. For percentage-based discounts, a checkbox appears on each line item so you can apply the discount selectively.
Saving the invoice
When you've added all your line items, click Save to save the invoice. Click Cancel to discard your changes.
Next steps after creating an invoice
Once your invoice is saved, you have a few options for what to do next.
Preview the invoice to see how it looks before sharing it with your client.
Send the invoice to your client by email, copy the invoice link, or download it as a PDF.
Add a payment plan to split the invoice total into installments with due dates and automated reminders.
Once an invoice has more than $0 of value, it automatically appears in the client's portal, even before you send it via email.
Other ways to create an invoice
You don't have to create every invoice manually. Dubsado can generate invoices for you in two ways:
Connect an invoice to a proposal so it generates automatically when the client completes the proposal.
Use a Create Invoice action in a flow to generate invoices as part of an automated sequence.
FAQ
Can I create an invoice without a project?
No. Every invoice in Dubsado is associated with a project. When you create an invoice from the Invoicing page, you select or create both a contact and a project. When you create one from inside a project, the association happens automatically.
Can I have more than one invoice on a project?
Yes. You can add multiple invoices to the same project. One invoice on each project is designated as the primary invoice.
What is the difference between the invoice date and a due date?
The invoice date marks when the invoice was created or issued. Due dates are set by adding a payment plan to the invoice, and automated payment reminders reference the payment plan's due dates, not the invoice date.
How do income categories help me?
Income categories help you track revenue by service or product type. You can classify income as Services, Sales, or Non-Operating. To add a new category while editing a line item, click New income category in the category dropdown.