# Create an invoice

> Build an invoice from your design fees, the project's products, expenses and logged time, then save it as a draft or send it.

Source: https://docs.moodiri.com/invoices/create-an-invoice

## Why use it

An invoice built from scratch in a spreadsheet drifts from what was actually ordered and approved. Building it in Moodiri pulls in the project's real products, prices and logged hours, keeps the totals right, and gives your client one link to pay online.

## When to use it

- **Design fees and retainers.** A flat design fee, hourly work, a deposit or a change order.
- **Purchasing.** Bill the furniture, lighting and finishes you are ordering for the client, straight from the project's products.
- **Reimbursables.** Mileage, shipping, storage and samples.
- **Everything at once.** A **Mixed** invoice puts services, purchasing and expenses together.

To bill hours from your timesheets in bulk, start from [Invoice unbilled time](https://docs.moodiri.com/time-tracking/invoice-unbilled-time). To bring in invoices you issued before Moodiri, use [Import past invoices](https://docs.moodiri.com/invoices/import-past-invoices).

## Before you start

- Only the owner and admins can create invoices.
- Connect Stripe first. Until it is connected, Moodiri shows **Connect to Stripe** in place of the builder. See [Before you start: connect Stripe](https://docs.moodiri.com/invoices/connect-stripe-before-invoicing).
- The project needs a client. Without one you see **This project has no client. Add a client to the project before creating an invoice.**
- To send the invoice (not only save it), the client needs an email address.

## Steps

![New invoice LS-016-INV005 for Lombard Street Loft billed to Alex Rivera, with a due date, empty product lines, a $0.00 total, and Save as draft and Send invoice buttons.](https://docs.moodiri.com/shots/invoices--create-an-invoice-1600.webp)
Same screen with numbered callouts: https://docs.moodiri.com/shots/invoices--create-an-invoice-annotated.webp
Callout 1: Save as draft
Callout 2: Send invoice
1. On **Invoices**, choose **Create invoice**, then search for the project, for example *Lombard Street Loft*.
2. Pick what you are invoicing for: **Design services**, **Purchasing**, **Expenses** or **Mixed**. The type only sets the starting section.
3. Check the **Invoice name**. It is suggested from the project code and sequence, and must be unique on the project.
4. Choose a **Due date**. It starts 30 days from today and can't be in the past.
5. Describe the fee and enter its price, for example *Design fee, phase 2* at $4,500.00.
6. Under **Add category**, add another section, such as **Expense** for mileage or shipping.
7. Choose **Note to client** to add payment terms your client reads on the invoice.
8. Choose **Save as draft** to finish later, or **Send invoice** to issue it now.

## Invoice types

![Create invoice window with a project search and a list of projects to choose from, such as Park SOMA Penthouse, Mills Estate Renovation and Lombard Street Loft.](https://docs.moodiri.com/shots/invoices--create-an-invoice--invoice-types-1600.webp)
Same screen with numbered callouts: https://docs.moodiri.com/shots/invoices--create-an-invoice--invoice-types-annotated.webp
Callout 1: Create invoice window


When you choose **Create invoice**, the window asks **What would you like to invoice for?**

- **Design services**: fees, retainers and change orders. Starts with a design fee line.
- **Purchasing**: products from your project spaces.
- **Expenses**: mileage, travel and reimbursables. Starts with a mileage line.
- **Mixed**: services, purchasing and expenses together.

The type only sets the starting point. You can add any other category in the builder.

## Service lines

Under **Design services**, each line has a type, a description, a quantity, a unit price and a total. Types are **Design fee**, **Hourly rate**, **Consultation**, **Project management**, **Change order**, **Retainer**, **Deposit**, **Rush fee**, **Revision fee** and **Other**. For **Hourly rate**, enter hours as the quantity and your rate per hour as the price. Choose **Add service line** for more.

## Purchasing lines

Under **Procurement**, choose **Add from products** to pick products from the project's spaces. See [Add project products](https://docs.moodiri.com/invoices/add-project-products-to-an-invoice).

## Sort and group products on the invoice

![New invoice for Lombard Street Loft, with the Products & purchasing section showing Sort products and Add from products buttons above an empty line items area.](https://docs.moodiri.com/shots/invoices--create-an-invoice--sort-and-group-products-1600.webp)
Same screen with numbered callouts: https://docs.moodiri.com/shots/invoices--create-an-invoice--sort-and-group-products-annotated.webp
Callout 1: Sort products


Once there are two or more products, choose **Sort products** and pick **Room**, **Vendor**, **Category**, **Product name · A–Z**, **Amount · low to high** or **Amount · high to low**. Sorting by room, vendor or category also groups the products under headings, and the grouping is saved with the invoice. Fees, expenses and custom lines keep their places.

## Expenses (mileage, shipping, storage)

Under **Expenses**, choose **Add expense** and pick a type: **Mileage**, **Parking & tolls**, **Travel**, **Accommodation**, **Shipping & freight**, **Storage**, **Samples**, **Supplies**, **Contractor markup**, **Expediting fee**, **Restocking fee** or **Other**.

For **Mileage**, enter the miles and Moodiri multiplies them by the rate per mile. The rate starts at $0.67 per mile, and you can change it on the line.

## Bill logged time

![Add logged time dialog for Lombard Street Loft, showing one week with two selected time entries and an Add 3h 15m, $812.50 button.](https://docs.moodiri.com/shots/invoices--create-an-invoice--bill-logged-time-1600.webp)
Same screen with numbered callouts: https://docs.moodiri.com/shots/invoices--create-an-invoice--bill-logged-time-annotated.webp
Callout 1: Add logged time


Choose **Logged time** under **Add category** to open **Add logged time**. It lists billable time on the project that isn't on an invoice yet. Tap a card to leave an entry out, then choose whether the time appears **Grouped** or **One per entry**, and add it.

Billing logged time needs the owner, or an admin with the **Time tracking** permission. See [Invoice unbilled time](https://docs.moodiri.com/time-tracking/invoice-unbilled-time) for billing time from your reports.

## Partial billing (billing %)

To bill part of a product now and the rest later, set its **Billing %**. The percentage is cumulative: it is how much of the product is billed through this invoice, including earlier invoices. For example, bill a deposit at 50% now, then 100% on the final invoice. Use **All products** at the top of the column to set one percentage for every eligible product.

**Billing %** works on project products only, not on fees, expenses or custom lines. Once a product has a partial billing history, partial billing can't be turned off for it.

## Sales tax on invoices

When your firm uses sales tax tools, service and expense lines have a **Tax** field, and product lines take their tax from the project. If products need a tax decision, the builder shows a review notice: choose **Auto-calculate taxes** to open **Review product taxes**. For each product, choose **Project rate**, **Manual rate** (with a reason) or **Exempt** (with a reason; a certificate is optional). Nothing changes until you apply your choices.

While products are waiting on review, the side panel shows **Final total is waiting on product tax review.** See the [Sales tax report](https://docs.moodiri.com/financials/sales-tax-report) for what you collect.

## Attachments, client notes and internal notes

Below the totals, add:

- **Note to client**: payment terms, milestones, anything your client should read on the invoice.
- **Internal note**: private reminders for your team. Your client never sees it.
- **Attachments**: PDFs that go with the invoice, such as a signed proposal.

> **Tip:** Not ready to send? **Save as draft** keeps everything, and the invoice stays in **Draft** until you send it.

## What happens next

- **Save as draft** creates the invoice in **Draft** and opens its [invoice page](https://docs.moodiri.com/invoices/invoice-page). Its PDF is watermarked as a draft and your client sees nothing.
- **Send invoice** opens a confirmation showing who receives it, the total and the due date. See [Send an invoice](https://docs.moodiri.com/invoices/send-an-invoice).
- The invoice is dated automatically when it is sent.

## Limits

- The invoice name is required, up to 120 characters, and must be unique within the project.
- The due date can't be in the past.
- Attachments are PDF only, up to 20 MB each.
- Up to 500 logged time entries per invoice.
- Logged time and applying client credit can't be combined in one step. Apply the credit after saving.
- A closed project takes no new invoices.
- When sales tax tools are on, purchasing lines come from project products. **Custom item** is offered only when they are off.

## Troubleshooting

- **Enter an amount or remove this line.** A line has a $0.00 total. Give it a price or remove it.
- **Another invoice with the same name already exists in this project.** Change the **Invoice name**.
- **Confirm the trade discount on each flagged line before saving.** A product's trade discount needs your review. Confirm it on the line, then save.
- **This project is closed. Reopen it before creating an invoice.** Reopen the project first.

## Questions

### Can I mix fees, products and expenses on one invoice?

Yes. Choose **Mixed**, or start with any type and add the other categories from **Add category**. The type only decides which section you start with.

### Can I bill the same product twice?

Moodiri asks first. If a product is already on another invoice, you see **Re-bill product already on another invoice?** and must choose **Re-bill and save** to continue.

### Can I apply a client's credit while creating the invoice?

Yes, when the client has credit available. Tick **Apply credit to this invoice** and set the **Amount to apply**. This isn't available on an invoice that includes logged time; apply the credit after saving instead.