This guide will help you customize your invoices. When you’re finished configuring and testing, your Chargify invoices will be ready for customers.
Summary
- Feature
- Invoices
- You Need
- An understanding of your invoice requirements.
- Code
- No
- Difficulty
- ◉◎◎◎◎
Configure Invoices
This will walk you through how, step by step.
1. Configure invoice settings
Go to Config > Settings > Invoices.
- Invoice Collection Help
Set "Automatic Payment" (default) most of the time. Only set "Manual Payment" if you never accept automated payments. - Invoice Start Number Help
Default is 1. Tip: sometimes companies don't like to start with 1 because it makes their business appear "new". If this is the case, try a number like 1001 or 10001. - Invoice Customization (Appearance) Help
These settings control logo and address appearance. - Line Item Elements Help
These settings control line item elements/appearance. Of particular importance, is disabling $0 products, if you have a product configuration that utilizes $0 products. - Tax Settings Help
2. Set your business address
By default, your business address displayed in the top left corner of invoices, is based on your main Account settings. You can change this in 1 of 2 methods.
Method 1 - Edit merchant information
On the top menu, top right, open your Account settings. From there, edit your merchant information. Any existing invoices will be not updated with this address.
Method 2 - Add a site-specific organization address
On the left menu, open your Site settings.
Next, scroll down to the bottom and check this box to open the address settings. Enter your business address and save changes. Any existing invoices will be updated with this address.
Method 1 - Edit merchant information
On the top menu, top right, open your Account settings. From there, edit your merchant information. Any existing invoices will be not updated with this address.
Method 2 - Add a site-specific organization address
On the left menu, open your Site settings.
Next, scroll down to the bottom and check this box to open the address settings. Enter your business address and save changes. Any existing invoices will be updated with this address.
3. Set up invoice emails
4. Set up invoice language/phrasing
You can use language settings to alter actual language (Spanish, French, etc), or change the phrasing of specific terms (eg: instead of "Bill To", change it to "Billed To", etc).
- Navigate to Invoice Language Settings
Go to Config > Settings > Language Settings. - Add/Edit a Language Help
To Add, click "+ Add a Language". To edit, click Actions > Customize Language. - Test
Invoices update in real time when you edit a language. To test, have an invoice open, save a language change, then refresh the invoice. Repeat until the end result is what you want.
5. Test
Create subscriptions that reflect your real use case(s), and test invoices for signups, renewals, one-time charges, mid-period charges, and anything else, as applicable. Revise your invoice settings as needed.
Optional - Set up Net Terms
Go to Config > Settings > Net Term Settings. Help
Optional - Set up Invoice Custom Fields
Go to Config > Custom Fields. Create a custom field, set "Display Field Data on Invoices" to Yes. In the bottom left corner of invoices, a custom field section will appear (eg: Device ID, imaged below).
Optional - Add invoice email template
You can use this quickstart email html template, and modify the content as needed. For help installing the template, see the email guide.
Optional - Issue invoices in advance
Go to Config > Settings > Advance Invoices. Help
This feature allows you to issue invoices in advance, automatically, some number of days before the actual renewal, on a per product basis. For example, you can sell an Annual Premium plan, and issue the invoice in advance 30 days prior to the renewal. The timeline might look like:
Jan 1, 2022 -- customer subscribes
Dec 1, 2022 -- renewal invoice generated
Jan 1, 2023 -- renewal date
Testing
Once you configure this feature, you'll want to test. To test the real advance invoice automation, you'll need to allow the real number of days to pass. You won't want to wait that long, so instead go to the subscription > Actions > Issue Invoice Immediately. This will show you a preview of the invoice, and then you can click "Confirm Invoice". This will simulate the issue invoice in advance process, so you can test.
This feature allows you to issue invoices in advance, automatically, some number of days before the actual renewal, on a per product basis. For example, you can sell an Annual Premium plan, and issue the invoice in advance 30 days prior to the renewal. The timeline might look like:
Jan 1, 2022 -- customer subscribes
Dec 1, 2022 -- renewal invoice generated
Jan 1, 2023 -- renewal date
Testing
Once you configure this feature, you'll want to test. To test the real advance invoice automation, you'll need to allow the real number of days to pass. You won't want to wait that long, so instead go to the subscription > Actions > Issue Invoice Immediately. This will show you a preview of the invoice, and then you can click "Confirm Invoice". This will simulate the issue invoice in advance process, so you can test.