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Sending Invoices

Send invoices to customers via email with preview and customizable messaging.

Preview & Send Workflow​

After creating or editing an invoice:

  1. Click Preview & Send on the invoice form
  2. Review the invoice summary
  3. Click Send Invoice
  4. Configure email options
  5. Send the email

Invoice Summary Preview​

The preview shows:

  • Invoice number and title
  • Project information
  • Customer details
  • Line items with prices
  • Total amount due
  • Due date
  • Your company information

Review the summary to verify all details are correct before sending.

Share Invoice Dialog​

After reviewing the preview, the Share Invoice dialog appears:

Email To​

Select the recipient email address from the customer's contact emails. The dropdown shows all email addresses associated with the project's contact.

Reply To​

Select the reply-to address. This defaults to the project's assigned salesperson. When the customer replies to the invoice email, responses go to this address.

Message​

Enter a custom message for the email body. The default message is:

Hello,

Click the button below to review your invoice.

Customize this message as needed. It appears in the body of the email above the payment button.

Sending the Email​

  1. Verify the Email To address
  2. Confirm the Reply To address
  3. Customize the Message if needed
  4. Click Send

What the Customer Receives​

The customer receives an HTML email containing:

  1. Your custom message - The personalized text you entered in the Share Invoice dialog
  2. "Review and Pay Invoice" button - A green button that links directly to the Client Portal
  3. Company signature - Your company name as a sign-off

Email Format Details​

The invoice email is sent as an HTML email only—there is no PDF attachment included. The email is designed to direct customers to the Client Portal where they can:

  • View complete invoice details
  • See line items and pricing
  • Make payments online (if payment options are configured)
  • Download a PDF copy if needed

The "Review and Pay Invoice" Button​

When customers click the button in the email:

  1. Magic link authentication - The button contains a secure, time-limited token that automatically logs the customer into the Client Portal
  2. Direct to invoice - After authentication, customers are redirected directly to the Billing & Payments section
  3. No password required - The magic link eliminates the need for customers to remember login credentials

The link format is secure and unique to each customer—it cannot be shared or reused by others.

Invoice Status After Sending​

When you send an invoice:

  • The invoice workflow status updates to Pending (if it was Unreleased)
  • The invoice is visible to the customer via the Client Portal
  • Email delivery is logged

How Customers Pay Invoices​

Once customers access the Client Portal through the email link, they can view all their invoices and make payments. The payment options available depend on your configuration:

Payment Options​

OptionConfigurationHow It Works
Checkbook.ioEnable in Settings > IntegrationsCustomers click Pay, confirm the amount, and are redirected to Checkbook.io to complete the ACH/digital check payment. Payment status automatically syncs back to Readybuild.
Custom Payment URLConfigure in portal settingsCustomers click Pay and are redirected to your external payment system. Payments must be manually recorded in Readybuild.
No online paymentNeither option configuredThe Pay button is hidden. Customers can view invoices but must pay through other means (check, phone, etc.).

Checkbook.io Payment Flow​

When Checkbook.io is enabled:

  1. Customer clicks Pay on a pending invoice
  2. A confirmation dialog shows:
    • Invoice ID and title
    • Invoice amount
    • Balance due (pay amount)
    • Notice: "You will be redirected to a third party site to complete this transaction"
  3. Customer clicks the green Pay button
  4. Customer is redirected to Checkbook.io to complete payment via ACH or digital check
  5. Once payment clears, the invoice status automatically updates in Readybuild

See Checkbook.io Integration for setup instructions.

Custom Payment URL Flow​

If you have your own payment system:

  1. Configure the payment URL in portal settings (can include {{publicIdHash}} placeholder for project identification)
  2. Customer clicks Pay on a pending invoice
  3. Customer is redirected to your external payment system in a new browser tab
  4. You must manually record payments in Readybuild when received

Viewing Sent Invoices​

Customers can view their invoices:

  • From the email link (magic link authentication)
  • Through the Client Portal (if they have login access)
  • As a PDF download from the portal

Resending an Invoice​

To resend an invoice:

  1. Open the invoice
  2. Click Preview & Send
  3. Review and send again

There is no limit to how many times you can send an invoice. Each send generates a new magic link.

Client Portal Invoice View​

When customers access the Client Portal, the Billing & Payments section shows:

  • Invoice list with ID, title, status, amounts, and due dates
  • Status indicators - Visual badges showing Unreleased, Pending, Paid, Void, or Processing
  • Past due highlighting - Overdue invoices are highlighted in red
  • Totals summary - Running totals for all invoices, amount paid, and balance due
  • Pay button - Available on pending invoices with a balance (when payment options are configured)
  • Filter options - Filter by status to find specific invoices

See Client Portal - Billing & Payments for more information.

Troubleshooting​

Customer didn't receive the email​

  1. Verify the email address is correct
  2. Ask the customer to check spam/junk folders
  3. Confirm the contact has a valid email address on file
  4. Try resending the invoice

Wrong email address​

  1. Update the contact's email address in their contact record
  2. Open the invoice and click Preview & Send
  3. Select the correct email address
  4. Send again
  • The magic link expires after a period of time—resend the invoice to generate a new link
  • The link requires internet access
  • Ensure the Client Portal is enabled for your company
  • Check if the contact has portal access enabled

Pay button not appearing​

The Pay button only shows when:

  • The invoice status is Pending
  • The invoice has a balance due
  • Either Checkbook.io is enabled OR a custom payment URL is configured

If none of these conditions are met, customers can view invoices but cannot pay online.

Payment not syncing from Checkbook.io​

  1. Verify the Checkbook.io integration is properly configured
  2. Check the payment status in your Checkbook.io dashboard
  3. Allow time for webhooks to process (usually within minutes)
  4. Contact support if payments consistently fail to sync

Best Practices​

  • Preview before sending - Always review the summary for accuracy
  • Customize your message - Add context about the project or payment terms
  • Use professional language - The message represents your company
  • Verify email addresses - Ensure invoices go to the right person
  • Follow up - If no payment is received, consider resending with a reminder message
  • Enable online payments - Set up Checkbook.io or a custom payment URL to make it easy for customers to pay