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Invoicing
How to create a client invoice
Invoicing in Stageforce
Stageforce invoices connect directly to Stripe, so you can send, collect, and track payment without leaving the app. This article walks you through every step, from creating your first invoice to handling a payment that came in by check.
How invoicing fits your workflow
Every invoice in Stageforce lives inside the CRM, tied to a contact. You can create invoices manually at any time, or let the system create one automatically when a client signs an agreement (if your account has ecommerce enabled and Stripe is connected). Either way, the invoice goes through Stripe so your payment history stays in one place.
Before you start: connect Stripe
Invoicing requires a connected Stripe account. If you have not connected Stripe yet, go to Settings > Payments and follow the prompts to set up your Stripe Connect account. Once connected, Stageforce creates a separate payment channel for your business, which means payouts go directly to you.
Creating an invoice
1. Open a contact record in the CRM.
2. Click "New Invoice" in the Invoices section.
3. Fill in the form:
- Billing contact. Select which contact receives the invoice. This pulls their email address from Stripe.
- Total.The amount you are charging before any convenience fee.
- Convenience fee. An optional percentage added on top of the total, billed as a separate line item. Use this to offset Stripe processing costs (typically 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). You decide the percentage; Stageforce adds the fee as its own line on the invoice.
- Days until due. How many days the client has to pay before the invoice is overdue.
- Title and description. These appear on the Stripe-hosted invoice the client receives.
- Collect tax.Toggle this on if your state requires it. Stripe calculates and collects the applicable sales tax automatically based on the client's address.
- Recurring monthly.Turn this on to create a monthly subscription instead of a one-time charge. The client is billed on the same date each month until the subscription is canceled.
- Auto-charge.If the client already has a card on file from a previous payment, you can charge it automatically the moment the invoice is finalized. If no card is on file, Stageforce sends the invoice by email instead and waits for manual payment.
4. Click "Create Invoice".
Stageforce creates the invoice in Stripe, finalizes it, and either sends it to the client or charges their card, depending on your auto-charge setting.
One-time invoices vs. recurring invoices
Stageforce invoices connect directly to Stripe, so you can send, collect, and track payment without leaving the app. This article walks you through every step, from creating your first invoice to handling a payment that came in by check.
How invoicing fits your workflow
Every invoice in Stageforce lives inside the CRM, tied to a contact. You can create invoices manually at any time, or let the system create one automatically when a client signs an agreement (if your account has ecommerce enabled and Stripe is connected). Either way, the invoice goes through Stripe so your payment history stays in one place.
Before you start: connect Stripe
Invoicing requires a connected Stripe account. If you have not connected Stripe yet, go to Settings > Payments and follow the prompts to set up your Stripe Connect account. Once connected, Stageforce creates a separate payment channel for your business, which means payouts go directly to you.
Creating an invoice
1. Open a contact record in the CRM.
2. Click "New Invoice" in the Invoices section.
3. Fill in the form:
- Billing contact. Select which contact receives the invoice. This pulls their email address from Stripe.
- Total.The amount you are charging before any convenience fee.
- Convenience fee. An optional percentage added on top of the total, billed as a separate line item. Use this to offset Stripe processing costs (typically 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). You decide the percentage; Stageforce adds the fee as its own line on the invoice.
- Days until due. How many days the client has to pay before the invoice is overdue.
- Title and description. These appear on the Stripe-hosted invoice the client receives.
- Collect tax.Toggle this on if your state requires it. Stripe calculates and collects the applicable sales tax automatically based on the client's address.
- Recurring monthly.Turn this on to create a monthly subscription instead of a one-time charge. The client is billed on the same date each month until the subscription is canceled.
- Auto-charge.If the client already has a card on file from a previous payment, you can charge it automatically the moment the invoice is finalized. If no card is on file, Stageforce sends the invoice by email instead and waits for manual payment.
4. Click "Create Invoice".
Stageforce creates the invoice in Stripe, finalizes it, and either sends it to the client or charges their card, depending on your auto-charge setting.
One-time invoices vs. recurring invoices
One-time invoices - are the default. Stageforce creates a standard Stripe invoice, finalizes it, and sends the client a payment link. Once the client pays, the invoice closes.
Recurring invoices - create a Stripe Subscription. The client is billed automatically every month. If auto-charge is on and a card is on file, the charge happens in the background with no action needed from you or the client. If auto-charge is off, Stripe emails the client a new invoice each billing cycle.
To cancel a recurring invoice, open the invoice record and click "Void Invoice". This cancels the subscription in Stripe immediately.
How Stripe handles payment
When a client receives their invoice, they click the payment link in the email Stripe sends. They enter a card, Stripe processes the charge, and the invoice is marked paid.
Behind the scenes, Stageforce is listening for a Stripe webhook called
- Updates the invoice status to "Paid".
- Sends you an in-app notification and a confirmation email.
Recurring invoices - create a Stripe Subscription. The client is billed automatically every month. If auto-charge is on and a card is on file, the charge happens in the background with no action needed from you or the client. If auto-charge is off, Stripe emails the client a new invoice each billing cycle.
To cancel a recurring invoice, open the invoice record and click "Void Invoice". This cancels the subscription in Stripe immediately.
How Stripe handles payment
When a client receives their invoice, they click the payment link in the email Stripe sends. They enter a card, Stripe processes the charge, and the invoice is marked paid.
Behind the scenes, Stageforce is listening for a Stripe webhook called
invoice.paid. The moment Stripe confirms payment, Stageforce automatically:- Updates the invoice status to "Paid".
- Sends you an in-app notification and a confirmation email.
- Updates the billing status on the linked agreement (if your account is configured for that).
You do not need to check Stripe separately. The status update happens within seconds of the payment going through.
Invoice status at a glance
Your invoice record shows the live status pulled directly from Stripe:
Status - What it means
Draft - Created but not yet sent.
Open - Sent to client, awaiting payment.
Paid - Payment collected.
Past due - Due date passed without payment.
Uncollectible - Stripe has determined this invoice cannot be collected.
Void - Canceled before payment.
For recurring invoices, subscription status shows as Active, Trialing, Past due, or Canceled.
Automatic payment reminders
Stageforce sends reminder emails automatically on a set schedule. You do not need to configure anything. Reminders go out:
- 7 days before the due date
- 3 days before the due date
- 1 day before the due date
- 1 day after the due date
- 3 days after the due date
- 5 days after the due date
Reminders go to the billing contact on file and notify your team inside the app.
Marking an invoice paid outside Stripe
Sometimes a client pays by check, cash, or wire transfer. You can mark those invoices paid without running a card through Stripe.
1. Open the invoice record.
2. Click "Mark paid out of band".
3. Add a short note explaining where the payment came from (for your records).
Stageforce updates the invoice status and records the note. This does not charge anything through Stripe.
Invoices created automatically from agreements
If your account has ecommerce enabled and Stripe is fully connected, Stageforce can create the first invoice automatically when a client signs and approves an agreement. The invoice is created using the contact linked to the agreement and the billing details your team has set up. You will see it appear in the Invoices section on the contact record as soon as the agreement is approved.
You do not need to check Stripe separately. The status update happens within seconds of the payment going through.
Invoice status at a glance
Your invoice record shows the live status pulled directly from Stripe:
Status - What it means
Draft - Created but not yet sent.
Open - Sent to client, awaiting payment.
Paid - Payment collected.
Past due - Due date passed without payment.
Uncollectible - Stripe has determined this invoice cannot be collected.
Void - Canceled before payment.
For recurring invoices, subscription status shows as Active, Trialing, Past due, or Canceled.
Automatic payment reminders
Stageforce sends reminder emails automatically on a set schedule. You do not need to configure anything. Reminders go out:
- 7 days before the due date
- 3 days before the due date
- 1 day before the due date
- 1 day after the due date
- 3 days after the due date
- 5 days after the due date
Reminders go to the billing contact on file and notify your team inside the app.
Marking an invoice paid outside Stripe
Sometimes a client pays by check, cash, or wire transfer. You can mark those invoices paid without running a card through Stripe.
1. Open the invoice record.
2. Click "Mark paid out of band".
3. Add a short note explaining where the payment came from (for your records).
Stageforce updates the invoice status and records the note. This does not charge anything through Stripe.
Invoices created automatically from agreements
If your account has ecommerce enabled and Stripe is fully connected, Stageforce can create the first invoice automatically when a client signs and approves an agreement. The invoice is created using the contact linked to the agreement and the billing details your team has set up. You will see it appear in the Invoices section on the contact record as soon as the agreement is approved.