Being a Shopify store owner, it’s essential to master your finances. Shopify invoice is a powerful financial tool that helps you do more than just track payments; it is also vital to gaining customer loyalty and for auditing purposes.
As a Shopify merchant, you must learn how to create invoice in Shopify and send it to your customers. Whenever a customer, especially a B2B or a wholesale merchant, makes an order, you must invoice them.
Let’s get down to understanding the meaning of invoices before we help you learn how to create them.
What are Invoices in Shopify?
A Shopify invoice is an official document generated by the store owner and sent to the customer. This document details all the information regarding the transaction and items bought. It serves as a request for payment and is kept as an official record confirming the business transaction between the seller and the customer.
When are Shopify Invoices Used?
For orders marked as “Payment pending,” you can send the customer an invoice containing a link to the checkout page. This lets them enter their billing details and finalize the payment seamlessly.
In B2B transactions, when specific payment terms are established, customers can view their terms and due dates directly during checkout, ensuring clear communication and smooth payment processing.
People often confuse invoices with receipts. Let’s differentiate it from a receipt before learning about creating a Shopify invoice.
Invoice vs. Receipt: The Difference
‘Invoices’ & ‘receipts’, these two terms are often used interchangeably in the ecommerce world, but they are far from the same. Each term serves a specific purpose.
While invoices are sent before the customer has paid, receipts are provided after the payment. Receipts are simply proof of a transaction needed for exchanges and returns.
Below is a detailed difference between the two terms.
| Aspect | Invoice | Receipt |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Sent before the customer pays | Provided after the customer has paid |
| Purpose | A formal request for payment | Proof of transaction and payment summary |
| Details | Includes total amount owed, items purchased, prices, taxes, discounts, and due date | Summarizes items bought and payment method |
| Function | Helps manage cash flow and sets clear payment expectations | Important for record-keeping, returns, or exchanges |
| Usage | Used to request payment | Used for proof of purchase and returns |
Let’s get down to the main business on why we are here: A step-by-step guide to creating Shopify invoices.
How to Create Invoice in Shopify? A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating invoices in Shopify just takes a few minutes. Here’s how you do it.
Step 1
Log in to your Shopify admin panel. Navigate to Orders > Create order.
Step 2
Add the customer’s details to the Create Order page. For returning customers, search by name or email to autofill their information. For new customers, click Create a new customer to manually enter their details.
Step 3
After adding customer details, navigate to the Add Products field to search and add the product by name, SKU, or variant. You can also browse your inventory or add a custom item.
Step 4
Once the customer and product details are added, you can edit the payment details. This includes discounts, shipping or delivery charges, and the option to charge taxes or not.
Step 5
Here you can save this invoice for editing later, or continue by clicking Send invoice.
Step 6
Edit your subject line and add a custom message for your customer before reviewing your invoice.
Step 7
After reviewing your invoice, click Send invoice, and that’s it!
Creating and sending Shopify invoices is easy. Let’s now understand the steps to manage your invoices.
How to Manage and Print Shopify Invoices?
Managing your invoices on Shopify is essential for reinforcing your brand identity and making a lasting impression on your customers.
Here’s a quick, easy guide to help you manage your invoices.
Step 1
Navigate to your invoices through Settings > Billings. Here, you will find a list of all your store transactions and invoices, which you can manage.
Filter the bills based on Failed, Open, and Processing to edit your invoices.
Note: An Open bill is an unpaid invoice that is still outstanding and waiting for payment confirmation, while a Paid bill refers to fully settled payments.
Step 2
You can manage your payment methods and billing cycle here. Make sure your payment methods meet the client’s standards.
In the Current billing cycle section, you’ll find information regarding your upcoming bill, such as remaining credits and progress toward the billing threshold.
Step 3
You can easily export the invoice you need to print Shopify invoices, keep precise records for accounting, or send it as a personalized email.
Now that you understand how to manage and create invoices in Shopify, let’s shift our focus to some tips on creating effective invoices.
Tips for creating effective invoices
Follow these tips so that you can send effective invoices on Shopify to get paid quickly.
Keep Invoices Simple and Clear
Ensure that invoices are one-page documents with a clean layout, using easy-to-read fonts like Arial or Helvetica. This helps customers quickly understand the details without confusion.
Encourage On-time Payments
Offer discounts or other incentives for customers who pay before the due date or within the specified payment terms. This can improve cash flow and reduce overdue payments.
Set up an automated invoice system
Install Shopify applications to set up an automated invoicing workflow that triggers a new invoice as soon as a customer places an order. This minimizes manual work and ensures invoices are sent on time.
While the Shopify platform doesn’t provide a system to automate the invoicing process, several automation applications on the Shopify app store automatically send invoices to customers.
Below are the best ones:
1. iWeb Order Printer (Free)
2. Sufio
3. Order Printer Pro
4. Invoicify
Offer multiple payment options
Provide customers with multiple payment methods, such as credit or debit cards, mobile payments, or bank transfers, to make the payment process convenient for them.
Let’s move on to the section on why we should use invoices for transactions in ecommerce.
Importance of Shopify invoices
If you are specifically operating a B2B business, you are obliged to create customized invoices in Shopify. We will read through four definite reasons why you should use Shopify invoices in your industry.
Professionalism
A well-documented invoice does more than just share transaction information; it also reflects your store’s professionalism and commitment to running a serious business, building customer trust and loyalty.
Legal compliance
Legislation requires online store owners to maintain accurate bookkeeping and retain records of all financial transactions. Invoices act as official sales records, critical for tax and audit purposes. Compliant invoices ensure your brand meets legal requirements in different regions.
Financial planning
Invoices help keep your finances in check by outlining outstanding payments. This supports effective cash flow management and ensures on-time payments.
Transparency
Sending invoices enhances transparency between the seller and the buyer. Customers can see a detailed breakdown of charges, which helps reduce disputes and build trust.
Streamline Your Shopify Invoices to Get Paid Faster
Shopify invoices are essential for maintaining smooth transactions. They also ensure professionalism and transparency between you and your customers.
Whether you’re setting up to create your first invoice or your 1000th, always make sure to keep your invoicing system efficient to make payments simple for your customers, and to ensure you get paid on time.
FAQs
1. Can I send an invoice through Shopify?
Yes. You can send invoices through the Shopify platform. Merchants can easily manage and create invoice in Shopify in just a few steps.
2. How to create invoice in Shopify?
In Shopify, you can create invoice easily to streamline your billing process. Navigate to Orders > Create order. Add product, customer, and payment details. Type in your subject line and custom message. Click send.
3. Does Shopify automatically send invoices?
Shopify does not automatically send invoices. However, you can generate a Shopify order invoice using third-party apps such as Sufio, which automatically creates and sends invoices.
4. Can you print an invoice from Shopify?
Yes. Navigate to Settings > Billing > Select an invoice > Export bill. Select the PDF format and download the invoice.
5. Where do I find my Shopify invoices?
Navigate to Admin panel > Settings > Billing to find all your Shopify invoices.
About the author
Vineet Nair
Vineet is an experienced content strategist with expertise in the ecommerce domain and a keen interest in Shopify. He aims to help Shopify merchants thrive in this competitive environment with technical solutions and thoughtfully structured content.