Help Center / Invoicing and payments /
Creating an invoice
A new invoice starts in the block editor, where line items, text blocks, images, and other content blocks can be arranged into exactly the layout your client receives. The invoice can be created from the main invoice list, from within a project, or auto-generated from an accepted proposal.
How to create an invoice from the invoice list
- Open the invoices page from the main menu on the left.
- Click "Create invoice" in the top-right corner of the page. A new invoice opens in the block editor.
- Set the client. Click the client field at the top of the invoice to pick a contact or company from your contacts. The client's name and details populate the "To" section of the invoice.
- Set the invoice number. Plutio auto-generates an invoice number based on your numbering settings, but the number can be edited manually.
- Set the issue date and due date. The issue date defaults to today. The due date determines when the invoice becomes overdue, and overdue notifications go out automatically once the date passes.
- Pick a currency. The currency can be set per invoice, so clients in different regions receive invoices in their local currency.
- Add line items. Click the items block (or add one from the block picker) to start adding line items. Each line item has a description, quantity, rate, and calculated amount. Tax rates and discounts can be applied to individual items or at the invoice level.
- Add other blocks (optional). Beyond line items, the block editor supports text blocks (for notes, terms, or descriptions), image blocks, spacers, page breaks, and signature blocks. Blocks can be reordered by dragging, duplicated, or deleted. The layout in the editor is what the client sees when they open the invoice.
- Link to a project (optional). Connecting the invoice to a project keeps financial data visible on the project's invoices tab and transactions tab.
Invoices start in Draft status. Drafts aren't visible to clients and don't trigger any notifications. Once the invoice is ready, it can be sent to the client, which changes the status to Pending.
How to create an invoice from a project
- Open a project and go to the Invoices tab.
- Click "Create invoice". A new invoice opens with the project and client pre-filled.
- Pull in time entries (optional). If there are unbilled time entries in the project, they can be added as line items. Each converted time entry becomes a line item with the task name, hours, and billing rate pre-filled.
- Add or adjust line items and other blocks as needed, then save.
Auto-creation from proposals
Invoices can also be auto-created from accepted proposals, carrying over the pricing table, client details, and project link in one step. When a proposal gets approved, Plutio generates the invoice automatically using the service table line items from the proposal.
Invoice statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Not sent yet. Invisible to clients. |
| Pending | Sent to the client, waiting for payment. |
| Paid | Payment received. |
| Overdue | Due date has passed without payment. |
| Cancelled | Invoice has been cancelled. |
| Refunded | Payment has been refunded. |
Block types available in invoices
| Block | What it does |
|---|---|
| Items | Line items with description, quantity, rate, tax, and discount |
| Text | Rich text for notes, terms, payment instructions, or any freeform content |
| Image | Upload or link an image |
| Spacer | Vertical spacing between blocks |
| Page break | Forces a new page when the invoice is downloaded as PDF |
| Signature | A signature block for the client or sender |
| Time entries | Pulls unbilled time entries from the linked project as line items |
