Bill first, deliver later

This is the other route through the middle of a sale: you invoice against the order first, and the goods follow. It suits invoicing on order, taking payment before shipping, and billing a long order in instalments.

How it differs from delivering first

• One order can become many invoices. Bill part of it now and the rest later, as often as you like, until every line is fully invoiced.
• The money is recorded before the goods move. The customer owes you from the invoice date, even though nothing has left the shelf.
• The goods leave when you deliver, which can be days or weeks later.

Invoice the order, in whole or in part

1. Open the confirmed sales order and click Generate Invoice.
2. Check the lines. Reduce a quantity to bill only part of it — what is left stays available on the order.
3. Confirm. The invoice is created and recorded.
4. Repeat whenever you want to bill more of the same order. The window offers only what has not been billed yet.

The order keeps track of how much of each line is invoiced, so you cannot accidentally bill the same thing twice.

Send the goods

1. Open the confirmed invoice.
2. Click Generate Delivery Order.
3. Check the quantities, and choose batches or serial numbers where the goods are tracked that way.
4. Confirm. The goods leave the outlet and are held as goods on their way.
5. Print it with Print to send with the driver.
6. When the customer confirms receipt, open the delivery and click Mark as Delivered with the date they got it.

Marking it delivered is what records the cost of those goods, dated on the day they arrived — so do it even though the invoice went out weeks ago.

Worth knowing

• Once you invoice against an order, that order is committed to this route. The deliver-first button stops being offered on it. See From quotation to money in the bank.
• An invoice that came FROM deliveries will not offer to create one. The goods have already gone; a second delivery would send them twice.
• Take payment straight from the invoice with Create Receipt, or send the customer a link with Payment Link. Needs PayNow QR on your plan
• Watch the gap. Billing before shipping means you can have invoices with nothing delivered against them. The order fulfilment report is what tells you which ones.

What can stop you

• If Generate Invoice is missing, the order is a draft, or every line has been invoiced, or the order has been closed. Reopen it if that is wrong.
• If Generate Delivery Order is missing on the invoice, either it has all been delivered, or this invoice was itself created from deliveries.
• If a delivery line will not accept the quantity, there is not enough stock on hand at that outlet — even though the invoice went out. Billing does not reserve stock.
• If you cannot unlock the invoice, a delivery or a payment exists against it. Remove that first, and see Why can't I edit or delete this?