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Invoices
Creating Invoices

Create Professional Invoices

Overview

Create professional, CRA-compliant invoices in minutes with Akili Apps. Learn how to invoice clients with automatic GST/HST calculations, custom branding, and payment tracking.

What You'll Learn

  • How to create your first invoice
  • Required invoice fields for CRA compliance
  • Adding line items and services
  • GST/HST calculations by province
  • Invoice customization options
  • Sending invoices to clients

Creating Your First Invoice

Quick Invoice Creation

  1. Click "Create Invoice" in quick actions bar
  2. Invoice form opens with auto-populated fields
  3. Fill in client and service details
  4. Preview and send

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd + I

Step-by-Step Invoice Creation

Step 1: Select or Add Client

  1. Existing client:

    • Click "Select Client" dropdown
    • Search or scroll to find client
    • Select client (auto-fills contact info)

  2. New client:

    • Click "+ Add New Client"
    • Enter client details:
      • Client/Company name
      • Email address (required for sending)
      • Billing address (optional)
      • Phone number (optional)
      • Notes (internal only)
    • Click "Save Client"

Step 2: Invoice Details

Invoice Number:

  • Auto-generated based on your settings
  • Format: INV-0001, INV-0002, etc.
  • Can be customized (Settings > Invoices > Numbering)
  • Must be unique

Invoice Date:

  • Defaults to today
  • Can be backdated if needed
  • Format: YYYY-MM-DD

Due Date:

  • Set payment terms:
    • Due on Receipt
    • Net 15 (15 days)
    • Net 30 (30 days) - Most common
    • Net 45 (45 days)
    • Net 60 (60 days)
    • Custom date
  • Due date auto-calculates from invoice date

Purchase Order (PO) Number:

  • Optional
  • Enter if client provided PO
  • Appears on invoice for reference

Step 3: Add Line Items

Each invoice can have multiple line items (services/products):

Line Item Fields:

  1. Description

    • Service or product name
    • Example: "Website Design", "Consulting Services", "Logo Design"
    • Be specific and professional

  2. Quantity

    • Number of units
    • Example: 10 hours, 1 project, 5 licenses
    • Decimals allowed: 2.5 hours

  3. Rate

    • Price per unit
    • Example: $100/hour, $5,000/project
    • Enter amount without currency symbol

  4. Amount

    • Auto-calculated: Quantity × Rate
    • Can be manually overridden for flat fees

  5. Tax

    • Apply GST/HST to this line item
    • Toggle on/off
    • Rate based on your province
    • Some services are tax-exempt

Adding Multiple Line Items:

  1. Click "+ Add Line Item"
  2. Fill in details
  3. Repeat for each service/product
  4. Reorder by dragging line items
  5. Delete with trash icon

Line Item Example:

Description: Website Design & Development
Quantity: 1
Rate: $5,000.00
Amount: $5,000.00
Tax: ✓ (13% HST = $650.00)

Description: Logo Design
Quantity: 1
Rate: $800.00
Amount: $800.00
Tax: ✓ (13% HST = $104.00)

Total: $6,554.00

Step 4: Calculate Totals

Invoice automatically calculates:

Subtotal:

  • Sum of all line items before tax

Tax:

  • GST/HST calculated by province
  • Broken down by tax type
  • Only applied to taxable line items

Total:

  • Subtotal + Tax = Total Amount Due

Tax Rates by Province:

  • AB: 5% GST
  • BC: 5% GST + 7% PST = 12%
  • MB: 5% GST + 7% RST = 12%
  • NB: 15% HST
  • NL: 15% HST
  • NT: 5% GST
  • NS: 15% HST
  • NU: 5% GST
  • ON: 13% HST
  • PE: 15% HST
  • QC: 5% GST + 9.975% QST = 14.975%
  • SK: 5% GST + 6% PST = 11%
  • YT: 5% GST

Step 5: Add Notes & Terms

Invoice Notes (optional):

  • Thank you message
  • Project details
  • Special instructions
  • Example: "Thank you for your business! Please remit payment within 30 days."

Payment Terms (optional):

  • Payment methods accepted
  • Bank details for e-transfer
  • Late payment policy
  • Example: "Payment due within 30 days. Late payments subject to 2% monthly interest."

Step 6: Preview Invoice

Before sending, preview your invoice:

  1. Click "Preview" button
  2. See exactly what client will receive
  3. Check for errors:
    • Client information
    • Line item descriptions
    • Amounts and calculations
    • Dates and due date
    • Your business information
  4. Click "Edit" to make changes

Required Fields for CRA Compliance

For tax compliance, Canadian invoices must include:

Your Business Information:

  • ✅ Business name
  • ✅ Business address
  • ✅ GST/HST number (if registered)

Client Information:

  • ✅ Client name
  • ✅ Client address (for invoices over $150 before tax)

Invoice Details:

  • ✅ Unique invoice number
  • ✅ Invoice date
  • ✅ Description of goods/services
  • ✅ Amount for each item
  • ✅ GST/HST charged (if applicable)

Akili Apps automatically ensures compliance by requiring these fields.

Invoice Customization

Branding Your Invoices

Make invoices professional and branded:

Logo:

  1. Go to Settings > Invoices > Branding
  2. Upload logo (PNG recommended)
  3. Recommended size: 300x100 pixels
  4. Appears at top of all invoices

Colors:

  • Primary color: Headers and accents
  • Secondary color: Supporting elements
  • Choose colors matching your brand

Custom Footer:

  • Add website URL
  • Social media links
  • Company tagline

Invoice Templates

Save time with templates:

Creating Template:

  1. Create invoice with common line items
  2. Click "Save as Template"
  3. Name template: "Consulting - Standard", "Design Package", etc.
  4. Template saved with line items and rates

Using Template:

  1. Click "Create from Template"
  2. Select template
  3. Invoice pre-filled with template data
  4. Change client and date
  5. Modify as needed
  6. Send

Common Templates:

  • Hourly consulting
  • Project-based design
  • Retainer agreements
  • Product packages

Advanced Invoice Features

Discounts

Add discounts to invoices:

Percentage Discount:

  • 10% off entire invoice
  • Applied to subtotal before tax

Flat Amount Discount:

  • $500 off
  • Deducted from subtotal

Line Item Discount:

  • Discount specific items
  • Show original price crossed out

Example:

Subtotal: $5,000.00
Discount (10%): -$500.00
Subtotal after discount: $4,500.00
HST (13%): $585.00
Total: $5,085.00

Deposits & Partial Payments

Request Deposit:

  1. Create invoice
  2. Toggle "Request Deposit"
  3. Enter deposit amount or percentage
  4. Example: 50% deposit ($2,500 of $5,000)
  5. Balance due shown on invoice

Record Partial Payment:

  1. Go to invoice
  2. Click "Record Payment"
  3. Enter amount received
  4. Date of payment
  5. Payment method
  6. Balance automatically updates

Late Fees

Automatically add late fees:

  1. Settings > Invoices > Late Fees
  2. Enable late fees
  3. Set late fee:
    • Percentage (e.g., 2% per month)
    • Flat fee (e.g., $25)
  4. Grace period: Days before fee applies
  5. Auto-apply to overdue invoices

Late fee appears on invoice after due date passes.

Saving Draft Invoices

Don't need to send immediately?

  1. Create invoice as normal
  2. Click "Save as Draft" instead of "Send"
  3. Invoice saved with "Draft" status
  4. Edit anytime before sending
  5. Drafts visible in Invoices list

Use cases:

  • Create invoices in advance
  • Need client approval before sending
  • Awaiting final project details

Tips & Best Practices

  • Professional descriptions - Be clear about what you're billing for
  • Consistent invoice numbers - Don't skip numbers or duplicate
  • Accurate GST/HST - Ensure correct tax rates
  • Clear payment terms - State due date and accepted methods
  • Branded invoices - Logo and colors make you look professional
  • Itemized line items - Break down services for transparency
  • Prompt invoicing - Send within 24-48 hours of completing work
  • Save templates - Speed up recurring invoicing
  • Review before sending - Always preview to catch errors

Common Questions

Q: Can I invoice in USD? A: Currently invoices are created in CAD (Canadian Dollars). For international clients, you can note the equivalent amount in the invoice notes or description.

Q: Can I create invoices without GST/HST? A: Yes, toggle off tax for each line item or disable in settings if not registered.

Q: What if I make a mistake after sending? A: Edit the invoice and click "Resend". Client gets updated version. Or create a credit note for adjustments.

Q: Can I invoice for expenses? A: Yes! Mark expenses as "billable" and add them to client invoices automatically.

Q: How many line items can I add? A: No limit! Add as many as needed.

Q: Can I duplicate an invoice? A: Yes! Open invoice, click "Duplicate", change date and details, send to same or different client.

Q: Do clients need an Akili Apps account to view invoices? A: No! They receive invoices via email and can view/pay without signing up.

Q: Can I add attachments to invoices? A: Yes, attach files like contracts, project deliverables, or supporting documents.

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Need More Help?

Contact support at support@akiliapps.com or use the live chat in the bottom right corner of the app.

IndexSending Invoices