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Invoices
Invoice Status

Understanding Invoice Status

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Overview

Learn about the different invoice statuses in Akili Apps, what they mean, how to update them, and how status changes affect your workflow and reporting.

What You'll Learn

  • Different invoice status types
  • Status workflow and transitions
  • Updating invoice status
  • Automated status changes
  • Status-based filtering and reporting

Invoice Status Types

Draft

Meaning: Invoice created but not yet sent to client

When to Use:

  • Initial invoice creation
  • While gathering information
  • Before final review
  • Template invoices for future use

Characteristics:

  • Not visible to client
  • Can be edited freely
  • Not included in AR reports
  • No email sent

Actions Available:

  • Edit all fields
  • Delete invoice
  • Change to Sent status
  • Save as recurring template

Sent

Meaning: Invoice emailed to client, awaiting payment

Transitions:

  • From Draft: When you send invoice via email
  • From Draft: Manual status change to Sent

Characteristics:

  • Email sent to client with PDF and payment link
  • Awaiting payment
  • Included in Accounts Receivable reports
  • Due date active

Actions Available:

  • Send reminder emails
  • Record payment
  • Edit (creates audit trail)
  • Mark as Paid
  • Mark as Overdue (automatic after due date)

Sent At Timestamp:

  • Records when invoice was sent
  • Tracks time from sent to paid
  • Used for payment timing analytics

Paid

Meaning: Full payment received and recorded

Transitions:

  • From Sent: When payment recorded manually
  • From Sent: Automatic via Stripe payment webhook
  • From Overdue: When late payment received

Characteristics:

  • Payment date recorded
  • Removed from AR aging reports
  • Included in revenue reports
  • Payment method tracked

Payment Information:

  • Payment date
  • Payment method (Stripe, cash, check, bank transfer)
  • Stripe transaction ID (if applicable)
  • Partial vs. full payment

Actions Available:

  • View payment details
  • Download receipt
  • Void payment (if error)
  • Export for accounting

Overdue

Meaning: Payment not received by due date

Transitions:

  • From Sent: Automatic when current date passes due date
  • Manual change if needed

Characteristics:

  • Highlighted in red in invoice list
  • Shows days overdue count
  • Triggers automatic payment reminders
  • Included in AR aging reports

Automated Actions:

  • Day 7: First reminder email sent
  • Day 14: Second reminder email sent
  • Day 30: Final reminder email sent
  • All emails sent automatically (if enabled)

Actions Available:

  • Send manual reminder
  • Record payment
  • Update due date
  • Mark as uncollectible (advanced)

Cancelled

Meaning: Invoice cancelled or voided

When to Use:

  • Service not provided
  • Client cancelled order
  • Duplicate invoice created
  • Incorrect invoice

Characteristics:

  • Removed from AR reports
  • Marked clearly as cancelled
  • Preserved for records (not deleted)
  • Client notified (optional)

Actions Available:

  • View cancelled invoice (read-only)
  • Add cancellation notes
  • Delete permanently (if needed)
  • Recreate similar invoice

Recurring Template

Meaning: Template for automatic recurring invoices

Special Status:

  • Not a traditional invoice
  • Generates actual invoices on schedule
  • Never sent directly to client
  • Manages recurring billing

See: Recurring Invoices for details

Status Workflow

Typical Invoice Lifecycle

Draft → Sent → Paid (ideal path)

Draft → Sent → Overdue → Paid (late payment)

Draft → Cancelled (cancelled before sending)

Sent → Cancelled (cancelled after sending)

Status Transitions

Allowed Transitions:

  • Draft → Sent ✅
  • Draft → Cancelled ✅
  • Sent → Paid ✅
  • Sent → Overdue ✅ (automatic)
  • Sent → Cancelled ✅
  • Overdue → Paid ✅
  • Overdue → Cancelled ✅

Not Allowed:

  • Paid → Sent ❌ (use void payment instead)
  • Paid → Overdue ❌ (doesn't make sense)
  • Cancelled → Sent ❌ (create new invoice)

Updating Invoice Status

Manual Status Update

Via Status Dropdown

  1. Open invoice detail page
  2. Click Status dropdown
  3. Select new status
  4. Confirm change (if prompted)
  5. Status updates immediately

Via Quick Action

  1. From invoice list, hover over invoice
  2. Click status badge
  3. Select new status from menu
  4. Status updates instantly

Automatic Status Updates

Sent Status:

  • Automatic when email sent successfully
  • Records sent timestamp
  • Updates AR reports immediately

Overdue Status:

  • Automatic daily check at midnight
  • Compares current date to due date
  • Auto-updates past-due invoices

Paid Status:

  • Automatic when Stripe payment completes
  • Records payment details automatically
  • Sends payment confirmation

Recording Payments

When recording payment, status auto-updates:

  1. Open invoice
  2. Click Record Payment button
  3. Enter payment details:
    • Payment date
    • Amount received
    • Payment method
    • Transaction reference
  4. Click Save Payment
  5. Status automatically changes to Paid
  6. Payment recorded in accounting

Status Indicators

Visual Indicators

Color Coding:

  • Gray: Draft
  • Blue: Sent
  • Green: Paid
  • Red: Overdue
  • Yellow: Cancelled

Icons:

  • 📝 Draft
  • 📧 Sent
  • ✅ Paid
  • ⚠️ Overdue
  • ❌ Cancelled

Badges:

  • Status badge shows on invoice list
  • Color-coded for quick identification
  • Hover for additional status details

Status Dashboard Widget

Dashboard shows summary:

  • Total Draft invoices
  • Total Sent (awaiting payment)
  • Total Overdue (with count and amount)
  • Total Paid (this month/year)
  • Quick action buttons for each status

Status-Based Actions

Available Actions by Status

Draft:

  • Edit, Delete, Send, Duplicate, Convert to Recurring

Sent:

  • Resend Email, Record Payment, Send Reminder, Edit, Cancel

Paid:

  • View Receipt, Void Payment, Export, Download PDF

Overdue:

  • Send Reminder, Record Payment, Update Due Date, Cancel

Cancelled:

  • View Only, Delete, Recreate

Filtering by Status

Invoice List Filters

  1. Navigate to Invoices page
  2. Use Status Filter dropdown
  3. Select one or more statuses:
    • All Invoices
    • Draft Only
    • Sent Only
    • Overdue Only
    • Paid Only
    • Cancelled Only
  4. List updates immediately

Quick Status Views

Pre-configured views:

  • All Active: Draft, Sent, Overdue
  • Awaiting Payment: Sent + Overdue
  • Needs Action: Draft + Overdue
  • Completed: Paid + Cancelled

Status in Reports

Accounts Receivable

Included Statuses:

  • Sent (within due date)
  • Overdue (past due date)

Excluded Statuses:

  • Draft (not yet billed)
  • Paid (already received)
  • Cancelled (not valid)

Aging Reports

Groups by Days Outstanding:

  • Current (0-30 days): Sent
  • 31-60 days: Overdue 31-60 days
  • 61-90 days: Overdue 61-90 days
  • 90+ days: Overdue 90+ days

Revenue Reports

Included:

  • Paid invoices only
  • Groups by payment date
  • Categorizes by payment method

Excluded:

  • Unpaid statuses (Draft, Sent, Overdue)
  • Cancelled invoices

Status Best Practices

Keeping Status Current

  1. Update Promptly: Change status as soon as action taken
  2. Record Payments Immediately: Update when payment received
  3. Review Regularly: Weekly review of all statuses
  4. Use Automation: Enable auto-status updates

Status Hygiene

Weekly:

  • Review all Draft invoices (send or delete)
  • Check for overdue invoices needing follow-up
  • Verify paid invoices have payment details

Monthly:

  • Archive or delete old cancelled invoices
  • Review long-overdue invoices (collection needed?)
  • Update any stuck-in-status invoices

Year-End:

  • Finalize all current-year invoices
  • Archive paid invoices
  • Write off uncollectible invoices (if any)

Troubleshooting Status Issues

Status Won't Update

Check:

  • Proper permissions (if team account)
  • No pending operations
  • Browser refresh needed

Solution:

  • Refresh page
  • Log out and back in
  • Contact support if persists

Stuck in Wrong Status

Common Scenarios:

  • Marked as Sent but email failed
  • Shows Paid but payment not in bank
  • Overdue but payment was received

Solutions:

  • Manually update to correct status
  • Add notes explaining situation
  • Record payment if already received
  • Resend email if failed

Checking Invoice Activity

The invoice detail page shows the current status along with key timestamps like created date, sent date, and payment date when applicable.

Common Questions

Q: Can I skip from Draft directly to Paid?

Technically yes, but not recommended. Better to send invoice (for records) then record payment.

Q: What happens if I change Paid back to Sent?

Not allowed directly. You must void the payment first, which returns invoice to Sent status.

Q: Does Cancelled status notify the client?

No, you should email client separately if needed to notify of cancellation.

Q: Can I have custom statuses?

Not currently. System uses standard statuses. Use notes or tags for custom tracking.

Q: How long do invoices stay in Draft?

Forever, until you send or delete them. No automatic cleanup of drafts.

Q: Does status affect tax reporting?

Yes, only Paid invoices included in revenue reports. Unpaid invoices show in AR but not revenue.

Q: Can I bulk update status?

Yes, select multiple invoices and choose "Update Status" from bulk actions menu.

Related Articles

Need Help?

For status-related questions:

Akili Apps - Intelligent Expense Tracking for Canadian Businesses

Sending InvoicesRecurring Invoices