⚙️ How Automated Invoicing Works

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Automated Invoices in Petra are built around flexibility and control. The setup screen is divided into clear sections that make it easy to define how and when invoices are generated and sent.

1️⃣ Basic Information

Here you define the foundation of your recurring invoice:

• Auto Invoice Name – A label for identifying the automation (e.g., “Monthly Retainer Invoice”).
• Client – Select the customer or organisation the invoice will be sent to.
• Payment Option – Choose between Local or International payment setups, reflecting the client’s banking preference.
• Currency – Specify the invoice currency (₦ Naira, $ USD, etc.).
• Due in Days – Automatically sets the invoice due date based on your input (e.g., 15 days from issue).

2️⃣ Mailing Details

Define who receives the invoices and how they’re copied:

• Send To, CC, and BCC lists – Add multiple email recipients for delivery, internal oversight, or archival purposes.

This integrates tightly with Petra’s invoice email settings, using either your organization’s default SMTP or a dedicated channel for invoicing correspondence.

3️⃣ Scheduling Rules

Petra’s automated invoicing leverages calendar-based scheduling to run on a recurring pattern you control:

• Choose between a One-off invoice or Recurring (RRULE) generation.
• Define frequency (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.), intervals, and days of execution — for example, every first Tuesday of the month.
• Optional start and end dates give you complete control over when automation begins or stops.

Each automation comes with a summary panel showing:

• The next scheduled run times.
• The timezone applied.
• The rendered invoice email preview.

This ensures you always know when and how future invoices will be sent.

4️⃣ Email Message and Placeholders

The built-in email editor allows you to compose or customize the message accompanying each automated invoice. You can personalize it using dynamic placeholders, such as:

• {{month}}, {{year}}, {{due_in_days}}, {{tax_rate}}, {{period_start}}, {{period_end}}, etc.

When the invoice is sent, Petra automatically replaces these placeholders with live data — ensuring accuracy and contextual relevance without manual editing.

5️⃣ Invoice Items

You can also predefine the invoice line items within each automation:

• Each item includes description, quantity, cost, tax rate, and whether VAT applies.
• The total and applicable taxes (like 7.5%) are automatically computed.

This ensures that every generated invoice maintains consistent pricing and formatting aligned with your invoice template and branding.

🧩 Automated Invoice Templates

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Once automation is created, it’s listed under the Automated Invoices page. This view allows you to:

• See all your scheduled invoice templates at a glance.
• Review each template’s client, invoice amount, and creator.
• View the template for details or delete outdated ones.

Each automated invoice template operates as a standalone workflow — generating and emailing invoices on schedule without further intervention.

💼 Integration with Invoice Settings

Automated invoices inherit configuration and styling from your Invoice Settings module, ensuring consistency and compliance:

• Organisation and payment details (from General and Payment Info tabs).
• Authorized signature and colour theme (from Signature tab).
• Email server and signature branding (from E-mail tab).
• Layout design (from Invoice Templates tab).

This means every automated invoice looks identical to manually generated ones — complete with your logo, brand colours, contact info, and signature.

🚀 Key Benefits of Automated Invoicing

• ✅ Time Efficiency: Eliminate repetitive monthly billing tasks.
• ✅ Accuracy: Reduce manual entry errors and maintain consistent invoice formats.
• ✅ Cash Flow Stability: Ensure clients are billed on time, every time.
• ✅ Professional Communication: Send preformatted, branded invoices via authenticated email channels.
• ✅ Predictable Reporting: Improve visibility into recurring revenue streams.

✨ In Summary

With Petra’s Automated Invoicing, you can set it once and let the system handle the rest. From recurring retainers to monthly maintenance contracts, the module ensures every invoice is generated, branded, and delivered automatically — while giving you complete oversight and control.

In short, Petra transforms invoicing from a reactive process into a proactive revenue engine — freeing your team to focus on delivery rather than documentation.