Create and approve a simplified invoice

Issue the receipt of a counter sale from the invoices list or an order: add the lines, leave the client empty if you like, and approve it.

People with the «Sales» permission in edit mode. With view mode you can open, download, print and send these documents, but not create or change them.

Without edit mode, the creation menu doesn't appear in the «Invoices» list.

A freelance camera operator comes to the counter for 4 rolls of gaffer tape and a spare battery. They pay on the spot and don't want to leave their details. Let's issue the receipt for that as a .

Before you start

To approve it, your business's tax ID (NIF) and must be set up in your business details. The simplified invoice is numbered from its own , so you also need an active for simplified invoices, in «Settings» → «Finances» → «Sales invoicing preferences». The buyer's details are never required.

Issue it on the day of the sale

The is always the day you create the simplified invoice. Changing it, or the «Due date», in the editor has no effect, and no due date is saved. Despite its name, the «Receipt date» is the issue date. A simplified invoice with the wrong date can only be voided and issued again.

Create and approve the simplified invoice

Open the menu In «Sales» → «Invoices», click the arrow next to «New Invoice» and choose «Simplified invoice». The «New simplified invoice» editor opens.
Leave the client empty Our buyer stays anonymous. To identify a buyer, choose them as the client.
Add the lines Add the gaffer tape and the battery, with their quantities, prices and taxes. It's the same line editor as an invoice's.
Check the details «Numbering» already shows the default series. Fill in the «Rental period» only if the sale covers rental dates.
Approve it Click «Approve». To finish it later, click «Save as draft» instead.

The arrow next to the «New Invoice» button, open, with three options: «Simplified invoice», «Simplified rectifying invoice» and «Credit note». — «Simplified invoice» is in the arrow next to «New Invoice».

The «New simplified invoice» editor. The contact search box, “Type to search for a contact”, is empty, the details bar shows «Line T» with «Edit», and one line holds “LED Bistro String Lights” with a quantity of 4, a price of 45 and «Sales Tax». The totals show a subtotal of $180.00, Sales Tax 7 % of $12.60 and a total of $192.60. «Save as draft» and «Approve» are at the top right. — No client is needed: the contact box can stay empty.

Filmo checks the requirements and shows «Simplified invoice approved». A few things happened along the way:

It got the next number of its series and became «Validated».
Filmo stored a copy of your business details as they are now and locked the document: it can no longer be edited or deleted.
It appears in the «Invoices» list, with its own type.
No stock moved. Selling with a simplified invoice doesn't reserve, release or deactivate equipment.

The page of “Simplified invoice #T260005” with a blue «Validated» badge next to its number, and «Convert to», «Send» and «⋮» at the top right. In «General information», «Client» shows a dash, «Status» shows «Pending» and «Total» is $192.60. — Once approved, it has its number and the «Validated» badge.

If a requirement is missing, nothing is issued: the document stays a «Draft» and «Error approving document» tells you why.

What happens next

Email it to the buyer with «Send». Only approved documents can be sent. See Send a document by email.
Record what they paid. See Record a payment on a simplified invoice.
If they later ask for an invoice with their tax details, see Turn a simplified invoice into a full invoice.
If something was wrong, void it or credit it with a .

Other ways to create it

Create a simplified invoice from an order

On the order page, open the «Documents» card, click «Add» and choose «Simplified invoice». After the creation options window, the editor opens with the order's client and lines. The order must have a client: without one, you see «Customer required». See Create documents from an order.

The simplified invoice then appears in the order's «Documents» card, and approving it updates its status there. It doesn't reserve or release stock, and the order's status doesn't change.

Ask NEO to prepare it

In the chat, can propose a simplified invoice. It opens the editor already filled in, and you review it and save it.

Edit a draft simplified invoice

On the draft's page, click «⋮» → «Edit». Only a draft can be edited. Its series is the one it had when you created it: changing «Numbering» later isn't saved.

Approving a draft you've already saved takes two steps: Filmo saves your changes, then approves. If the approval fails, your changes are kept and the document stays a draft. «Cancel», in the menu of the «Approve» arrow, closes the editor without saving.

If you see an error

Message or symptom	What it means	What to do
You must add at least one line	The document has no lines	Add at least one line
Error approving document	An approval requirement is missing	Read the reason and fix it
Customer required, on the order	The order has no client	Assign a client to the order, or create the simplified invoice from «Invoices»
My simplified invoice doesn't keep the date I chose	The «Receipt date» is always the day it's created, and the «Due date» isn't saved	Create it on the day of the sale; void and reissue one with the wrong date
A message starting with “Cannot update sales receipt”	The document is already approved	Void it, or credit it with a simplified rectifying invoice

Frequently asked questions

Still stuck? Contact support