Creating and managing invoice schedules

With invoice schedules, you define how your clients are billed automatically: based on registrations, a fixed amount, or through advances and settlements.

In this article, you’ll learn how to set up an invoice schedule, the various types available, and what to keep in mind when configuring them - perfect if you want to achieve a smooth, error-free, and predictable invoicing flow.

💡 Want to know how to apply an invoice schedule to a specific relation? Then check out this article on invoicing scheduling: Invoice scheduling per relation: set up, viewing and modification

In short: about invoice schedules and invoice scheduling

• Invoice schedule: a template that defines when, how, and which registrations are billed, along with the invoice text that will be used. A single schedule can be used for multiple relations.
• Invoice scheduling: linking an invoice schedule to a specific relation in their relation file. This ensures the schedule is actually used for automatically generating invoice proposals for that relation.
• Schedule types:
  • Registration based: billable registrations up to a certain date are invoiced. Ideal when work varies from period to period.
  • Fixed amount: a set amount is billed per period, regardless of the number of registrations done. Exceptional work can be invoiced separately.
  • Advance and settlement: advances issued at set intervals, followed by a settlement based on registrations.

Viewing existing invoice schedules

Open the invoice schedules page via Settings > Invoice schedules. You'll see a list of all the invoice schedules available in your environment.

Each row shows:

• A small arrow on the left to expand the invoice schedule details ()
• The name and type of the schedule
• Three action buttons to the right: edit, copy, and delete

Clicking the arrow expands the schedule and reveals its planning: planning lines with the columns Registrations until, Invoice proposal creation date, and the selected Invoice text.

Setting up invoice schedules

AdminPulse comes with a number of default schedules for monthly or quarterly invoicing. You’re free to use, edit, or create your own.

Want to add a new schedule? You can do this in two ways:

• Use the + Add button at the top of the screen to create an entirely new schedule
• Or copy an existing schedule using the copy button at the end of the row

Creating a new invoice schedule from scratch

1. Click + Add
2. Give the schedule a clear name (in at least one language)
3. Select a schedule type: Registration based, Fixed amount, or Advance and settlement
4. Add at least one planning line, with the properties:
   • Registrations until: All registrations with a date up to this point will be included on the invoice.
     💡This does not matter for advance lines, but it is crucial for settlement lines, since registrations are only linked to a settlement invoice—not to an advance invoice.
   • Invoice proposal creation date: The date when the invoice proposal will be generated
   • Invoice text: The text that will appear on the invoice (optional). You can later edit this text per planning line.

👉 Each schedule must have at least one planning line. There’s no maximum limit.

💡 Timing tip: Invoice proposals are generated at night, around 01:00 UTC. Make sure the “Registrations until” date is at least one day before the generation date. Otherwise, some registrations might be missed.

👉 The set creation date for invoice proposals is strictly followed, even if it falls on a holiday or weekend.

Copying an existing invoice schedule

Want to create a new schedule based on an existing one? Click the copy icon () next to the original schedule in the list. The new (copied) schedule will be added immediately. You can then customize it by clicking the pencil icon ().

Setting invoice texts per planning line

When you create an invoice schedule, you can define a default invoice text. This text applies to all planning lines by default. However, you can adjust the text per planning line. This allows each planning line to have its own invoice text, which will be automatically inserted in the corresponding field of the invoice layout.

👉 The invoice text only determines the content shown, not the formatting or placement of the text. Want to know more about formatting your invoices? See the article on Invoice layout.

💡 Are you using a fixed amount schedule and invoicing additional work separately as registration based? Then you can assign a specific invoice text to the registration-based invoice proposal that will be created.

💡 You manage invoice texts via Settings > Invoice texts. There, you can add new texts or update existing ones.

How does a planning line work in practice?

Let's take a specific example: a planning line with registrations up to 08/31, and automatic generation of the invoice proposal on 09/01.

On 09/01, the invoice proposal is generated automatically. If you enter any additional registrations dated 08/31 on the same day, those will appear in Invoicing > Open registrations.

You then have two options:

• Manually add these registrations to the invoice proposals — either individually or in bulk with a global action.
• Leave them as they are: They will automatically be included in the invoice proposal the next time the nightly automation runs - as long as the registration date falls within the “registrations until” period of the related planning line.

Managing existing invoice schedules

Testing an invoice schedule

💡 Not sure if a newly created schedule works as expected? Test it first!

1. Create a test relation
2. Link the new invoice schedule through invoice scheduling in the relation file, with a start date in the past.
3. Check the dates, amounts, and texts of the generated invoice proposals.

Editing an existing invoice schedule

When you make changes to an existing invoice schedule, your updates will be automatically applied to all relations using that schedule in their invoice scheduling from the moment you save.

Concretely, when saving the changes, all associated planning lines are completely regenerated based on the updated version of the schedule.

⚠️ Important: any manual changes you may have made previously for specific relations will be lost as a result.

Recommended approach:

• Consider creating a new schedule rather than modifying an active one, depending on the type of change
• Keep track and document your changes clearly
• Let your colleagues know, especially if multiple people manage invoicing

Deleting a schedule ()

• An invoice schedule can only be deleted if it’s not linked to any relation.

• If necessary, first unlink the schedule via invoice scheduling in the relation files. Then, you’ll be able to delete it.

⚠️ This action is permanent – deleted schedules cannot be recovered.

💡Recommended reading

• Have you finished setting up your invoice schedules? Then it's time to apply them to your relations through invoice scheduling. See how it's done: Invoice scheduling per relation: set up, viewing and modification
• Want to learn how to control the invoice layout? Check this article: Invoice layout