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Invoice Generation

Generate professional invoices automatically from your order or sales data. Perfect for e-commerce, services, or any business that needs to create invoices regularly.

Scenario​

You run an online store and need to generate invoices for every order. Instead of manually creating each invoice, you want to automate the process.

Data Structure Needed​

Your data source should have fields like:

  • Invoice Number: Unique identifier (e.g., "INV-001")
  • Customer Name: Customer's full name
  • Customer Email: Email address
  • Customer Address: Billing address
  • Order Date: Date of the order
  • Items: List of items purchased
  • Subtotal: Order subtotal
  • Tax: Tax amount
  • Total: Total amount due
  • Payment Status: Paid, Pending, etc.

Template Setup​

Invoice Header​

INVOICE

Invoice Number: {{invoiceNumber}}
Date: {{orderDate}}
Due Date: {{dueDate}}

Customer Information​

BILL TO:
{{customerName}}
{{customerAddress}}
{{customerEmail}}
{{customerPhone}}

Invoice Items​

ITEMS:

{{items}}

Subtotal: {{subtotal}}
Tax: {{tax}}
Total: {{total}}
Payment Status: {{paymentStatus}}

Thank you for your business!

Configuration Walkthrough​

Step 1: Connect Data Source​

Connect to your order management system:

  • Google Sheets: If orders are in a spreadsheet
  • Airtable: If using Airtable for order management
  • API: If orders come from an e-commerce platform

Step 2: Create Template​

Create a Google Doc template with:

  • Company logo (use image placeholder)
  • Invoice header with placeholders
  • Customer information section
  • Items table or list
  • Totals and footer

Step 3: Map Placeholders​

Map each placeholder to your data:

  • {{invoiceNumber}} → Invoice Number field
  • {{customerName}} → Customer Name field
  • {{items}} → Items field (with markdown if needed)
  • {{total}} → Total field

Step 4: Configure Results​

Set up where to save invoices:

  • PDF folder: "Generated Invoices/PDFs"
  • PDF filename: {{invoiceNumber}}_Invoice
  • Google Doc folder: "Generated Invoices/Docs"
  • Google Doc filename: {{invoiceNumber}}_Invoice

Step 5: Set Up Email​

Configure email notifications:

  • Recipients: {{customerEmail}}
  • Subject: Invoice {{invoiceNumber}}
  • Body: Include invoice details
  • Attach PDF: Yes

Step 6: Set Up Triggers​

Choose how to trigger:

  • Manual: Generate when needed
  • Webhook: Trigger from your order system
  • API: Call from your application

Tips and Variations​

Multiple Items​

If you have multiple items, format them as a list:

  • Use markdown formatting in the items field
  • Or create separate placeholders for each item
  • Or use a table format in your template

Conditional Content​

Add conditions for:

  • Payment status: Show different messages for paid vs. pending
  • Discounts: Show discount section only if discount exists
  • Shipping: Include shipping section only if applicable

Branding​

  • Add your company logo as an image placeholder
  • Include company information in the template
  • Use consistent formatting and colors

Automation​

  • Set up webhooks to trigger automatically when orders are placed
  • Generate invoices in batches at the end of each day
  • Send invoices automatically via email

Advanced Features​

Tax Calculations​

If tax varies by location:

  • Use conditions to show different tax rates
  • Calculate tax based on customer location
  • Include tax breakdown in the invoice

Multi-Currency​

For international orders:

  • Include currency symbol placeholder
  • Format amounts based on currency
  • Show currency conversion if needed

Recurring Invoices​

For subscription services:

  • Generate invoices monthly/annually
  • Include billing period information
  • Show subscription details

Best Practices​

  • Unique invoice numbers: Ensure each invoice has a unique number
  • Clear formatting: Make invoices easy to read
  • Complete information: Include all necessary details
  • Professional appearance: Use consistent branding
  • Automated delivery: Send invoices automatically via email

Next Steps​

Ready to set up invoice generation? Follow the Quick Start Guide to get started, or explore other Use Case Examples.