Creating and Managing Invoices

Invoicing shouldn’t take all afternoon. With MiniCRM, you stop creating manual documents and start sending compliant, professional invoices that track themselves.

Here is how to turn a “Deal Won” into money in the bank.

What You’ll Do

  • Start the invoice from the customer card.
  • Verify compliance details (dates, tax IDs).
  • Add your line items and check the total.
  • Issue and Send to the client.

Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Start the Invoice (Context is King)

Don’t navigate away. You are likely already looking at the customer you want to bill.

  • Open the Contact or Deal card of the customer.
  • Click the New Card button.
  • Select New Invoice or New Proforma.

Invoices

Pro Tip: Doing it this way means MiniCRM automatically pulls the customer’s data into the document. No typing errors, no copy-pasting.

Note on Numbering: MiniCRM automatically assigns series and numbers to invoices, offers, and proformas. These sequences are managed by the system to ensure compliance and cannot be modified manually.

Step 2: The Compliance Check (Dates & Details)

EU regulations are strict. MiniCRM ensures you don’t miss a required field.

  • Check the Buyer: Ensure the address and Tax/VAT ID are filled in. If missing, click Edit next to their name to fix it permanently.
  • Dates: Set the Issue Date (usually today) and the Due Date (e.g., 8 or 14 days).
  • Payment Method: Choose Bank Transfer, Card, etc.
  • Document Name: You can rename the invoice card for better internal tracking by clicking directly on the auto-generated name at the top of the card.

Step 3: Add Your Line Items

What are you charging for?

  • Click Add Item (or start typing in the first line).
  • Existing Item: Select the service or product from the list (price auto-fills).
  • New Item: Type it out, add the price and VAT rate. The system will save it for next time.
  • Check the Total: The system calculates the VAT and Gross total instantly.

Step 4: Issue and Send

A draft is just a draft. To make it legal and payable, you must Issue it.

  • Click the Issue button.
  • Select Issue and Send to Client.
  • Confirm.

Crucial Concept: Once you click “Issue,” the document is locked. It is now a legal financial document with a unique number. It cannot be edited anymore.

Duplicating Past Invoices (The “Copy” Feature)

If you need to issue a new invoice that is nearly identical to one you’ve sent in the past, you don’t have to start from scratch.

  • Open the existing invoice you wish to replicate.
  • Click the Copy button located in the top right corner of the card.
  • Result: A new draft is created with all the items and customer details pre-filled. You only need to verify the dates before issuing.

Copy Invoice

Proforma Invoices

Proformas allow you to request payment without generating a tax liability immediately.

  1. Create: Select New Proforma from the customer card.
  2. Issue: Follow the same steps as a standard invoice.
  3. Convert to Fiscal Invoice: Once the client pays, open the Proforma and click Mark as Paid. The system will automatically ask if you want to generate the final Fiscal Invoice.
  4. Reversal: If a Proforma is no longer needed, use the Reverse button to void it.

Recurring Invoices (Automation)

If you have a subscription or retainer model, you can automate your billing.

  • Activation: Open the “origin” invoice you want to repeat. Click the Recurrence toggle (it will turn green when active).
  • Frequency: Invoices are generated automatically every month on the same day as the original activation. If that day falls on a weekend, the system issues it on the next business day.
  • Management: Click the green recurrence button to view all linked invoices or to Stop Recurrence.

Bulk Product & Service Import

To speed up invoicing, you can import your entire product list. This requires Administrator rights.

  1. Go to the Invoice or Orders module.
  2. Click the arrow next to the module name and select Stock (Stoc).
  3. Click the arrow next to “New Item” and select Import.
  4. File Specifications: Your file must include: Name, Type (Product/Service), Unit (pcs, hours, etc.), Product Group, Currency, and VAT rate.
  5. Validation: Ensure the units and currencies in your file match the existing settings in MiniCRM to avoid errors.

Special Scenarios

  • My business is VAT Exempt
    1. Go to Settings (Gear icon) > Products > Invoicing.
    2. Uncheck “My company is VAT registered”.
    3. Your invoices will now default to 0% VAT.

  • The Client Paid in Cash If the payment method is “Cash”, a Generate Receipt (Chitanță) button appears after issuing. Click it to create the official legal receipt.

  • Link Forms: You can insert special links in your email templates. When a client clicks them (e.g., “Accept Quote”), the status of the invoice or offer card updates automatically in your CRM.

Handling Mistakes

  • Drafts: Click the three dots (⋮) and select Move to Trash.
  • Issued Documents: Use the Reverse button. This creates a negative (storno) invoice to legally balance your books. In some regions, this will show a negative quantity with a positive price to comply with local e-Invoicing (e.g., RO e-Factura) standards.

FAQs

  • Does MiniCRM handle the invoice numbering? Yes, automatically. You cannot skip or duplicate numbers.
  • Can I edit an invoice after I Issue it? No. Once issued, it is a locked legal document.
  • How do I handle recurring billing? Activate the toggle on a base invoice; the system handles the rest monthly.