Table of Contents

  1. Introduction

  2. Understanding the Role of the Billing Module

  3. Enabling the Billing and Invoicing Features

  4. Configuring Invoice Settings

  5. Defining VAT, Payment Terms, and Due Dates

  6. Customizing Invoice Numbering and Formats

  7. Creating an Invoice: Step-by-Step

  8. From Quotes to Orders to Invoices

  9. Manual vs. Automatic Invoice Generation

  10. Managing Recurring Invoices

  11. Handling Credit Notes and Refunds

  12. Multi-currency Billing

  13. Recording Payments and Reconciliations

  14. Tracking Outstanding Balances and Reminders

  15. Invoice PDF Customization and Document Templates

  16. Sending Invoices via Email or Postal Service

  17. Integrating the Billing Module with Accounting

  18. Reporting and Invoice Analytics

  19. Best Practices for Invoice Management

  20. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Invoicing is one of the most essential operations for any business. The Dolibarr billing module provides robust, flexible tools to generate, manage, and track sales invoices in both simple and advanced commercial environments. This guide explains how to effectively use Dolibarr’s billing functionality to streamline your sales and financial operations.

2. Understanding the Role of the Billing Module

Dolibarr’s billing module allows you to:

  • Create and manage sales invoices

  • Record payments and issue refunds

  • Generate credit notes

  • Integrate billing with proposals, orders, and stock

  • Produce reports for analysis and compliance

This module ensures accurate tracking of revenue, helps manage cash flow, and integrates seamlessly with other Dolibarr components.

3. Enabling the Billing and Invoicing Features

To activate the billing module:

  1. Go to Home > Setup > Modules/Applications

  2. Enable:

    • Customer Invoices

    • Credit Notes

    • PDF Document Generation (for invoice exports)

Optional: Activate linked modules such as accounting, recurring invoices, or payment gateways.

4. Configuring Invoice Settings

Navigate to Setup > Billing/Invoices to configure:

  • Default invoice terms

  • Default warehouse for stock products

  • Auto-fill options for tax and pricing

You can also define:

  • Default delay before due date

  • Display options (show quantities, units, price levels)

5. Defining VAT, Payment Terms, and Due Dates

Under Setup > Dictionaries, you can:

  • Define VAT rates applicable to your region

  • Create custom payment terms (e.g., Net 30, Due upon receipt)

  • Define due date rules and grace periods

Each third party can have default VAT and payment terms assigned in their profile.

6. Customizing Invoice Numbering and Formats

Dolibarr allows flexible invoice numbering:

  • Configure under Setup > Modules > Invoice Numbering

  • Use patterns like FAC{yy}{mm}-{0000}

  • Restart numbering annually if needed

Avoid using manual numbers to ensure audit compliance.

7. Creating an Invoice: Step-by-Step

To create a new invoice:

  1. Navigate to Sales > Invoices > New Invoice

  2. Select the customer

  3. Add products/services (manually or from catalog)

  4. Define tax rates and discounts

  5. Save and validate the invoice

Validation locks the invoice and generates the official document number.

8. From Quotes to Orders to Invoices

Dolibarr allows seamless flow:

  • Create a quote → convert to an order → generate an invoice

  • At each step, data is reused (customer info, line items)

This workflow minimizes manual input and ensures consistency.

9. Manual vs. Automatic Invoice Generation

You can:

  • Manually create each invoice

  • Automatically generate invoices from recurring subscriptions

  • Create batch invoices from orders or deliveries

Batch processing is useful for subscription-based businesses or mass billing.

10. Managing Recurring Invoices

Enable the Recurring Invoices module:

  • Create invoice templates with fixed or variable dates

  • Define recurrence (monthly, quarterly)

  • Auto-generate and email invoices on schedule

Perfect for SaaS, memberships, or service retainers.

11. Handling Credit Notes and Refunds

To issue a refund:

  1. Create a credit note from the original invoice

  2. Modify quantities or amounts if partial

  3. Validate the credit note

  4. Record the payment if refund issued

This process keeps financial records accurate and audit-ready.

12. Multi-currency Billing

If you deal with international clients:

  • Activate Multicurrency in the setup menu

  • Set default currency per third party

  • Dolibarr will handle exchange rate conversion and reporting

You can override exchange rates on each invoice if necessary.

13. Recording Payments and Reconciliations

To record payment:

  • Go to the invoice and click Record Payment

  • Select method (bank transfer, credit card, cash)

  • Choose bank account to credit

Dolibarr calculates remaining balance and updates financial logs.

14. Tracking Outstanding Balances and Reminders

Monitor unpaid invoices in:

  • Sales > Invoices > List View (filter by status)

  • Accounting > Customer Balances

Enable automatic reminders under Billing Setup > Reminders:

  • Send emails for upcoming and overdue payments

  • Customize message templates

15. Invoice PDF Customization and Document Templates

You can choose or customize PDF templates:

  • Go to Setup > Modules > PDF Templates

  • Edit default header, footer, and fields

  • Add logos, bank details, and signatures

Custom templates can be uploaded to /core/modules/facture/doc/.

16. Sending Invoices via Email or Postal Service

Emailing:

  • Send invoices directly from the invoice page

  • Attach PDFs automatically

  • Use predefined email templates

Postal:

  • Generate print-ready documents

  • Integrate with postal services via plugins (optional)

17. Integrating the Billing Module with Accounting

Dolibarr billing integrates with accounting in two ways:

  • Automatic journal entries (when accounting module is active)

  • Export invoice data to external accounting tools (CSV, XML, APIs)

This ensures complete financial transparency.

18. Reporting and Invoice Analytics

Use:

  • Sales > Statistics for invoice volumes and totals

  • Accounting > Ledger to view revenue impact

  • Graphs and dashboards for trends and aging balances

External BI tools can connect to Dolibarr’s database for deeper analysis.

19. Best Practices for Invoice Management

  • Always validate invoices immediately after creation

  • Avoid manual modifications post-validation

  • Schedule routine checks for unpaid invoices

  • Use separate invoice sequences for countries or departments

  • Back up templates and document files regularly

20. Conclusion

Dolibarr’s billing module provides the essential tools to manage your invoicing lifecycle, from creation to reconciliation. When configured and used effectively, it helps maintain accuracy, improve customer communication, and ensure compliance with accounting standards. Whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise, mastering this module is key to financial efficiency.