How to create an invoice in AcboBooks

In this lesson you will

Create an invoice with several lines
Apply sales tax to the right lines
Save an invoice as a PDF and request payment
Edit, void or delete an invoice safely

Before you start

Create Invoice with a branding package and 50 tote bags for Harbor Dental Group

Fill in the invoice

Step 1: Open Create Invoice and pick the customer

Choose Customers → Create Invoice (or + New Invoice on the Invoices list). Pick the Customer. The Due date follows the customer's payment terms, which are shown next to the label. The Invoice # is the next number in sequence.

Customer.
Due date, worked out from the terms (here 2% 10 Net 30). Pick another date to override it.
Each line starts with an item: the description and rate fill in.
Tax ticks which lines are taxable. The services line is not; the tote bags are.
Choose the tax rate so the tax is reported under the right agency.

Create Invoice with numbered callouts on customer, due date, the first line, the tax tick box and the tax rate — A new blank line appears each time you fill one in. The ✕ removes a line.

Step 2: Check the totals and save

The panel on the right shows the Subtotal, the tax and the Total, worked out the same way the books will. Add a Memo if you want an internal note. Click Save Invoice. AcboBooks saves it and opens the Invoices list.

Save Invoice posts the invoice: Accounts Receivable goes up by the total, income by the lines, and Sales Tax Payable by the tax.

Invoice totals panel showing subtotal $3,500.00, 8% tax $80.00 and total $3,580.00 with the Save Invoice button

Canadian edition: In the Canadian edition the tax drop-down lists your GST/HST rates, for example GST 5% and HST 13% (ON) in the Ontario sample company. Pick the one for the customer's province so it lands on the right line of your GST/HST return.

Find, print and send the invoice

Step 3: Open the Invoices list

Choose Customers → Invoices. Every invoice is listed with its date, customer, due date, total and the Balance still owed. Click a row to open the invoice.

+ New Invoice.
The invoice you just saved.
Balance: what is still unpaid.

Invoices list with invoice 1005 for Harbor Dental Group at the top

Step 4: Save a PDF, request payment or send a card link

The invoice window shows the lines and totals, with buttons along the bottom. Save PDF saves a printable copy you can attach to an email or print. Request Payment opens a ready-written email to the customer in your email program, with the amount, due date and your payment instructions. Pay by Card… creates a Stripe payment link for the balance and copies it, and Check Card Payment records the payment once the customer has paid.

Save PDF.
Request Payment: an email draft; attach the PDF if you want the customer to have it.
Pay by Card…: needs your Stripe secret key in Company → Company Settings.
Edit reopens the invoice in the form.
Void keeps the invoice at $0 for your records.

Invoice 1005 window with callouts on Save PDF, Request Payment, Pay by Card, Edit and Void

Tip: Set the text the customer sees under Payment Instructions in Company → Company Settings, for example your bank transfer details. The same screen has Card payments (Stripe), where you paste your Stripe secret key.

Step 5: Void or delete?

Void an invoice that was sent but shouldn't have been: it stays in the list marked VOID with a $0 total, so the number sequence has no gaps. Delete removes it for good and can't be undone. Use it only for an invoice made by mistake.

Careful: When the books are closed through a date (Company → Company Settings, Closing date), AcboBooks won't change an invoice dated on or before it unless an admin first enters the closing-date password there.

Step 6: Bill the same thing every month?

Make recurring, under Save Invoice, saves the invoice as a template that AcboBooks can enter on a schedule. See Set up recurring invoices.

Recap

Create an invoice with taxable and non-taxable lines.
Let payment terms set the due date.
Save a PDF, request payment by email or send a card link.
Choose between void and delete.

Saved in this browser only. No account needed.

Questions

Can I bill several customers the same thing at once?

Yes. Customers → Batch Invoices creates the same invoice for every customer you tick, with one invoice date and optional due date.

How do I bill time and expenses I recorded for a customer?

When a customer has unbilled time or costs, Create Invoice shows a banner with Add unbilled time & costs…. Pick what to bill and it is added as lines.

Why is Save Invoice greyed out?

The total has to be more than zero. Pick an item on at least one line and check its quantity and rate.

Screenshots from AcboBooks 0.2.2 with the built-in sample company. Updated October 25, 2026. Your screens may differ slightly with another version or window size.

Create and send an invoice