Lesson #123
Setup – Invoice Messsages function
In addition to the descriptive header that appears automatically on invoices, you can add more information to your invoices, such as detailed payment information, company info, and holiday greetings, with custom messages. While you can write messages on invoices as you generate them, you can also save time and ensure consistency by setting up messages in advance in the Invoice Messages function, then simply apply them to individual invoices or in batches.
Customize your invoice messages
You can include any written communications you want to share with clients on your invoices. By creating invoice messages for different circumstances, you can easily give your clients more information when they need it, such as invoice payment options, or to let them know you appreciate them, extend an appropriate holiday greeting, share company news, etc.
You create and group messages in a similar way to invoice headers. Designate which message is the default to minimize the need to select messages each time when invoicing. You can override the default and modify the message on individual invoices during Turn In. You can stylize the appearance of invoice messages with bold/italic/underline treatments, different typefaces, font sizes, and colors.
Creating new messages is easy. They only require a message group, and optionally the message (you can have a blank message if you want). Message groups are categories, which you set up in Lists, for organizing messages to make it easier to locate the desired message when billing by looking within a subgroup instead of the whole list.
When creating a message, the message group defaults to the system default (selected in Lists), so you might only need to enter the content. Message size is unlimited, and you can style the text with font weights, typefaces, colors, and other text treatments.
If you are creating multiple messages in one sitting, use the Save & New option to stay in the new message window, eliminating extra clicks to get back into the window. It will also keep the same message group you used in the last invoice message saved rather than resetting to the default, so that could also save you time. For example if you are setting up a batch of holiday messages you won’t have select that message group before entering each holiday message.
Manage existing messages
You can update existing messages or create new messages at any time. You can change which message is your default at anytime, such as for different holidays. You can delete messages you don’t need anymore so they no longer appear as an option when selecting invoice messages during Turn In.
Messages are stored in the Invoice Messages function, and the default lists all of your stored messages by Invoice Message Group. You can also view the list for a single group or multiple selected groups. Export the list to an Excel or CSV file to save, print, share, or use in other applications. Click any message’s hyperlink to edit or delete it.
Apply messages to invoices
When preparing invoices, your default invoice message appears. You can override the default by entering new text or selecting a different invoice message from your custom list. You can apply messages to invoices one at a time or in batches. Use the Save & New feature to apply different invoice messages to single or multiple invoices without leaving the Set Invoice Messages panel in Turn In.
TL;DR: Save time and ensure consistency by setting up invoice messages in advance, then apply them to individual invoices or in batches.
RB concepts in this lesson
Message Group: Parent structure that contains related invoice messages as its children.
