Create an invoice from a proposal

Every project has one invoice, linked to its proposal. Once your client accepts a proposal, FirstSlate drafts the invoice for you so the numbers always match what they agreed to. You review it, adjust anything that needs adjusting, and send it when you're ready.

Where to find it

Open Dashboard → Projects, click into a project, and find the Invoice stage on its Project Hub. You can also get to any invoice from Dashboard → Invoices. If a project doesn't have a proposal yet, you can still start a standalone invoice with New invoice from the Invoices page.

How the invoice is generated

When a proposal is accepted, its required services and any add-ons your client selected become the invoice's line items. The math is reconciled so the invoice always totals to the exact price your client signed for, even if the underlying line items carried a markup or contingency that wasn't broken out item by item. Add-on line items carry over at face value. If the proposal had its own milestone-based payment schedule, that carries over too (see split an invoice into milestones).

While the proposal is still out for signature, FirstSlate lets you pre-build the invoice early so it's ready the moment your client signs. Nothing sends automatically. The moment they sign, you're prompted to review and send it.

The invoice builder

A Draft invoice is fully editable and autosaves as you work. The main sections:

• Invoice details holds the invoice number, invoice date, due date, your studio's "From" address, the client's "Bill To" address, and an optional PO / Reference # field for a client's purchase order number.
• Bill To names the person the invoice is addressed to. When a client has more than one contact on file, a dropdown here lets you pick which one — useful when the person who ran a job isn't the client's main contact. It defaults to whoever you sent the proposal to, and changing it affects only this invoice; the client's primary contact stays as it is. Add or edit contacts on the client's record under Clients.
• Accepted Payment Methods lets you choose ACH + Card, ACH Only, or Card Only for this invoice (requires online payments to be set up).
• Payment Terms covers Upon Receipt, Net 15, Net 30, Net 45, or a custom due date. Click Split into multiple payments to switch to a milestone schedule instead.
• Line items lists each row's description, quantity, and rate. A Show line item prices to client toggle lets you bill a lump sum without breaking out individual prices.
• Payment instructions, Notes, and Terms & conditions are free-text fields that print on the document. You can save any of these as your default for future invoices.

Once you send the invoice, most of these fields lock. Payment methods and late fee settings stay editable after sending (see late fees and reminders).

Choosing an invoice paper template

The visual design of your invoices is a studio-wide setting, not a per-invoice one. Open the account menu at the bottom of the sidebar, choose Settings, open the Invoicing tab, and find Invoice appearance. Pick between three templates: Basic, Modern, and Minimalist. All three print cleanly in black and white. A live preview shows exactly how your logo, brand color, and a sample invoice will look in each layout. You can also toggle whether your studio logo appears at the top of the document.

Invoice paper always renders light, regardless of whether your FirstSlate dashboard is set to dark or light mode. The document your client sees, downloads, or prints stays the same either way.

Draft vs Sent

A Draft is private to you and never seen by your client. When you're ready, click Review & Send to open a live preview of the exact email your client will receive, add an optional personal message, and choose whether to BCC yourself. Sending moves the invoice to Sent status and emails your client a link to view it.

The public invoice page

Your client views and, if online payments are enabled, pays the invoice at its own public link (no login required). You can copy that link at any time, or open Client view (no tracking) from the invoice's More actions menu to preview it as your client would see it, without counting as a tracked open. The public page shows the same line items, totals, and paper template as your builder preview.

Common questions

Can I create an invoice without a proposal?

Yes. Use New invoice on the Invoices page to start one from scratch for any client.

What happens if I edit the proposal after the invoice is created?

The invoice doesn't update automatically. Review it and adjust the line items directly if the accepted terms change (for example, through a change order).

Can I change the invoice template after I've already sent invoices?

Yes. It's a Settings-level default that applies to future views of any invoice, sent or not, since the template only controls how the document renders, not its stored data.