Your First Invoice
This guide walks you through creating and sending your first invoice in MyCompanyDesk.
Before you start
Make sure you have:
- Set up your company information (name, address, IBAN)
- At least one customer to invoice (you can create one during the process)
Create an invoice
- Navigate to Invoices in the sidebar
- Click the New Invoice button (or use the + floating button on mobile)
- Fill in the invoice form:
Select a customer
Start typing the customer name. If the customer exists, select them from the dropdown. If not, click Create new customer to add them inline.
Add line items
Each line item has:
- Description — What you're billing for
- Quantity — Number of units
- Unit price — Price per unit
- VAT rate — Applicable VAT percentage (0%, 9%, 21%, etc.)
Click Add item to add more line items. The total is calculated automatically including VAT.
Set invoice details
- Invoice number — Auto-generated based on your numbering settings
- Invoice date — Defaults to today
- Due date — Calculated from your default payment terms (adjustable)
- Notes — Optional notes that appear on the invoice
Save
Click Save to create the invoice as a draft. You can still edit everything before sending.
Preview the invoice
Before sending, preview how the PDF will look:
- Open the invoice detail page
- Click Preview to see the generated PDF
- Check that all information is correct — company details, customer info, line items, totals
Send the invoice
When you're ready to send:
- Click Send on the invoice detail page
- Review the email that will be sent to your customer:
- Subject line (customizable)
- Email body (based on your email template)
- PDF attachment
- Payment link (if enabled)
- Click Send to deliver the invoice
The invoice status changes from Draft to Sent.
TIP
You can customize your email templates in Settings > Email. Templates support your branding and can be set per language.
Track payment
Once sent, the invoice appears in your Sent or Overdue views. When the customer pays:
- If the customer pays via the payment link, the invoice is marked as paid automatically
- For bank transfers, click Mark as Paid on the invoice to record the payment manually
Invoice statuses
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Draft | Created but not yet sent. Fully editable. |
| Sent | Delivered to the customer. Waiting for payment. |
| Overdue | Past the due date and still unpaid. |
| Paid | Payment received and confirmed. |
| Cancelled | Invoice was cancelled. No payment expected. |
Quick add
For faster invoice creation, use Quick Add:
- Click the quick-add icon on the invoices list page
- Select a customer
- Add items (or use a saved template)
- Save and optionally send immediately
Quick Add is ideal for routine invoices where you bill similar items regularly.
Using templates
Save time with invoice templates:
- Create an invoice with your commonly used line items
- Click Save as Template
- Next time, start a new invoice from the template — all items are pre-filled
Next steps
Congratulations on sending your first invoice! Explore more features:
- Track your expenses
- Create quotes for potential work
- Set up recurring invoices for regular billing
- View reports to understand your finances