You’ve got several options to choose from when you're ready to draft an invoice, which this article will explain. You’ll learn about:
- The options in the invoice summary, time details, and expense details tabs (see image below), and
- The icons located at the top-right of your window.
First, let’s go to a drafted invoice. Navigate to INVOICING & PAYMENTS...INVOICE OVERVIEW from your navigation bar.
Then, click DRAFTS(the middle tile). Get to one of your drafted invoices by clicking on a hyperlink under the AMOUNT column.
Your window should look like this:
Now we’ll explain the features available to you, moving from left to right across the top of your window.
Invoice Summary
You’ll automatically default to the INVOICE SUMMARY tab, where you can make global invoice changes.
Change the contact information for the project by clicking on the name hyperlinked directly below INVOICE SUMMARY.
Here you can choose an alternate address, if there are multiple for the project, or you can edit the contact and/or the address by clicking the hyperlink EDIT ADDRESS/CONTACT information. A new window will populate, so you can make your changes. Click on the neighboring hyperlink LAUNCH THE DASHBOARD to open the Project Dashboard to make additional project changes.
Change the order of the line items by clicking on the double row of dots. Then, drag and drop the item so it appears as you’d like. For example, in the image below we’ll move “Copy Services” above “General: Office Fee.” That way “Copy Services” appears first on our invoice.
Add another line item to your invoice by clicking the hyperlink +ADD MORE Lines. A new line will populate, and you’ll click on it and manually type in the relevant details: line item description, quantity, and rate, as shown in the image below.
Note: You can delete a line item by clicking on the trash can icon located on the far right of the window.
Add NOTES to the invoice, if you choose.
Click the arrow next to SAVE+CLOSE and select SAVE CHANGES from the pick list, in order to save your work and stay on the same page.
Time Details
The next tab is TIME DETAILS, where you can see time entries attached to the invoice.
Add a time entry by clicking ADD TIME.
A new window will pop up and we’ll enter details about the time entry.
Once we save the time entry it populates under the TIME DETAILS tab.
Edit a time entry by clicking on the hyperlinked dollar amount under the FEES column. Delete one or more time entries by checking the box next to the staffer’s name and clicking BULK ACTIONS...DELETE. This action will delete the entry from the invoice. In contrast, DROP will remove the entry from the invoice, and will add it back into your work-in-progress (WIP) so you can bill the amount at another time.
Then, click RECALCULATE INVOICE AMOUNT to do just that.
Organize and Customize Your Columns
You can organize and customize the information that appears on your TIME DETAILS tab. Click the icon FUNNEL ICON to add filters to each column.
Filters are handy when you need to search through multiple time entries. In the image below, we used the filter function to search time entries for two of our staffers: Mary Pat and John. Then, we'll click APPLY.
To remove the filters, just re-click FUNNEL ICON.
Click on the GEAR ICON to add or remove columns. Check the box(es) next to the field(s) you want to add. Or uncheck the box(es) next to the field(s) you want to remove. Click APPLY to save your work.
Update the order of your columns by clicking on the SIX DOTS next to a selected field; drag and drop the field as you’d like it to appear on your window. For example, we’ll move “Rate” above “Staff Member” and click APPLY.
This change will cause our window to look like this:
Expense Details
This tab shows you all of the expenses associated with this invoice, as you can see in the image below.
Many of the options available in the TIME DETAILS tab are also available in this one:
- Use BULK ACTIONS to remove or drop EXPENSE DETAILS
- Add filters to your columns by clicking the FUNNEL ICON
- Add or remove columns by clicking on the GEAR ICON
Note: See the above section, TIME DETAILS, for step-by-step instruction for using each of these features.
Invoice Icons
Now that your invoice is ready to go, you’ve got several options available to you.
We’ll explain what each icon means below.
Printer Icon
Click on the PRINTER ICON and a list of your invoice templates will populate.
Select an invoice template and BigTime will generate a PDF of your invoice using the template you choose.
Microsoft Word
Click on the icon with the W and a list of your invoice templates will populate. Select an invoice template and BigTime will generate a copy of your invoice in Microsoft Word using the template you choose.
Cloud Icon
Click on the CLOUD ICON to post the invoice to QuickBooks.
You’ll be automatically directed to a new window where you’ll add more details in order to post the invoice to QuickBooks. Your window will look something like this:
Dollar Sign
Click on the DOLLAR SIGN to make a payment. A new window will pop up and you can add payment information. Remember to click SAVE to save your work.
Envelope
Click on the envelope icon to email your invoice.
A new window will pop up and you can make changes to the default message before sending it.
Finally, the TWO ARROWS simply expand your window to make the contents full-screen.
Edits in Time Detail Not Updating the Invoice Preview
Edits made in the Time Detail tab may not appear in the Invoice Preview for one of two reasons: Auto Save is turned off, so changes are held locally in the editor instead of being committed to the invoice, or the selected invoice template doesn't include Time Detail sections or fields. The Preview always reflects the last saved and recalculated state of the invoice, not the editor's unsaved state.
Symptoms
- Edits made in Time Detail don't appear in the Invoice Preview after saving.
- The Preview continues to display old or outdated values.
- Auto Save appears to be off, or recent changes don't seem to be committing.
- The invoice template in use doesn't show Time Detail or line-level fields.
Resolution Steps
Work through the steps below in order. Most cases are resolved at Steps 2 and 3.
- Step 1: Open the invoice in BigTime and go to the Time Detail tab.
- Step 2: If Auto Save is available, turn it on. If it isn't available or is already off, complete your edits and click Save to commit the changes to the invoice record.
- Step 3: Click Recalculate to apply the saved Time Detail changes to the invoice calculation. This step is required before the Preview will reflect the updated values.
- Step 4: Open the Invoice Preview. If it still shows old data, refresh the browser tab and reopen the Preview.
- Step 5: If the updated values still aren't visible, confirm the selected invoice template includes Time Detail or line-level detail sections. Switch to a template that displays Time Detail if needed, save the change, and open the Preview again.
- Step 6: If the issue persists, clear the browser cache and cookies, then reopen the invoice and check the Preview again.
- Step 7: Open the invoice in a private or incognito window to rule out browser extension conflicts, or try a different supported browser to isolate rendering issues.
- Step 8: Confirm the edited time entries are included in the invoice - check that they aren't marked as excluded or held, and that they fall within the invoice's billing date range.
Best Practices
- Keep Auto Save turned on when working in Time Detail so edits are committed automatically.
- Always recalculate the invoice after making Time Detail edits, even when Auto Save is on.
- Choose an invoice template that includes Time Detail or line-level fields whenever that detail needs to appear on the Preview.
- Use a supported, up to date browser and clear the cache periodically to avoid stale rendering.
Expected Outcome
Once the Time Detail edits are saved, the invoice is recalculated, and a template that includes Time Detail is selected, the Invoice Preview will reflect the updated values. If the Preview still doesn't match after completing all steps, contact BigTime Support for further assistance.