BillPad gives new documents a number and displays their financial status in the invoice list. Numbers identify documents; statuses help you see whether a document is a draft, has been issued or still has money owing.
Check the number
- Open an invoice and review Invoice number in Details.
- Use Settings to change Number prefix for future invoices. Quote prefix and Credit note prefix have their own fields.
- Choose Save settings, then check the next document you create.
- Keep numbers unique. If validation reports a duplicate, correct the number before delivery.
Numbering continues past matching existing numbers, including imported invoices, rather than starting again simply because you switched to BillPad. Check a new draft after an import if the old system used several different prefixes.
Read the invoice list
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Still being prepared rather than marked sent. |
| Sent | Issued, with an outstanding balance. |
| Partially paid | Some payment has been recorded and money remains due. |
| Paid | The calculated amount due has been cleared. |
| Overdue | An issued invoice still has an amount due after its due date. |
| Archived | Removed from the active list by archiving. |
| Credited | Issued credit notes have cleared the amount due without a cash payment. |
| Credit balance | Recorded payments leave excess credit after the invoice adjustment. |
| Ready to send | A recurring draft prepared in ready-to-send mode; still needs sending. |
An overdue partially paid invoice may appear as overdue because its remaining balance is late. An unpaid deposit or instalment past its due date can also make an issued invoice overdue. Use the invoice's payment details to understand the underlying amounts rather than relying on the label alone.
Good to know
Viewed is delivery activity for a hosted invoice link, not an invoice-list filter. Needs a signed-in account: hosted links and their viewed activity. Open the invoice's Delivery activity and use Refresh activity to check recorded opens.
Downloading a PDF does not prove that the client received it. After sending a PDF yourself, choose More then Mark sent. Record money only when it has actually been received. Archiving retains the record and does not reset the numbering sequence or erase its financial history.