Creating and Releasing Invoices in Buildertrend¶

This guide walks through the process of creating and releasing invoices in Buildertrend, which is essential for maintaining proper billing records and ensuring timely client payments.

Prerequisites¶

Buildertrend account with appropriate access permissions
Completed estimate for the project
Knowledge of due dates per owner contract

Procedure¶

Access the Buildertrend Project Document

Navigate to the project document page in Buildertrend.

!!! note Ensure you're logged in with the correct user account that has financial permissions.

Navigate to Financial Section

Click on the "Financial" tab in the top navigation menu.

Select Estimate

Click on the "Estimate" option from the dropdown menu.

The estimate details will load, showing all line items included in the project estimate.

Select Estimate Items

Check the checkbox to select all items in the estimate that should be included in the invoice.

!!! tip You can also select individual items if you only want to invoice for specific parts of the estimate.

Create Invoice

Click the "Create" button in the top menu bar, then select "Invoice" from the dropdown menu.

Apply Percentage (Optional)

If you want to apply an overall percentage to every line item, click the "Apply" button. Otherwise, you can manually edit individual line items.

!!! info "Percentage vs. Dollar Amount" You can apply either a percentage or a specific dollar amount to each line item based on your billing requirements.

Generate Invoice

After reviewing the line items and amounts, click "Create Invoice" at the bottom of the screen.

Add Invoice Title

Enter a descriptive title for the invoice in the "Title" field.

!!! tip "Title Formatting" Use clear, consistent naming conventions for invoices to make them easily identifiable. For example: "Project Name - Progress Payment #1"

Set Due Date

Enter the invoice due date according to the terms specified in the owner contract.

!!! warning "Contract Compliance" Always verify the payment terms in the owner contract to ensure the due date is set correctly.

Save and Release Invoice

Click the "Save & Release" button to complete the invoice creation and make it available to the client.
Confirm Release

In the confirmation dialog, click "Release" to finalize the invoice.
Access Additional Options

Click the "More" button to access additional options for the invoice.
Save as PDF and Distribute

Click "Print" to save the invoice as a PDF. This allows you to both maintain a record in Buildertrend and email the PDF to the client for their records.

Best Practice

Always release the invoice through Buildertrend's system AND email the PDF to the client to ensure they receive proper notification.

Process Diagram¶

graph TD
    A[Access Project Document] --> B[Navigate to Financial Tab]
    B --> C[Select Estimate]
    C --> D[Select Line Items]
    D --> E[Create Invoice]
    E --> F[Apply Percentage/Edit Line Items]
    F --> G[Generate Invoice]
    G --> H[Add Title and Due Date]
    H --> I[Save and Release]
    I --> J[Confirm Release]
    J --> K[Access More Options]
    K --> L[Save as PDF and Distribute]

Checklist¶

Use this checklist to ensure you've completed all required steps:

Invoice Tracking

After releasing the invoice, track its status in Buildertrend to monitor when payment is received.