# Create an invoice

Bill a customer and save a draft before posting or emailing the invoice.

Canonical: https://demo.qixcount.com/help/invoicing/create-an-invoice

Who can do this: Owners, or people with *Create invoices* and *View invoices*

Where: Sales, then Invoices

You'll need: An active customer and a described line with a positive rate; a project if project assignment is required

Create an invoice to bill a customer. Save a draft while you check the details, then mark it sent when it is ready to post.

## Fill in the invoice

1. Open **Invoices**.
2. Select **New Invoice**.
3. Choose **Customer**. Use **Quick add customer** if needed and permitted.
4. Enter **Invoice Date**.
5. Enter **Due Date**, on or after the invoice date.
6. Choose **Project** if shown and required by the business's project settings.
7. Enter a line **Description**.
8. Enter **Qty**, at least 0.01.
9. Enter **Rate**, which cannot be negative.
10. Select **Account** for the line if you need a specific revenue account.
11. In Nonprofit, review the line's **Financial coding**.
12. Select **Add Line** for each additional line.
13. Review the addresses, discounts, tax selections, **Customer Notes**, **Terms & Conditions** and **Footer**.
14. Select **Preview Invoice** to check the customer document.
15. Close the preview.
16. Select **Save as Draft**.

![Invoice form with customer, dates, line items and save controls](https://demo.qixcount.com/images/help/invoices-create-form.webp)

You need at least one line. The form also requires at least one described line with a positive rate. The invoice number displayed before saving is a preview; QixCount assigns the final number when it saves.

## What happens next

The draft opens on its detail page. Saving a draft does not post its amounts. **Save & Send** marks a sendable invoice sent and posts it using the invoice date; it does not email the customer. The invoice must have a positive total to be marked sent.

A closed or locked period, or the business's backdating limit, can block posting. If posting fails after creation, review the saved draft before trying again to avoid creating another invoice.

Next, [send the invoice email](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/invoicing/send-an-invoice) or [edit the draft](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/invoicing/edit-void-or-delete-an-invoice).

## Who can do this and what you need

Owners can create invoices. Staff need *Create invoices* and *View invoices* to follow this task from the list to the saved draft. Searching for a customer also needs *View customers*. Quick add needs *Create customers*. Accounting must be enabled for the business.