Quote to Cash
07. Invoicing & Billing Workflows
SHPI eliminates the manual double-entry bottleneck between closed sales deals and customer invoices. Approved deal products instantly populate line items on draft invoices, calculating subtotals, tax rates, and net balances with one click.
Invoice Status Lifecycle
Structured state machine governing invoice transitions from draft preparation to settlement:
| Status State | Meaning | Available Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | Internal preparation; not visible to customer | Edit line items, update tax rate, delete draft |
| Sent | Dispatched to client with live payment terms | Record payment, send reminder, generate PDF link |
| Paid | Funds reconciled; transaction completed | Download receipt, view audit transaction record |
| Overdue | Due date exceeded without full settlement | Triggers automatic dunning workflow reminder |
Invoicing Alternatives Comparison
| Billing Dimension | SHPI Invoicing | Standalone Accounting Tools | Manual Word / Excel Billing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Pipeline Connection | 1-click bridge from won deal straight into an invoice | Requires manual re-entry or brittle sync connectors | Complete manual retyping of client, products, and prices |
| Client History Cohesion | Billing history is immediately visible on account cards | Locked in accounting department software; invisible to sales | Scattered PDF files across various staff computers |
| Automated Follow-ups | Native workflow engine triggers dunning alerts when overdue | Requires expensive third-party automation subscriptions | Relies entirely on memory and manual follow-up emails |