How to Create a Sales Invoice
How to create a Sales Invoice in Onsite, either against a BOQ from the Estimate tab or as a standalone invoice from the Transaction tab. Covers entering invoice quantities, applying GST, adding deductions and retention, and customising the invoice before sharing with a client.
Before You Start
- You need Admin or Accountant access
- A project must exist with at least one BOQ and a linked client (for the Estimate route)
- Bank account details should be added in Settings before creating invoices so payment details print on the PDF
- Deduction types and retention types should be set up in the Library if you plan to use them
Two Ways to Create a Sales Invoice
| Route | When to Use |
|---|---|
| Estimate tab (BOQ route) | When invoicing against specific BOQ line items with tracked quantities |
| Transaction tab (standalone route) | When raising a quick invoice not linked to a BOQ, or when billing for a lump sum amount |
Route A — Create Invoice from the Estimate Tab (BOQ Route)
Use this route when the project has a BOQ and you want to bill specific items with invoice quantities tracked against the estimated quantity.
Step 1: Open the Estimate Tab
Inside the project, click the Estimate tab from the project navigation.
Step 2: Select the BOQ
Click on the BOQ you want to invoice against.
Step 3: Go to the Invoices Sub-tab
Click the Invoices sub-tab inside the BOQ.
Step 4: Create a New Invoice
Click + Sales Invoice.
Step 5: Select BOQ Items
Tick the checkboxes next to the items you want to include in this invoice. You do not have to include all items. Bill only what has been completed or delivered.
Click Next.
Step 6: Enter Invoice Quantities
For each selected item, enter the Invoice Qty: the quantity being billed in this invoice.
The invoice quantity does not need to equal the full estimated quantity. For example, if 200 sqft was estimated and 110 sqft is complete, enter 110.
Enter any Additional Amount if applicable (for extras not in the original BOQ item).
Step 7: Apply GST
Select the GST percentage from the dropdown (e.g. 12%, 18%).
GST is calculated automatically on the invoice total.
Step 8: Add Deductions (Optional)
Deductions reduce the invoice amount before the net payable is calculated. Common deductions include TDS, advance recovery, royalty, and labour welfare fund.
- Click + Deduction
- The Deduction panel opens showing all saved deduction types from your Deduction Library
- Tick the deduction type you want to apply
- Enter the amount and select the amount type:
| Amount Type | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Lumpsum | A fixed rupee amount deducted regardless of invoice total |
| % of Total | A percentage calculated on the total invoice amount |
| % of Item Subtotal | A percentage calculated on the item subtotal before additional charges |
- Click Save
To add more than one deduction, click + Deduction again and repeat.
💡 If the deduction type you need is not in the list, you can create it on the spot by clicking + Add Deductions inside the panel. This saves the new type to your Deduction Library for future use.
Formula: Total Amount minus Deductions = Net Amount
Step 9: Add Retention (Optional)
Retention is an amount withheld from the client payment until project completion or a defect liability period ends. It is tracked separately from deductions and has its own due date.
- Click + Retention
- Tick the retention type from the Retention Library
- Enter the amount and select the type (Lumpsum, % of Total, or % of Item Subtotal)
- Click + Due Date to set when the retention is due to be released
- Click Save
To add more than one retention type, click + Retention again and repeat.
Formula: Total Amount minus Deductions minus Retention = Net Amount
💡 If the retention type you need is not in the list, go to Library in the left sidebar, click Retention Library, and add it there first.
Step 10: Save the Invoice
Click Save.
The invoice is created with an auto-generated number (e.g. INV-25-001).
Route B — Create a Standalone Invoice from the Transaction Tab
Use this route when invoicing without a BOQ or when raising a quick lump sum invoice for the client.
Step 1: Go to the Transaction Tab
Inside the project, click the Transaction tab.
Step 2: Create a New Transaction
Click + Transaction and select Sales Invoice.
Step 3: Select the Client
Select the client from the dropdown. The Bill To address auto-fills from the client’s party profile.
Step 4: Add Invoice Items
Click + Add Item and enter:
- Item name
- Quantity
- Rate
- GST percentage
Repeat for each line item.
Step 5: Add Deductions and Retention (Optional)
Follow the same steps as Route A (Steps 8 and 9 above) to add deductions and retention.
Step 6: Save the Invoice
Click Save.
Step 7/11 — View and Customise the Invoice
After saving via either route, click View to open the invoice document.
From the View screen you can edit:
| Field | What to Enter |
|---|---|
| Bill From | Your company address and GST number. Select the correct branch if your company has multiple addresses with different GST numbers. |
| Bill To | Client address. This auto-fills from the client profile. Edit here if the billing address is different from the client’s registered address. |
| Invoice No | Override the auto-generated number with a custom invoice number (e.g. INB-2025-045) |
| Invoice Date | Set the date the invoice was raised |
| Due Date | Set the payment due date for this invoice |
| Bank Account | Select the bank account where the client should transfer payment. This prints on the PDF. |
| Terms and Conditions | Review or edit the terms for this invoice. Defaults from Settings are pre-filled. |
Click Save after making changes.
Step 8/12 — Download or Share the Invoice
Click the download or share icon on the invoice to:
- Download as a PDF
- Share directly via WhatsApp or email
The PDF includes all invoice details, your company header and logo (from the PDF template), Bill From and Bill To addresses, line items, deductions, retention, GST, net amount, bank account, and terms.
Invoice Quantity Tracking
When using the BOQ route, Onsite tracks cumulative invoice quantities across all invoices raised against the same BOQ item.
| BOQ Estimated Qty | Invoice 1 Qty | Invoice 2 Qty | Remaining |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 sqft | 110 sqft | 60 sqft | 30 sqft |
You can create multiple invoices against the same BOQ item until the full estimated quantity is billed. Onsite prevents overbilling beyond the estimated quantity by default.
Tips
- Always select a bank account before saving the invoice view. Without a bank account, the payment details section on the PDF is blank and the client will not know where to transfer payment.
- You can bill partial quantities against a BOQ item. Invoice only what has been completed or certified. Leave remaining quantities for future invoices as work progresses.
- Deductions and retention are tracked per invoice. If you need to see all deductions and retention across invoices for a client, check the party balance under the Party tab.
- To see where the retention will appear after approval, go to the Party tab, search for the client, and click the Client Retention column in their party balance.
- If Multi-Level Approval is enabled for Sales Invoices in your company, the invoice will go to the Pending Approvals queue after saving and cannot be shared until all approval levels have approved it. Retention on the invoice is approved separately after the invoice itself is approved.
- Deduction types and retention types must be set up in the Library before they appear in the dropdown. Go to Library in the left sidebar to manage them.
If Something Goes Wrong
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| + Sales Invoice button not visible in Estimate tab | Not on the Invoices sub-tab or no BOQ selected | Click on the BOQ first, then click the Invoices sub-tab |
| No items showing when selecting BOQ items | BOQ has no items added | Go to the Items sub-tab of the BOQ and add line items first |
| Client not appearing in the dropdown | Client not created in the system | Add the client as a party in CRM or via the Party tab before creating the invoice |
| GST not calculating | GST percentage not selected | Click the GST dropdown and select the applicable rate |
| Bank account not appearing in the invoice view | Bank account not added in Settings | Go to Settings, then Bank Details, and add at least one account |
| Deduction type not in the list | Not added to the Deduction Library | Click + Add Deductions inside the panel to create it, or go to Library, then Deduction Library |
| Retention type not in the list | Not added to the Retention Library | Go to Library in the left sidebar, click Retention Library, and add the type |
| Invoice not visible to the client or Accountant | Multi-Level Approval pending | Check the Pending Approvals queue. The invoice must be approved before it becomes visible. |
| Invoice quantity exceeds BOQ estimated quantity | Entered more than the estimated qty | Verify the correct quantity. If scope has changed, update the BOQ estimated qty first. |
| Downloaded PDF missing header or logo | PDF template not configured | Go to Settings, then PDF Template, and upload the header image or select the Onsite Template |