Creating and Managing Invoices
Invoices in EventWorks track the money flowing in and out of your events. You can create client invoices for billing, supplier invoices for tracking what you owe, and commission invoices for agency or referral fees.
Getting There
- Event invoices — Navigate to Events > [Event] > Invoices (available after the event is contracted)
- All invoices — Click Invoices in the main sidebar for a global list across all events
Invoice Types
EventWorks supports five invoice types:
| Type | Direction | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Client | Receivable | Billing your client for the event |
| Supplier | Payable | Tracking what you owe a supplier |
| Commission Receivable | Receivable | Commission income from suppliers |
| Commission Payable | Payable | Commission you owe to agents or referrers |
| Refundable | Receivable | Refundable deposits or payments |
Invoice Lifecycle
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Draft | Initial state. Fully editable. Can be deleted. No invoice number assigned yet. |
| Authorised | Sent/approved. Invoice number assigned. Payments can be recorded. Limited editing. |
| Paid | Fully paid (auto-transitions when the balance reaches zero) |
| Voided | Cancelled. No further actions possible. |
Creating a Client Invoice
- Open the event and click the Invoices tab.
- Click Create Invoice and select Client.
- Choose how to build the invoice:
- Fixed amount — Enter a specific amount and description (e.g., "50% deposit")
- Percentage — Enter a percentage of the event's total price
- From costs — Select individual cost line items to include
- From cost types — Group costs by type, creating one line per type
- From cost tabs — Create one line per selected tab
- Uninvoiced amount — Automatically calculates the remaining balance
- Optionally include the Event Management Fee as a separate line item.
- Set the invoice date and due date (defaults to the configured number of days from now).
- Review and adjust the to/from addresses.
- Click Save.
The invoice is created in Draft status.
Creating a Supplier Invoice
- Click Create Invoice and select Supplier.
- Select the supplier.
- Select the costs to include (shown grouped by supplier).
- Optionally include resource allocations.
- Review the line items and save.
Authorising (Sending) an Invoice
Authorising an invoice locks it and assigns a number:
- Open the invoice.
- Click Send (or Authorise).
- The invoice number is generated and the status changes to Authorised.
If you have an accounting integration configured (Xero, QuickBooks, etc.), the invoice is pushed to your accounting system at this point.
Note: Your administrator may have restricted invoice authorisation to users with the Send invoices permission.
Downloading an Invoice PDF
Click Download on an invoice to get a PDF. The PDF uses your configured invoice template for branding.
Note: By default, draft invoices cannot be downloaded as PDFs. Your administrator can enable this in settings.
Invoice Line Items
Each invoice contains line items with:
- Description — What's being billed
- Quantity — Number of units
- Unit Amount — Price per unit
- Tax Rate — The applicable VAT/tax rate
- Discount — Any line-level discount
Line items can be added, edited, or removed while the invoice is in Draft status.
Voiding an Invoice
If an invoice was created in error:
- Open the invoice.
- Click Void.
The invoice status changes to Voided. If it was synced to an accounting integration that supports void updates, the change is pushed there too.
Note: To partially adjust an authorised invoice, use a Credit Note instead of voiding.
Global Invoice List
Click Invoices in the sidebar to view all invoices across all events. You can filter by:
- Invoice type (Client, Supplier, etc.)
- Status
- Date range
You can also export the invoice list as an Excel or CSV file.
Accounting Integration
If your organisation uses an accounting integration (Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent, or NetSuite):
- Authorised invoices are automatically pushed to the external system
- Invoice numbers may come from the external system when that integration controls numbering
- Payments may be imported back from the accounting system, depending on the integration
See the Integrations section for setup details.
Tips & Best Practices
Tip: Use the "Percentage" option for deposit invoices — enter 50% for a half deposit, and EventWorks calculates the exact amount from the event's total price.
Tip: The "Uninvoiced amount" option is handy for final invoices — it automatically calculates whatever hasn't been invoiced yet, accounting for all previous invoices and credit notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I edit an authorised invoice?Limited editing is possible with the Edit authorised invoices permission. Without this permission, you can only make changes to draft invoices.
Q: What's the difference between voiding and creating a credit note?Voiding completely cancels the invoice. A credit note partially or fully adjusts it while keeping the original invoice on record. Use credit notes for adjustments; use void for invoices created in error.
Q: How are invoice numbers generated?If no accounting integration is controlling numbering, EventWorks auto-generates invoice numbers from your configured pattern when the invoice is authorised. Your administrator sets the starting number and format in Accounting and Invoice Settings.
Q: Can I change the due date after creating an invoice?Yes, while the invoice is in Draft status. The default due date is calculated from your settings (typically 30 days from the invoice date).