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Invoice workflow

Every invoice in FSM Navigator follows a defined lifecycle. Understanding the statuses and allowed transitions helps you manage your accounts receivable efficiently.

Invoice statuses

Status Description Color
Draft Just created, not yet finalized Gray
Generated Finalized and ready to send Blue
Sent Delivered to the customer via email Indigo
Viewed Customer has opened the invoice in the Customer Portal Purple
Partially Paid Some payment received, balance remaining Orange
Paid Full payment received Green
Overdue Past the due date with balance remaining Red
Void Cancelled — no longer valid Gray
Refunded Payment returned to customer Pink

Status diagram

The following diagram shows every possible transition between invoice statuses.

stateDiagram-v2
    state "Partially Paid" as Partially_Paid
    [*] --> Draft : Invoice created
    Draft --> Generated : Finalize
    Generated --> Sent : Send to customer
    Sent --> Viewed : Customer opens
    Sent --> Paid : Payment received
    Sent --> Partially_Paid : Partial payment
    Viewed --> Paid : Payment received
    Viewed --> Partially_Paid : Partial payment
    Partially_Paid --> Paid : Remaining balance paid
    Sent --> Overdue : Past due date
    Viewed --> Overdue : Past due date
    Partially_Paid --> Overdue : Past due date
    Overdue --> Paid : Late payment received
    Draft --> Void : Cancel
    Generated --> Void : Cancel
    Sent --> Void : Cancel
    Overdue --> Void : Cancel
    Paid --> Refunded : Refund issued
    Void --> [*]
    Paid --> [*]
    Refunded --> [*]

Allowed actions by status

Use this table to determine what you can do with an invoice at each stage.

Status Can edit Can send Can void Can record payment Can refund
Draft ✅ — ✅ — —
Generated ✅ ✅ ✅ — —
Sent Limited ✅ ✅ ✅ —
Viewed Limited — ✅ ✅ —
Partially Paid — — — ✅ —
Paid — — — — ✅
Overdue — ✅ ✅ ✅ —
Void — — — — —
Refunded — — — — —

Limited editing

When an invoice is in Sent or Viewed status, you can update the due date, discount, tax, and notes — but you cannot change line items or the customer.

Automatic transitions

Some status changes happen automatically without manual action:

  • Sent → Overdue — When the due date passes and full payment has not been received, the invoice is automatically marked as overdue.
  • Sent → Viewed — When a customer opens the invoice through the Customer Portal, the status updates automatically.

Understanding key statuses

Draft vs. generated

A Draft invoice is a work in progress — it is not visible to customers and can be freely edited. When you are satisfied with the details, finalize it to move it to Generated status. Generated invoices are ready to send but have not yet been delivered.

Void vs. refunded

Voiding and refunding serve different purposes:

  • Void cancels an unpaid invoice. Use this when an invoice was created in error or is no longer needed.
  • Refund returns money to a customer after payment. Use this when a customer needs a full or partial refund.

Voided and refunded invoices are preserved in your records for audit purposes.

Example: invoice lifecycle

Here is a typical lifecycle for an invoice at Riverside Plumbing:

  1. A dispatcher creates an invoice for Acme HVAC — INV-2026-0001 starts in Draft.
  2. After reviewing the line items, the dispatcher finalizes it → status moves to Generated.
  3. The dispatcher clicks Send → the customer receives an email and the status becomes Sent.
  4. Acme HVAC opens the invoice in the Customer Portal → status automatically changes to Viewed.
  5. Acme HVAC makes a partial payment of $150.00 → status changes to Partially Paid.
  6. Acme HVAC pays the remaining $2,500.00 → status changes to Paid.

Tips

  • Void instead of deleting — voiding an invoice preserves your audit trail and keeps your records complete.
  • Invoices in Draft are invisible — customers cannot see draft invoices, so take your time getting the details right.
  • Set up email reminders — send follow-up emails for overdue invoices to improve collection rates.
  • Track partial payments — record each payment as it comes in to keep your balances accurate.

Frequently asked questions

Can I un-void an invoice?

No. Once an invoice is voided, it cannot be reopened. If you need to bill the customer again, create a new invoice. The voided invoice remains in your records for reference.

What happens when a customer views an invoice?

When a customer opens an invoice through the Customer Portal, the status automatically changes from Sent to Viewed. This gives you visibility into whether the customer has seen the invoice.

How do I handle partial payments?

Record each payment as it is received. The invoice status changes to Partially Paid after the first payment and moves to Paid once the full balance is settled. See Payments & refunds for step-by-step instructions.

Can I change the due date after sending an invoice?

Yes. You can update the due date on invoices in Sent, Viewed, or Overdue status. Go to the invoice details page and edit the Due date field.

Next steps