Invoice statuses

Invoice statuses

Invoices in Fluent move through different statuses as they progress from creation to payment. Understanding these statuses helps you track receivables and follow up effectively.

Status definitions

Draft

The invoice has been created but not yet finalized or sent. You can still:

• Add or remove line items
• Adjust amounts
• Change dates

Action: Review and finalize when ready, then send to the customer.

Sent

The invoice has been finalized and sent to the customer (via email or marked as sent manually). The customer should have received it.

Action: Wait for payment; follow up if approaching or past due date.

Viewed

The customer has opened the invoice (if sent via Fluent’s email with tracking). This confirms delivery.

Action: Same as Sent — wait for payment.

Unpaid

The invoice is finalized and sent, but no payment has been recorded. This is the default state after sending.

Action: Monitor due date; follow up as needed.

Partially paid

Some payment has been received, but the full amount is still outstanding.

Example: $1,000 invoice with $600 paid = $400 remaining

Action: Record the partial payment and follow up for the remainder.

Paid

The full invoice amount has been received and recorded.

Action: No further action needed. Invoice is complete.

Overdue

The invoice’s due date has passed and it remains unpaid (or partially paid).

Action: Send a reminder; escalate if necessary per your collections process.

Void

The invoice has been canceled and is no longer valid. Void invoices:

• Don’t count toward receivables
• Keep a record for auditing
• Can’t be edited or re-sent

When to void: Customer cancellation, duplicate invoice, billing error.

Status transitions

Here’s how invoices typically move through statuses:

Draft → Sent → Unpaid → Paid
                ↓
          Partially Paid → Paid
                ↓
             Overdue → Paid

Voiding can happen from any status except Paid.

Recording payments

When a customer pays, record the payment in Fluent:

1. Open the invoice
2. Click Record Payment
3. Enter:
   • Amount received
   • Payment date
   • Payment method (check, ACH, credit card, etc.)
   • Reference number (optional)
4. Save

Fluent automatically updates the invoice status based on whether the payment covers the full amount.

Handling discrepancies

”The amount doesn’t match”

If a customer pays a different amount than invoiced:

1. Overpayment: Record as credit or apply to next invoice
2. Underpayment: Record partial payment; decide whether to:
   • Request the remainder
   • Write off the difference
   • Apply a discount

”The invoice shows the wrong amount”

If you catch an error:

1. Before sending: Edit the draft directly
2. After sending: Either:
   • Void and create a corrected invoice
   • Issue a credit memo for the difference
   • Add an adjustment line item

”It says overdue but they paid”

This means the payment wasn’t recorded:

1. Check if payment was received (bank statement, payment processor)
2. Record the payment in Fluent
3. Status will automatically update

QuickBooks sync status

If you use the QuickBooks integration, invoices have additional sync states:

Status	Meaning
Not synced	Invoice hasn’t been sent to QuickBooks
Synced	Invoice exists in QuickBooks
Sync error	Something went wrong; review error details
Payment synced	Payment was recorded in QuickBooks

Troubleshooting sync issues:

• Check that the customer exists in QuickBooks
• Verify the connection is active
• Review the error message for specifics

Filtering and reporting

Use invoice filters to manage your receivables:

• Unpaid + Overdue — Who owes you money
• Sent this month — Recent billing activity
• Paid this month — Cash flow tracking
• By customer — Account-specific views

Best practices

1. Finalize promptly — Don’t let drafts linger; send invoices within a consistent timeframe
2. Record payments immediately — Keep statuses accurate for reporting
3. Review overdue weekly — Regular follow-up improves collection rates
4. Use payment terms — Set clear expectations with customers

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Questions about a specific invoice? Contact support with the invoice number.