Getting paid should be simple and professional. With Tezzera's built-in invoicing feature, you can create beautifully branded invoices, set up payment plans, and get paid directly through the platform—all without leaving your CRM. This guide will walk you through creating invoices, setting up installment plans, and managing payments.
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Before You Start: Configure Financial Settings
Before creating your first invoice, you'll need to set up your financial settings so payments work smoothly.
Setting Up Your Financial Settings
Click the "∙∙∙" menu in the bottom corner of your sidebar
Select "Settings" to open Workspace Settings
Navigate to the "Financial" tab
Here's what you'll configure:
Connect a Payout Method
Stripe: Connect your bank account through Stripe to accept credit card and ACH payments
PayPal: Link your PayPal account to accept PayPal payments
Set Your Default Currency
Choose the currency you typically invoice in (USD, EUR, GBP, etc.)
You can override this on individual invoices if needed
Enable Time Tracking (Optional)
Toggle this on if you want to track billable hours
Set your default hourly rate (used when adding tracked time to invoices)
Select Default Payment Options
Choose which payment methods will appear on your invoices by default
Options include Stripe (credit card), Stripe (ACH/bank transfer), PayPal, or external payment link
Add Tax ID or VAT Number (Optional)
Go to the "Basics" tab in Workspace Settings
Scroll to the bottom to add your Tax ID or VAT number
This will automatically appear on all your invoices
Set Default Invoice Note (Optional)
In Workspace Settings under Financial, add any payment terms or notes you want to appear on every invoice by default
Example: "Payment is due within 15 days. Late payments subject to 2% monthly fee."
Add Payment Instructions (Optional)
If you want clients to pay you via direct bank transfer or wire (outside of Stripe or PayPal), you can add custom payment instructions that appear directly on your invoices.
To add default payment instructions:
Go to Workspace Settings → Financial
Enter your bank transfer or wire details in the Payment Instructions field
These instructions will:
Appear near the top of the invoice, above line items
Be highly visible so clients won’t miss them
Apply to all invoices by default (unless overridden on an individual invoice)
💡 Good to know: Payment instructions are for payments completed outside of Tezzera. Once you receive payment, you can manually mark the invoice as paid for tracking purposes.
📌 Note: To accept online payments through Tezzera, you must connect Stripe or PayPal. If you want to accept payments via an outside payment platform, you can do so through the following:
(1) Direct Bank Transfers – Add your wire or bank transfer details in the invoice Payment Instructions in your Financial Settings. This will be displayed near the top of your invoices so clients can easily find it and have all the information needed to pay you through a direct transfer.
(2) External Payment Links – In an individual invoice’s settings, you can toggle on the option to paid via an external payment link. This option is great for designers who use third-party payment platforms like Wise or Quickbooks. Simply copy and paste your external payment link in the invoice settings and Tezzera will replace all other payment methods with a button that will redirect clients to that external link.
Creating a Standard Invoice
Standard invoices are one-time invoices for single payments.
Step 1: Navigate to Invoicing
Open the project you want to invoice for
Click the "Invoicing" tab in your project navigation
Click "New Invoice" in the top right corner
You'll be directed to the invoice editor
Step 2: Your Invoice Automatically Branded
When the invoice editor opens, you'll notice your invoice already has:
Your logo (from Appearance Settings)
Your brand colors (from Appearance Settings)
Your custom fonts (from Appearance Settings)
Your business name and address
Your Tax ID or VAT number (if you added it in Workspace Settings)
Everything pulls from your Appearance Settings automatically—no extra work needed!
Step 3: Configure Invoice Settings
On the left side of your invoice editor, you'll see the Settings tab with several options:
Invoice Number
Tezzera automatically generates an invoice number for you
You can customize this if you prefer a different numbering system
Click on the invoice number to edit it
Currency
By default, uses your workspace's default currency
Click the dropdown to change currency for this specific invoice
Useful if you have international clients
Due Date
Click the date field to open a calendar
Select when payment is due
Invoice Type
Standard – For one-time, single payment invoices
Installments – For payment plans with multiple payments (covered in the next section)
For standard invoices, keep "Standard" selected.
Step 4: Add Line Items
Line items are what you're charging for. To add an item:
Click the "Add Item" button on the invoice itself
Fill in the details:
Item Title
The main name of your service (e.g., "Brand Identity Design", "Website Development")
Description (Optional)
List deliverables included in this service
Example: "Includes logo design, brand style guide, business card design, and letterhead"
Quantity
How many units of this service/product
Usually "1" for design services, but could be more for products or hourly work
Unit
What you're charging by (per service/unit or per hour)
Unit Price
The price per unit
Example: $5,000 per service, $150 per hour
Subtotal
Automatically calculated (Quantity × Unit Price)
Updates in real-time as you change values
Click "Add Item" again to add additional line items if needed. You can add as many line items as your project requires.
Step 5: Select Payment Methods
Scroll down in the Settings tab to choose which payment methods clients can use:
Available options (based on what you've connected):
Stripe (Credit Card) – Client pays with credit or debit card
Stripe (ACH) – Client pays directly from their bank account (lower fees!)
PayPal – Client pays through PayPal
External Payment Link – For payment processors outside Tezzera (like QuickBooks, Wise, Venmo, or direct bank transfer)
Toggle on the payment methods you want to offer for this invoice.
Using External Payment Link: If you use a payment processor not integrated with Tezzera:
Toggle on "External Payment Link"
Paste in your payment link or add payment instructions
This will display on the invoice for your client
Using Payment Instructions (for bank transfers or wires)
If you want clients to pay you via direct bank transfer or wire (without using Stripe, PayPal, or an external payment link), you can add payment instructions that appear directly on the invoice.
You can add or edit payment instructions in:
Workspace Settings → Financial (applies to all invoices by default), or
The individual invoice settings (for client-specific details)
Payment instructions:
Appear near the top of the invoice, above the line items
Are highly visible so clients won’t miss them
Are ideal when there’s no payment link to click
Once you receive payment via bank transfer or wire, you can manually mark the invoice as paid for tracking purposes.
💡 Pro tip: Offering multiple payment options makes it easier for clients to pay quickly. ACH/bank transfer typically has lower fees than credit cards!
Creating an Invoice with Installments
Installment invoices allow clients to pay in multiple payments over time—perfect for larger projects!
Step 1: Select Installments
Create a new invoice (follow steps 1-2 from standard invoices)
In the Settings tab, under Invoice Type, select "Installments"
Below that, you'll see a field to select or create an installment plan
Step 2: Create a New Installment Plan
If this is your first time using installments (or you need a new plan structure):
Click "New" in the installment plan field
A popup will appear to create your installment plan
Creating reusable installment templates: Installment plans are like package templates you can reuse for different projects with the same pricing structure!
Fill in the plan details:
Title
Give your installment plan a name
Example: "3-Payment Brand Package", "Website Payment Plan", "50/50 Split"
Total Project Cost
Enter the total amount the client will pay across all installments
Example: $10,000
Number of Payments
How many separate payments will the client make?
Example: 3 payments, 4 payments, 2 payments
Tezzera will automatically divide the total cost equally across this many payments
First Payment Due Date
Select when the first payment should be due
Days Between Payments
How many days between each payment?
Example: Every 30 days, every 45 days, every 60 days
This creates the initial schedule, which you can customize later
Assign to Project
If you created the invoice from within a project, it's automatically selected
Otherwise, choose which project this installment plan is for
Click "Create Plan"
Step 3: Review Your Installment Plan
After creating the plan, you'll see on the right side of the invoice:
All individual payment installments listed
Each payment shows the amount and due date
Tezzera has automatically split the total cost into equal payments
Example:
Total: $9,000
3 payments = $3,000 each
Payment 1: $3,000 (Due: Jan 15)
Payment 2: $3,000 (Due: Feb 14)
Payment 3: $3,000 (Due: Mar 16)
Step 4: Customize Individual Payment Due Dates (Optional)
Don't like the automatically generated due dates? You can customize each installment:
Click on any individual payment in the installment list on the right
The invoice will update to show that specific installment's details
Go to the Due Date field in the Settings tab
Select a different due date from the calendar
Repeat for any other installments you want to adjust
💡 Pro tip: You might want the first payment due immediately and spread the rest out over the project timeline. Customize dates to match your workflow!
Step 5: Configure Payment Settings
Just like standard invoices, select which payment methods to offer for each installment payment. Clients will be able to pay each installment separately as they come due.
Customizing Your Invoice Design
Beyond your automatic branding, you can customize additional design elements.
Design Tab
Click the "Design" tab in the left sidebar:
Edit Appearance Settings
Click the link to go edit your global Appearance Settings (logo, colors, fonts)
Any changes will apply to all invoices going forward
Show/Hide Logo
Toggle on/off whether your logo appears on this invoice
Most designers keep this on for branding consistency
Advanced Tab
Click the "Advanced" tab in the left sidebar:
Custom Invoice Note
Add a note specific to this invoice/client
By default, pulls from your workspace settings, but you can customize it here
Example: "Thank you for your business! Looking forward to seeing your brand come to life."
Charge Tax
Toggle on if you need to add tax to this invoice
Enter the tax percentage (e.g., 8%, 10%, 20%)
Tax will automatically be calculated and added to the total
Invoice Reminders
Toggle on automated reminder emails
Before invoice is due: Set how many days before (e.g., 3 days before)
After invoice is due
Reminders are sent automatically—no manual follow-up needed!
💡 Pro tip: Enable reminders to reduce late payments. A friendly automated reminder is less awkward than you having to chase down payment!
Adding Tracked Time to Invoices
If you use Tezzera's time tracking feature, you can add unbilled time directly to invoices.
How It Works
In the invoice editor, look for the "Unbilled Time" section
If you've tracked time on this project (and it hasn't been invoiced yet), it will appear here
You'll see:
Each time tracking session
Date and duration
Hourly rate
Total amount
Click "Add" next to any time sessions you want to add to this invoice
The tracked time will be added as line items automatically
💡 Pro tip: Tracked time is calculated using your default hourly rate (set in Workspace Settings → Financial). You can edit the rate on individual time entries if needed.
Saving and Sharing Your Invoice
Once your invoice is ready, you have several options.
Invoice Actions (Three Dots Menu)
Click the three dots (∙∙∙) in the top right corner to:
Copy Payment Link
Get a direct link to the invoice that clients can access
Paste this link anywhere (email, text message, chat)
Preview Invoice
See exactly what your client will see when they view the invoice
Check that everything looks perfect before sending
Duplicate Invoice
Create a copy of this invoice
Useful for recurring clients or similar projects
Delete Invoice
Permanently remove the invoice (use with caution!)
Save and Share Buttons
In the top right corner, you'll see two main buttons:
Save & Exit
Saves your invoice as a draft
You can come back to edit it later
Invoice is not yet sent to the client
Share
Opens a popup with sharing options
When you click Share, you'll see:
Option 1: Copy Payment Link
Copy the link and paste it into an email or message yourself
Send it however you prefer to communicate with clients
Option 2: Send via Email
Enter your client's email address
Tezzera will send the invoice directly to them via email
They'll receive a branded email with a link to view and pay the invoice
Choose the option that works best for your workflow!
Viewing Invoices in Your Project
After saving your invoice, you can always access it again:
Go back to your project in Tezzera
Click the "Invoicing" tab
You'll see all invoices for this project
Standard Invoices
For standard invoices, you'll see:
Invoice number
Amount
Status (Draft, Sent, Viewed, Paid)
Due date
Installment Plan Invoices
For invoices with installment plans, clients will see:
Visual Progress Map
A timeline showing all payments in the installment plan
Visual indicators of which payments are paid, upcoming, or overdue
Summary Widgets at the Top:
Amount Paid – Total already paid
Upcoming (Next 30 Days) – What's due soon so they can prepare
Overdue – Any late payments (if applicable)
This makes it easy for both you and your client to track payment progress at a glance!
Best Practices for Invoicing
Be detailed in line items: Don't just write "Design Work - $5,000". List out deliverables: "Logo design, brand style guide, 3 business card concepts, social media templates."
Offer multiple payment options: The more ways clients can pay, the easier it is for them to pay quickly.
Use installment plans for big projects: Breaking up large payments makes it easier for clients to say yes and easier for you to maintain cash flow.
Enable invoice reminders: Automated reminders save you from awkward follow-up conversations and reduce late payments significantly.
Track your time: If you do any hourly work, use Tezzera's time tracking to ensure you're billing for all your time accurately.
Review before sending: Always preview your invoice from the client's perspective before sending. Check for typos, correct amounts, and proper formatting.
Follow up on overdue invoices: If automated reminders don't work, reach out personally. Most clients aren't intentionally late—they just need a reminder.
Save common structures as templates: If you offer standard packages, create installment plan templates for 50/50 splits, thirds, or whatever you typically use.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Q: My client says they can't pay the invoice.
A: Make sure you've connected Stripe or PayPal in your Workspace Settings → Financial. Also verify that you've toggled on at least one payment method in the invoice settings.
Q: Can clients pay me without using Stripe or PayPal?
A: Yes. You can add direct bank transfer or wire details using the Payment Instructions box. Clients will complete payment outside of Tezzera, and you can manually mark the invoice as paid once funds are received.
Q: The payment methods aren't showing up on my invoice.
A: Check two things: (1) Have you connected the payment accounts in Workspace Settings? (2) Have you toggled them on in this specific invoice's settings?
Q: Can I edit an invoice after it's been sent?
A: Yes, if it hasn't been paid yet. Open the invoice, make your changes, and save. The invoice will update for the client. If it's already paid, you cannot edit it (to maintain accurate financial records).
Q: Can clients pay installments early or all at once?
A: Yes! Clients can access any upcoming installment from their invoicing dashboard and pay it early.
Q: Do I get charged fees for payments?
A: Tezzera doesn't charge fees, but Stripe and PayPal charge their standard processing fees (typically 2.9% + $0.30 for credit cards, lower for ACH). These fees are deducted automatically by the payment processor.
Need help? Reach out to our team at hello@tezzera.co and we'll be happy to assist you!