Invoice Generation and Xero

PlacementFlow generates professional PDF invoices directly from placement records. You can email them to clients, and optionally connect Xero to push invoices and sync payment status automatically.

Setting Up Invoice Details

Before generating your first invoice, configure your company details at Settings -> Agency -> Invoice Settings.

Company Information

Field	Purpose
Company Name	Legal entity name that appears on the invoice
Company Number	Registration number (shown in footer)
VAT Number	Required if VAT registered -- included on invoice
VAT Registered	Toggle on to add VAT line items
Address	Your registered business address (line 1, line 2, city, postcode, country)

Bank Details

Field	Purpose
Bank Name	Shown in payment section
Account Name	Name on the bank account
Account Number	Domestic account number
Sort Code	UK sort code (or equivalent)
IBAN	For international payments

Invoice Preferences

Field	Purpose
Invoice Prefix	Added before the invoice number (e.g., "PF-" gives "PF-0001")
Payment Terms (Days)	Default due date calculation (e.g., 30 days)
Footer Text	Custom text at the bottom of every invoice (terms, legal notices)

Invoice numbers auto-increment. The next number is tracked per agency.

Generating an Invoice

1. Go to the Placement detail page
2. Click Generate Invoice
3. Review the pre-filled details:
   • Client name and address
   • Candidate name and job title
   • Start date
   • Fee amount and currency (pulled from the placement record)
   • Due date (calculated from your payment terms)
4. Click Download PDF to save locally, or Send by Email to deliver directly

The PDF includes your logo, company details, bank information, itemised fee, and VAT breakdown (if registered).

Sending Invoices by Email

When you click Send by Email:

1. Select the recipient (defaults to the client contact on the placement)
2. Optionally add CC addresses
3. The invoice PDF is attached automatically
4. A professional cover email is sent via your connected mailbox

The placement record updates to invoiced status, and the sent date is logged.

Connecting Xero

To push invoices to your Xero account:

1. Go to Settings -> Integrations -> Accounting
2. Click Connect Xero
3. Authorize PlacementFlow via OAuth
4. Select your default Xero organisation (if you have multiple)

Once connected, you will see a Push to Xero button on each invoice.

What Syncs to Xero

• Invoice details -- contact, line items, amounts, tax rates, due date
• Payment status -- when a payment is recorded in Xero, PlacementFlow updates the placement from "invoiced" to "paid"
• Overdue detection -- the daily invoice overdue cron (8 AM UTC) flags invoices past their due date

Payment Sync

PlacementFlow checks for payment updates via Xero's API. When a client pays in Xero:

1. The placement status moves to paid
2. The payment amount and date are recorded
3. Revenue analytics update automatically

Invoice Status Lifecycle

Status	Meaning
Pending	Placement confirmed, invoice not yet generated
Invoiced	Invoice sent to client
Paid	Payment received and recorded
Overdue	Past due date with no payment

Next Steps

• Recording Placements and Tracking Fees -- create placement records that feed into invoicing
• Revenue Analytics -- track revenue, pipeline value, and retention rates