> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Review a customer invoice
> Open a customer invoice, understand each status, and decide whether to send, charge, edit, or record payment.
## What you will accomplish
You will open a **customer** invoice (a bill your facility sent to a customer), read its **status**, and know the right next step—send it, charge a saved payment method, wait for the customer, or record cash or check.
Use this guide when you need to double-check an invoice before sending, answer a customer question about what they owe, or figure out why an invoice still shows as unpaid.
**Customer invoices only**
This guide is for bills **you send to customers**. If you are reviewing a bill from a detailer or transport company, use [Review and pay vendor invoices](/docs/payments/review-and-pay-vendor-invoices) and **Filters → Type → Vendor** on [Invoices](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/invoices).
## Before you start
* You can open [Payments > Invoices](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/invoices).
* You know the customer name or invoice number you are looking for.
* If you plan to change or void an invoice, confirm your facility's policy with a manager first.
## Find the invoice on the list
Go to [Payments > Invoices](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/invoices).
**Expected result:** You see the **Invoices** page with tabs near the top.
Click **Filters**. Under **Type**, choose **Customer** so you only see bills sent to customers—not vendor bills from outside companies.
**Why this matters:** Vendor bills use a different workflow. The **Type** filter keeps you on the right list.
Use the search box for customer name, email, invoice number, or invoice ID.
At the bottom of the list, choose how many rows appear at once (25, 50, or 100). That choice is saved for your account.
**Expected result:** The invoice you need appears in the table.
When a manager needs a spreadsheet-style view, click **Report** in the top-right area of the page instead of opening rows one by one.
**Why this matters:** **Report** is built for month-end reviews, exports, and sorting many invoices together. This guide focuses on a single invoice at a time.
Glance at **Status** and **Amount** on the list. That often tells you what to do without opening every invoice.
**Why this matters:** A **Draft** invoice still needs review. An **Open** invoice is waiting for payment. **Paid** means you can stop chasing payment.
Click the invoice row.
**Expected result:** The invoice detail page opens with the customer name, line items, totals, and buttons near the top-right.
If you need every invoice in a date range—not just one row—click **Report** on the [Invoices](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/invoices) page instead. See [Review the Invoices Report](/docs/payments/review-the-invoices-report).
*Use **Filters → Type → Customer** before you open an invoice. Click **Report** in the top-right when you need a facility-wide list or export.*
## What each status means
**Draft** — Your team is still preparing the invoice. It is not ready for the customer to pay yet.
**Open** — The invoice is finalized and waiting for payment (online, cash, check, or charge on file).
**Paid** — The invoice has been paid in full.
**Void** — The invoice was canceled and can no longer be paid.
**Uncollectible** — Your team does not expect to collect the money.
**Waiting for customer** — The customer must choose a payment method (or complete a payment preference step) before the invoice can continue.
## What to do for each status
Open the draft and read every line item and the total. When it is correct, use **Finalize invoice** (or the send option your team uses).
**Why:** Drafts let managers catch mistakes before a customer sees the bill.
If the customer should pay online, resend the email or share the payment link. If they paid cash or check, use **Mark as paid (cash/check)**. If they have a card on file, you may see **Charge payment method on file** under **Actions**.
Actions that can email the customer ask **Notify the customer?** first. Choose **Yes** to send email, or **No** to finish the update without emailing.
Full steps: [Send and collect customer payments](/docs/payments/send-and-collect-customer-payments).
Use **Remind customer** or **Send reminder email** so they can choose how to pay.
If they already arranged another way to pay (for example they will bring a check next visit), turn off **Daily reminders** on that invoice. This pauses automatic follow-ups for this invoice only. Team reminder settings stay on, and you can still send a reminder by hand.
**Expected result:** The customer receives instructions to complete the payment preference or pay the invoice, unless daily reminders are paused on that invoice.
You can still open the invoice to view payment history or print records for the customer. Do not mark it paid again.
The customer cannot pay this invoice anymore. If they still owe money, your team should create a new invoice or follow [Void, credit, or correct an invoice](/docs/payments/void-credit-or-correct-an-invoice) for what happened.
## Read a draft invoice detail page
When **Status** shows **Draft**, the invoice is still internal. Your team can fix line items before the customer sees anything.
*A **Draft** invoice shows **Finalize invoice** near the top-right. Use it when the bill is correct and ready to send or charge.*
* **Customer** — Name and email match who should be billed.
* **Line items** — Descriptions are clear (for example **May 2026 Climate Controlled Storage**, not just **Fee**).
* **Subtotal, tax, fees, total** — Math looks right for your facility's rules.
* **Due date** — Matches your agreement with the customer.
**Do not send until you finalize**
Customers cannot pay a **Draft** invoice. Finalize it first, or save it as a draft intentionally while a manager reviews it.
## Print or save a draft invoice
Stripe does not create a downloadable PDF until an invoice is finalized. You can still print a **Draft** invoice—or save it as a PDF from your browser—from a dedicated print page.
From [Payments > Invoices](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/invoices) (**Customer** tab), open the invoice with **Draft** status.
Near the top-right, click **Print**. You can also choose **Print / Save as PDF** from **Actions**, or from the row menu on the invoices list.
**Expected result:** A print page opens with the invoice laid out for paper.
Click **Print / Save as PDF**, then use your browser print dialog. Choose a printer, or choose **Save as PDF** / **Microsoft Print to PDF**.
**Expected result:** You have a paper copy or a PDF of the draft. The invoice stays a draft until someone finalizes it.
**Draft copies are for internal review**
A printed draft is useful for a manager review or a customer conversation. It is not the official billed invoice until status changes from **Draft**.
## Read an open invoice detail page
When **Status** shows **Open**, the customer can pay (or your team can record payment).
*An **Open** invoice shows **Actions** near the top-right. Use that menu to resend email, charge on file, or mark cash/check paid.*
Scan these areas on the detail page:
* **Status badge** — Confirms whether the invoice is **Open**, **Paid**, or another state.
* **Amount due** — What the customer still owes today.
* **Line items** — Each charge, quantity, and subtotal.
* **Payments & transactions** — Online attempts, processing state, or recorded cash/check payments.
Click **Actions** in the top-right area.
**Expected result:** A menu opens with choices such as **Resend invoice email**, **Charge payment method on file**, and **Mark as paid (cash/check)**.
*The **Actions** menu is where you follow up after the invoice already exists. Pick the option that matches what the customer needs next.*
**Button names may vary slightly**
Your facility's payment setup controls which buttons appear. If you do not see **Charge payment method on file**, the customer may not have a saved card, or your role may not allow charging on file.
## Issue a credit note (reduce what the customer owes)
Use a **credit note** when your manager approved giving money back or removing part of a bill—such as waiving a processing fee, correcting an overcharge, or crediting the customer's account balance.
**Credit note vs new invoice**
**Issue credit note** lowers or clears an **existing open** invoice. It does **not** create a new bill. To charge the customer again, use [Create an invoice](/docs/payments/create-an-invoice).
From [Payments > Invoices](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/invoices) (**Filters → Type → Customer**), open an invoice with **Open** status.
**Why this matters:** Credit notes apply to bills that are still outstanding. Paid invoices usually need a manager's guidance before you change anything.
Click **Actions** in the top-right area of the invoice detail page.
Select **Issue credit note**.
**Expected result:** A window titled **Issue credit note** opens. You choose whether to credit processing fees only, the full balance, or a custom amount.
* **Credit processing fees only** — Removes card or platform fees from the invoice. The customer still owes the service amount.
* **Credit full balance** — Zeros out the invoice when your manager approved a full credit.
* **Custom amount** — Credits a specific dollar amount you enter.
**Why this matters:** The wrong choice can leave the customer owing money when they should not—or erase a balance your manager still expects to collect.
Choose a **Reason** from the list. Use **Memo** for internal notes your team should see later (for example "Manager approved fee waiver by email").
Review the summary message at the bottom of the window, then click **Issue credit note**.
**Expected result:** The **Amount due** on the invoice drops by the credit amount. Your team can open **Payments & transactions** to see the credit recorded.
***Issue credit note** appears in the **Actions** menu on **Open** invoices. Only team admins can issue credits at most facilities—if you do not see it, ask your manager.*
**Do not see Issue credit note?**
Your account may need admin permissions, or the invoice may not be **Open**. Draft invoices should be edited or finalized first. Paid invoices need a different process—ask your billing manager.
## Read a paid invoice
When **Status** shows **Paid**, the customer has paid in full (or your team recorded cash or check correctly). No collection step is needed.
From [Payments > Invoices](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/invoices) (**Filters → Type → Customer**), find the row with **Paid** status and click it.
**Expected result:** The status badge near the top shows **Paid**. **Amount due** is zero.
Scroll to **Payments & transactions** on the detail page. This section shows how the customer paid—online card, bank transfer, cash, or check—and when.
**Why this matters:** If a customer calls asking for proof of payment, this section is the fastest answer.
Near the top of the page, check that **Amount due** shows **\$0.00** (or your currency's zero amount) and the status badge still says **Paid**.
**Expected result:** You see a green or neutral **Paid** badge, line items from the original bill, and a payment row under **Payments & transactions** with the date and method.
Avoid using **Mark as paid** or **Charge payment method on file** on an invoice that is already **Paid**.
**Expected result:** You can print or share payment details with the customer if your facility allows it, but you do not need to change the status.
**Customer says they paid but status is still Open**
Open **Payments & transactions**. Bank payments can show **processing** for a short time. If nothing appears after a day, resend the invoice link or ask the customer which email they used—they may have paid a different invoice by mistake.
## When a manager must step in (Void and Uncollectible)
Most front-desk staff should **not** void invoices or mark them uncollectible without a manager. These statuses are still useful to recognize on the list:
**Void** — The invoice was canceled. The customer should not pay it. A manager usually voids duplicate bills or invoices sent in error.
**Uncollectible** — Your team does not expect to collect the money (for example, after many failed follow-ups). This closes the bill without marking it paid.
Do not resend payment links or mark the invoice paid. Note the invoice number and ask your billing manager what to tell the customer.
**Expected result:** Your manager decides whether to issue a replacement invoice, a credit, or no further action.
## Common mistakes to avoid
* Do not confuse **Customer** invoices with **Vendor** invoices on the list—they are different workflows.
* Do not mark an invoice paid until you actually received cash or check.
* Do not void or recreate an invoice without manager approval—customers may still have an old payment link.
## Troubleshooting
**Status still says Open after the customer paid**
Bank payments can take time to finish processing. Open **Payments & transactions** on the invoice. If nothing appears, ask the customer for confirmation and check whether they used the correct invoice link.
**I cannot edit the invoice**
Some statuses lock editing. Follow [Void, credit, or correct an invoice](/docs/payments/void-credit-or-correct-an-invoice) for step-by-step help with **Edit invoice**, **Void invoice**, and **Issue credit note**.
**The list is empty**
If you just turned on payments, finish [Connect payment processing](/docs/settings/connect-payment-processing), then create a bill with [Create an invoice](/docs/payments/create-an-invoice).
## What to do next
* Ready to send, charge, or record payment → [Send and collect customer payments](/docs/payments/send-and-collect-customer-payments)
* Need a facility-wide summary or Excel export → [Review the invoices report](/docs/payments/review-the-invoices-report)
* Need to create a new bill → [Create an invoice](/docs/payments/create-an-invoice)
* Monthly repeat charges → [Manage recurring billing](/docs/payments/manage-recurring-billing)
## Related topics
- [Review the Invoices Report](/docs/payments/review-the-invoices-report.md)
- [Void, credit, or correct an invoice](/docs/payments/void-credit-or-correct-an-invoice.md)
- [Payments overview](/docs/payments/overview.md)
- [Send and collect customer payments](/docs/payments/send-and-collect-customer-payments.md)
- [Ask about billing, contracts, and alerts](/docs/ai-assistant/ask-about-billing-contracts-and-alerts.md)
This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.