đź“„ Creating an Invoice

Creating an Invoice

In Odoo, the CRM app is for managing leads and opportunities, while the Invoicing or Sales app handles the actual billing. Because of this integration, you don't "create an invoice" inside the CRM pipeline itself—instead, you convert an Opportunity into a Quotation, and then turn that Quotation into an Invoice.

Here is the step-by-step workflow:

Step 1: Convert the Opportunity to a Quotation

  1. Open the CRM app and click on the Opportunity (the card in your pipeline) you want to invoice.

  2. In the top-left corner of the Opportunity form, click the New Quotation button.

    • Note: If you don't see this button, ensure the "Sales" app is installed.

  3. Odoo will automatically carry over the customer’s information. Add the products or services you are billing for in the Order Lines tab.

  4. Click Confirm to turn the Quotation into a Sales Order.

Step 2: Create the Invoice from the Sales Order

Once the Sales Order is confirmed, Odoo knows you have a "contract" with the customer.

  1. On the same Sales Order screen, click the bright blue Create Invoice button.

  2. A pop-up will appear asking for the invoice type:

    • Regular Invoice: Bill for the full amount.

    • Down Payment (Percentage/Fixed Amount): If you require a deposit first.

  3. Click Create Draft Invoice (or "Create and View Invoice").

Step 3: Confirm and Send the Invoice

You are now in the Invoicing app, but Odoo has kept everything linked.

  1. Review the Draft Invoice to ensure the taxes and totals are correct.

  2. Click Confirm. This assigns an invoice number (e.g., INV/2026/0001) and posts it to your accounting.

  3. Click Send & Print to email the PDF to your customer.

Why the "Sales Order" step is necessary

Odoo uses a "Chain of Custody" for your data.

  • CRM: Where the deal started (The "Why").

  • Sales Order: What was agreed upon (The "What").

  • Invoice: The legal financial request (The "Money").

By following this flow, your CRM reports will accurately show which leads actually turned into revenue.

Pro-Tip: The "Shortcut" for Quick Billing

If you just want to bill a customer without a "deal" or "sales order" (e.g., a quick one-off fee):

  1. Go straight to the Invoicing app.

  2. Click New.

  3. Select the Customer, add the line item, and Confirm.

    This bypasses the CRM and Sales apps entirely but won't show up in your CRM conversion stats.