How to edit a Client Invoice in Ignition

Purpose

This SOP details the precise steps for modifying a client's invoice within our internal system, Ignition. Its core purpose is to ensure that all invoice adjustments—whether for corrections, specific service changes, or applying manual credits/discounts—are handled accurately, recorded correctly, and communicated clearly to the client when necessary. This guarantees precise billing, maintains accurate financial records, and supports overall client satisfaction for SWEAT Digital.

Scope

This SOP applies to all SWEAT Digital clients when an adjustment to an existing, upcoming, or unpaid invoice in Ignition is required. This may be initiated by a client request, an internal service adjustment, or the identification of a billing error. The Support Specialist is the primary role responsible for executing this process.

Definitions

Roles & Responsibilities

Prerequisites

Before initiating this SOP, the following must be in place:

• Access to Ignition with the necessary permissions to edit client billing schedules and invoices.
• Access to Help Scout for client communication.
• Access to the Client Bible (Monday.com) to verify client email addresses.
• A confirmed reason for the invoice adjustment (e.g., client request, internal decision, error identification).

Triggers

This process is triggered by:

• An email from a client requesting an invoice adjustment (e.g., dispute, service change).
• An internal review identifies an error on a scheduled or unpaid invoice.
• A service upgrade or downgrade requires a manual adjustment to the next invoice (e.g., proration not fully automated).
• A need to manually bill for a specific one-time service or charge.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Identify the Need for Invoice Adjustment

• Determine Source: The need to adjust billing will typically arise from a client request (via Help Scout) or an internal review identifying a necessary adjustment or a new ad-hoc charge.
• Clarify Action: Understand precisely what is required:
  • Is it an adjustment to an upcoming scheduled invoice (e.g., discount, correction)?
  • Or is it the creation of a new, immediate invoice (Instant Bill) for a one-time service/charge?

2. Locate Client and Access Invoice Options in Ignition

• Navigate: Log into Ignition.

• Go to Clients and search for the relevant client account.

  Select the client.

  For Adjusting an Existing Scheduled or Unpaid Invoice:

  • Navigate to the "Billing Schedule" tab.
  • Crucial Note: Once an invoice has been generated for the current billing day (e.g., if today is June 18th and the invoice for June 18th has already generated) or falls under Invoice tab, it can no longer be directly edited.
  • Therefore, any adjustments for the current period or future changes must be made on a weekly scheduled invoice or any unpaid/failed invoice listed under the "Billing Schedule" tab.

  • Locate and click on the next upcoming scheduled invoice or the specific unpaid/failed invoice that needs adjustment. This action will open the invoice in "view/edit mode."

    For Creating a New Instant Bill (Ad-Hoc Invoice):

  • From any client page (e.g., Client Summary, Billing Schedule), locate the "New" button typically found on the top right side of the screen.
  • Click on "New," then from the dropdown options, choose "Instant Bill."

3. Understand the Required Adjustment

• Before making any changes, clearly identify:
  • Which line item(s) need modification (for existing invoices) or addition (for instant bills).
  • Whether the price, quantity, or description of an existing line item needs changing.
  • If a new line item (e.g., a one-time charge or a manual credit/discount) needs to be added.
  • If a general invoice-level discount or credit needs to be applied to the total.

4. Execute Invoice Adjustment in Ignition

• A. For Editing an Existing Scheduled or Unpaid Invoice:
  • Once you've clicked on the specific scheduled or unpaid invoice (from Step 2), the invoice details will be displayed in view/edit mode.
  • Scroll to the "Amount" section or locate the individual service line items.
  • Modify Existing Line Items: For each service or line item that needs adjustment, click directly on the editable field for the quantity or price. Update the value as required.
    • Example: To correct a weekly service charge from $100 to $90, simply change the "Price" field to $90 or enter the discounted amount to "Discount" field.
  • Apply Invoice-Level Discount/Credit (if applicable): Some adjustments may require an overall discount or credit applied to the entire invoice total. Look for the "Discount" field on the invoice editing screen. Enter the amount of the discount/credit.
  • Save Changes: Click "Next" and then "Save" or "Schedule" to finalize the invoice edits.]
• B. For Creating a New Instant Bill (Ad-Hoc Invoice):
  • After selecting "Instant Bill" (from Step 2), a new screen will appear.
  • Add Service(s): Carefully select the specific service(s) from the list that you intend to bill for immediately.
  • Review/Edit Amounts: After adding the service(s), review or edit the default amounts of each service. Adjust the price or quantity as needed for this specific instant bill.
  • Proceed to Bill: Click "Next."
  • Finalize: Click "Bill Client" to generate and process the instant invoice immediately.

5. Review and Confirm Changes

• After saving (for existing invoices) or billing (for instant bills), take a moment to review the adjusted invoice(s) in Ignition.
• Confirm that all changes (amounts, descriptions, discounts, new line items) are accurate and that the final total matches the intended adjustment.

6. Communicate Changes to Client (If Required)

• Decision Point: Determine if the client needs to be explicitly notified about this invoice change. This is typically required for major corrections, added charges, or significant credits. Minor internal adjustments may not require notification.
• Prepare Email (If Required):
  • Open Help Scout.
  • Find the client's email address in Ignition (Client Summary) and confirm the "Billing Email" in the Client Bible (Monday.com) is not blank and is valid.
  • Compose a new conversation, or reply to an existing one, providing clear details of the change.
  • Content: Clearly state what was changed, why, and how it impacts their upcoming payment. Include the invoice number and the new amount.
  • Verification: After sending, briefly check the "Closed" mailbox in Help Scout to ensure the email was sent successfully.

Notes

• Audit Trail: Every change in Ignition typically creates an internal audit trail. Ensure your changes are justifiable and easily understood by reviewing the invoice history.
• Future Invoices: Be mindful of whether your edit impacts only the current invoice or if it requires a permanent change to the client's service agreement in Ignition (which would affect all future invoices). This SOP focuses on one-time invoice edits.
• Proration: If the invoice edit is due to a mid-period service upgrade or downgrade, specific proration calculations may be required.
• Unpaid Invoices: If editing an unpaid or failed invoice, the client will need to be made aware to submit the correct, adjusted payment.

Tools Used

Templates

Our system may leverage specific templates in Help Scout for client communication regarding invoice adjustments. If a template is available, it should be used for consistency and efficiency.