> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.shortcutco.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.shortcutco.com/readme/finances-invoices-and-payments/pre-pay-invoicing.md). # Pre-pay invoicing Pre-pay invoicing lets you collect payment from a customer in advance to cover all services during a specified date range. Once the pre-pay invoice is paid, any work completed within that coverage period is automatically marked as covered — no additional invoices are generated for those visits. *** ## Overview Pre-pay is ideal for customers who prefer to pay up front for a season or a defined block of service. Instead of receiving an invoice after each visit, the customer pays once and all work during the coverage window is included. **How it works at a high level:** 1. You create a pre-pay invoice for a customer with a dollar amount and coverage dates. 2. The customer pays the invoice. 3. Every time a job is completed for that customer during the coverage period, the system automatically links it to the pre-pay invoice instead of generating a new one. 4. Technicians see a **Prepaid** badge on those jobs so they know the customer has already paid. *** ## Creating a Pre-Pay Invoice 1. Open the customer's profile. 2. Click **Prepay** (shown as **Record prepay** for offline-payment customers). The **Create prepay invoice** window pops up. 3. Fill in the details: * **Covers** — choose what the prepay covers (specific jobs or the whole account). * **Amount** — The total prepaid amount (up to $1,000,000). * **Coverage Start Date** — When the coverage period begins. * **Coverage End Date** — When the coverage period ends. * **Description** (required, up to 200 characters) — e.g., "2026 Full Season Lawn Care". 4. Click **Send prepay invoice**.
Create prepay invoice modal

Create a prepay invoice from the customer profile.

Prepay invoice modal with coverage dates

Coverage dates decide which completed work the prepay can cover.

The system will: * Create a pre-pay invoice with the specified amount. * Apply sales tax (if configured for your company). * Add any processing fees (if configured). * Send the invoice to the customer via email and/or SMS. {% hint style="warning" %} **Overlapping coverage periods are not allowed.** If a customer already has a pre-pay invoice (active or awaiting payment) that overlaps with the dates you're entering, the system will block creation and show an error. You must void the existing pre-pay invoice first, or choose non-overlapping dates. {% endhint %} *** ## Pre-Pay Invoice Lifecycle ``` Created → Unpaid → Paid → Active Coverage → Expired ``` | Status | Meaning | | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Unpaid** | The invoice has been sent but not paid. Jobs are **not** covered yet. | | **Paid** | Customer has paid. Coverage is now active — jobs completed within the date range will be linked to this invoice. | | **Expired** | The coverage end date has passed. No further jobs will be covered. | {% hint style="info" %} Pre-pay coverage only activates **after the invoice is paid**. If a customer has a pre-pay invoice that hasn't been paid yet, their jobs will be billed normally according to their billing mode (on completion, offline, or scheduled). {% endhint %} *** ## How Coverage Works ### Automatic Matching When a technician completes a job, the system checks: 1. Does this customer have a pre-pay invoice? 2. Is that invoice **paid**? 3. Does today's date fall within the **coverage start** and **coverage end** dates? If all three conditions are met, the completed job is automatically linked to the pre-pay invoice and marked as **covered by prepay**. No new invoice is created. If any condition is not met, the job is billed normally according to the customer's billing mode. {% hint style="info" %} **Field add-ons are billed separately.** If a worker adds an extra service during a covered visit, that add-on is invoiced normally — prepay covers the scheduled work, not on-site extras. {% endhint %} ### What Technicians See * In the **Today** view, prepaid jobs display a green **Prepaid** badge. * When completing a job, the visit summary shows a **Prepaid coverage active** message. * On the **Schedule Board**, completed prepaid jobs show the pre-pay invoice number for reference.
Customer profile with prepaid coverage visible

Prepaid badges help admins recognize covered work.

### What the Customer Sees * The customer's profile shows a **Prepaid** badge with the coverage scope and date range while coverage is active. * If a pre-pay invoice has been created but not yet paid, the profile shows **Prepay pending … awaiting payment**.
Customer profile invoice history with prepay invoices

Invoice history keeps prepay invoices linked to the customer.

*** ## Pre-Pay and Billing Modes Pre-pay takes priority over all billing modes. Regardless of whether a customer is set to on-completion, offline, or scheduled billing: * If active pre-pay coverage exists for the job date → **the job is covered by prepay**. * If no active pre-pay coverage exists → the normal billing mode applies. This means you can set up a pre-pay invoice for a customer who is normally on offline billing, and their jobs will be automatically covered without any action on your part during the coverage period. *** ## Multiple Pre-Pay Periods You can create sequential (non-overlapping) pre-pay invoices for the same customer. For example: * **Winter 2026**: January 1 – March 31 * **Spring/Summer 2026**: April 1 – September 30 * **Fall 2026**: October 1 – December 31 The system always uses the **most recent** active pre-pay invoice that covers the current date. Once a coverage period ends, subsequent jobs fall back to the customer's normal billing mode until the next pre-pay period begins. *** ## Ending a pre-pay arrangement early Pre-pay invoices can't be voided like standard invoices. If a prepaid arrangement needs to end early, refund the payment (see [Refunds & credit memos](/readme/finances-invoices-and-payments/refunds-and-credit-memos.md)) and contact support at **** to close out the coverage. Jobs already completed under the coverage stay linked for history. *** ## Refunds If a pre-pay period ends with unused value, you can issue a refund from the invoice in Shortcut — Stripe payments are refunded through Stripe automatically, and offline payments are recorded as refunded. You can also record a credit memo instead of a cash refund. See [Refunds & credit memos](/readme/finances-invoices-and-payments/refunds-and-credit-memos.md). *** ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What happens if a pre-pay invoice hasn't been paid yet? Jobs are billed normally. Pre-pay coverage only activates after the invoice status changes to **paid**. Until then, the customer's regular billing mode applies. ### Can I have overlapping pre-pay periods? No. The system prevents creating a pre-pay invoice whose dates overlap with an existing (non-voided) pre-pay invoice for the same customer. This avoids ambiguity about which pre-pay covers which work. ### Does pre-pay include sales tax? Yes. Sales tax is calculated on the pre-pay amount at the time the invoice is created, using your company's configured tax rate. ### What if a customer has autopay enabled? Autopay works normally with pre-pay invoices. When the pre-pay invoice is created and sent, autopay will charge the customer's saved payment method automatically. ### Can I create a pre-pay invoice for a single visit? Yes. Set the coverage start and end dates to the same day (or a narrow range). Any job completed on that date will be covered. ### How do I know which jobs were covered by a pre-pay invoice? Jobs linked to a pre-pay invoice show the pre-pay invoice number in the job history and schedule board. You can also view all line items on the pre-pay invoice to see which job occurrences were completed during the coverage period.