How to Create and Manage Magento Invoices?
Managing invoices and shipping in Magento 2 is crucial to running an efficient and seamless e-commerce business. This guide will walk you through creating, sending, and tracking invoices.
We’ll cover how to generate packing slips and shipping labels. We will also understand how different payment methods affect invoice generation.
Creating, Sending, and Tracking Invoices in Magento 2
1. Creating Invoices
- Go to the Admin sidebar and navigate Sales > Orders.
- Find the sales order with the "Processing" status in the grid.
- In the "Action" column, click "View," then choose the "Invoice" option in the header of the sales order.
2. Sending Invoices
- To email the customer a copy of the invoice. Check the "Email Copy of Invoice" checkbox.
- Enter any invoice comments and mark the "Append Comments" checkbox. You can use this to include the comments in the notification email.
3. Tracking Invoices
- Go to the Admin sidebar and navigate to Sales > Operations > Invoices.
- In the Invoices grid, locate the invoice and click "View" in the "Action" column.
- Check the invoice's status to track its progress.
Understanding Different Payment Methods
1. Authorization
- The payment method is set up to authorize the payment.
- Invoices need to be sent manually from the backend.
2. Authorization and Capture
- The payment method is set to authorize and capture the payment during checkout.
- Invoices are automatically generated and sent to the customer.
Creating an Invoice for an Order
To create an invoice for an order, follow these simple steps:
- Go to the Admin sidebar and navigate Sales > Operations > Orders.
- Locate the sales order with the status "Processing" in the grid.
- In the "Action" column, click "View."
- Click the header of the sales order and choose the "Invoice" option.
Adding a Tracking Number
To add a tracking number to a shipment, follow these steps:
- Go to the Admin sidebar and navigate Sales > Operations > Orders.
- Locate the order you want to add a tracking number and click "View" in the "Action" column.
- In the "Shipping Information" section, click the "Create Shipment" button.
- Click "Add Tracking Number."
- Choose the carrier, enter the title, and input the tracking number.
- Click "Submit" to save the tracking information.
Automatic Invoice
An automatic invoice is generated and sent to the customer when the payment method is set to "Authorize and Capture." This process simplifies invoicing and ensures the customer receives the invoice promptly.
Creating a Completed Order
When you create an invoice, the order page will appear similar to a completed order with some additional editable fields.
Shipping Information Section
You can select the "Create Shipment" checkbox in the shipping information section. By doing so, a shipment record will be created simultaneously with invoice generation.
Automatically Invoice All Items
When the state of new orders is set to "Processing," the option to automatically invoice all items becomes available in the configuration. This feature saves time and streamlines the invoicing process.
Ready to Ship
When the Invoice button does not appear, and the order is ready to ship, it means that the payment method's action is set to "Authorize and Capture". An invoice has been auto-generated.
To create a shipment for the order, click the "Create Shipment" button. This action will generate a packing slip for the shipment and, if needed, shipping labels from your carrier account.
PDF Invoice
To generate a print-ready PDF invoice for your customer, go to the Admin sidebar and navigate to Sales > Operations > Invoices.
Locate the invoice in the grid and click "View" in the "Action" column. Then, click "Print" to save or print the PDF invoice.
Email Copy of Invoice
To send your customer an email copy of the invoice, select the "Email Copy of Invoice" checkbox while creating an invoice. This ensures your customer receives a digital replica of the invoice for their records.
Generate a Packing Slip for the Shipment
When you create a shipment for an order, a packing slip is generated automatically.
This packing slip contains essential information such as the items in the shipment, quantities, and shipping details. It makes it easier for your team to prepare the order for shipping accurately.
Summary
Efficiently managing invoicing and shipping in Magento 2 is essential for providing a seamless experience for your customers.
Understanding how different payment methods affect invoice generation can streamline the entire process. With this comprehensive guide, you'll be well-equipped to handle all aspects of invoicing and shipping in Magento 2.
For more information and how-tos on Magento, check out Magento tutorials.
