Sending your first invoice is a big milestone! We’ve kept the process simple so you can focus on getting paid.
You can send invoices in the Holvi mobile app, but we recommend using Holvi in your desktop browser for your first invoice. That way you can see all the available options.
Before you start
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Check your pricing plan
Invoicing is included in these plans:
- 🇫🇮 Finland: Pro, Business, Zen, Zen+, Associations Pro
- 🇩🇪 Germany: Pro, Business
- 🇦🇹 Austria: Pro, Business
-
Check your default settings
Make sure your invoicing settings and defaults (eg. logo and payment terms) are how you want them to be.
🔗 How do I set up invoicing? -
Add your VAT number (optional)
To include VAT on your invoices, add your VAT number to your account settings first.
🔗 How do I add my VAT number? -
Create a currency account (optional)
To create an invoice in a different currency, you’ll need to have an IBAN account in that currency.
Please note: Invoices cannot currently be created in Japanese Yen (JPY).
🔗 Payment accounts in multiple currencies
Step 1: Start a new invoice
- Log in to Holvi.
- Go to Invoicing in the main menu.
- Click New invoice.
Step 2: Add recipient details
Fill in the details of who you’re billing:
- Recipient name: The person or organisation receiving the invoice. You can’t change this after the invoice is sent.
- Company (optional): Your client’s legal company name.
- VAT ID (optional): Your client’s VAT ID.
💡 Tip: Save the contact
To reuse this recipient’s details next time without manual entry, tick Save as new contact at the bottom of the Recipient details section.
Step 3: Choose your delivery method
Pick a send method, then fill in the matching details under Delivery.
| Send method | What happens | What you need to add |
|---|---|---|
| E-invoice* | The invoice goes directly to your client’s finance software. | Your client’s e-invoice address and operator |
| We email the invoice to your client from invoice@holvi.com, not from your own email address. | Your client’s email address | |
| Download PDF and send manually | You download the invoice and attach it to an email from your own email address. | Nothing extra |
Tip: If you send by email, let your client know to expect a message from invoice@holvi.com, so it doesn’t get missed or end up in spam.
*In Finland: Holvi supports B2B e-invoicing (verkkolaskutus), not B2C e-invoicing (e-laskutus).
Step 4: Choose payment account
If you have multiple IBAN accounts, choose which account to receive the payment to.
To change the currency of your invoice, select your corresponding currency account.
Step 5: Add invoice details
- Subject: The main title on the invoice.
- Issue date: Today’s date is selected by default. To schedule the invoice for later, choose a future date. The due date is calculated from the issue date and your payment terms.
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Payment terms: How many days your client has to pay. A change here applies to this invoice only. To change your default, go to Invoicing > Settings.
- Due date is automatically calculated based on your issue date and payment terms.
- Invoice number: Set your invoice number sequence.
- Invoice language: The language of the labels on this invoice. To change your default, go to Invoicing > Settings.
Optional: Additional details
Open Additional details to add:
- Delivery dates: When the work was done or the goods were delivered.
- Buyer reference / Purchase order: Many business clients need this to process your invoice.
- Personal message: A short note to your client, such as “Thanks for your business!”
Step 6: Make it recurring (optional)
Under Recurrence, choose how often the invoice repeats:
- Never (default)
- Monthly
- Quarterly
- Every 6 months
- Yearly
You can choose an end date for the recurrence, or set it up indefinitely.
👉 Learn more: Recurring invoices
Step 7: Add line items
List the products or services you’re charging for.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Item name | The name of the product or service. |
| Item description | Optional details about the work. Appears below the item name. |
| Category | A bookkeeping category (for example, “Sales”) to keep your accounts organised. |
| Quantity | The number of items or hours. |
| Unit | The unit type, for example hours, pcs or flat fee. |
| Price | The price per unit. We calculate the total for you. |
| VAT | The VAT rate for this item. If you can’t see this field, add your VAT number to your account first. |
| Price incl. VAT | Calculated for you once you’ve set the price and VAT. |
💡 Quick tips
- More than one item: Click + Add new item.
- Items you sell often: Tick Save item(s) to your inventory so you can easily reuse them in the future.
- Adding a discount: Add an item with a negative price.
Step 8: Add attachments (optional)
You can add up to 3 attachments to your invoice, such as a timesheet or receipt. They’re sent as separate files attached to the invoice email.
Accepted formats: PNG, JPEG, GIF and PDF.
Step 9: Preview and send
- Scroll to the bottom and click Preview. You’ll see exactly what your client will receive, so you can catch typos or missing details.
- When you’re ready, click Send now in the bottom-right corner.
⏳ Not ready to send yet?
Click Save draft. Your drafts are stored on the main Invoicing page. To edit a draft, open it then click Options > Edit.
After sending
- How do I track whether an invoice has been paid?
- How do I send a payment reminder?
- How do I match a payment to an invoice?
- Can I edit or cancel an invoice after sending it?
- How do I create a credit note?
FAQ – Frequently asked questions
How do I add a discount to my invoice?
Add a new item with a negative price (for example, -50.00). This subtracts that amount from the total. Give it the same VAT rate as the items the discount applies to, so the VAT total goes down too.
How do I add late payment interest?
To charge interest on an overdue invoice:
- Credit the original invoice (Options > Mark as credited).
- Duplicate the credited invoice by clicking Options > Duplicate.
- Add your interest fee as a new line item.
- Send the new invoice.
To include an interest fee notice on every invoice, add it to your default personal greeting under Invoicing > Settings.
How do I use VAT rates from other countries?
To use a VAT rate from a country other than the one your business is registered in, contact our support team and tell us which country’s rate you need. We’ll set it up for you.