First, we have recurring invoices. With recurring invoices, your invoice will automatically duplicate at the billing interval you set (weekly, biweekly, monthly, or yearly) and it will end on the date you've set. However, you will still need to either manually send the invoice or schedule it to auto-send.

You can edit the draft invoice before each billing cycle, and once the issue date arrives, you can choose to send it manually or schedule it for auto-send. If you choose auto-send, all future invoices in the series will be sent automatically on the same date each billing cycle.

To your client, these invoices will appear just like regular invoices, with standard payment options and reminders.

This feature is ideal for long-term projects with recurring milestones.

Subscription invoices automatically charge your client based on the billing cycle you set. You only need to send the first invoice manually to initiate the series. Once the client has received and paid the first invoice, Bonsai will continue to charge their saved payment method on each billing cycle until the schedule ends.

This option simplifies the process for both you and your client, ensuring timely payments.

Note: If you make changes to the invoice items or total amount after the client has entered their payment details, they will need to re-confirm the updated auto-payment before the next charge.

If the client's payment method fails, Bonsai will continue the billing schedule but will notify both you and your client to update the payment details.

For your client, this works similarly to other online subscriptions: they will see regular charges on their card, receive email notifications, and can opt out of recurring payments at any time.

To create a new subscription invoice navigate to Financial Management in the lefthand navigation bar > select Invoices > select "New Invoice".

Next, select "Subscription Invoice" from the "Invoice Type" dropdown menu and set your preferred frequency for the invoice series. You can add your client, project and set when you'd like the series to end:

If you haven't already, make sure to add credit/debit cards as an available payment method to enable automatic payments on your invoice series. Note: ACH payments are not supported for subscription invoices.

You can check or update your payment methods in the "Payments" section of the sidebar of your invoice:

This will open a "Payment Methods" pop-up where you can ensure that "Card Payments" are toggled on:

Once you have successfully created the invoice, you can review the subscription invoice details under the "Overview" section in the righthand side panel:

When you select on the frequency next to "Subscription" a "Subscription Billing" window will pop-up that will show all of the details of your invoice series.

Next, be sure to fill out the invoice line items to reflect the amount you want to charge your client each billing cycle, then send the invoice when you're ready.

Once your client opens the subscription invoice, they will be prompted to click the link sent to the email used on the invoice to continue:

Once the client completes the authentication step by clicking the emailed link, they will see an input for their credit card details along with details about the subscription billing they are opting into.

Once they pay their first invoice in the billing cycle, their payment method will be saved and charged for any upcoming subscription payments unless they opt-out or your subscription billing ends.

Once the subscription invoice series is active, your client can always edit their saved payment method by clicking "Update Payment Method" on the most recent invoice in the series' billing cycle: