Invoicing

Invoicing software with e-invoicing

Q: Can an invoice under posting lock still be changed?

No. After the posting lock, the document is unchangeable. Corrections go through a cancellation or an invoice correction that refers to the original invoice, and both documents stay.

Q: How does the data get to DATEV?

As a posting batch for a period. Before the handover, the system checks revenue accounts and amounts and names open points. Documents already handed over are issued a second time only on explicit request.

Q: How does dunning work?

When an invoice reaches the deadline of its next dunning level, it appears among the due reminders. You start the dunning run yourself, after a preview. The notices go out by email or are created as a letter to print.

Q: Can working hours be billed directly?

Yes, together with the Projects module. Billing from time spent takes allocated hours from closed months at the project's billing rate, and business trips with a project are added with the mileage rate. Lines are grouped by month, employee, activity, project or in detail.

Q: Are there advance invoices?

Yes. Advance invoices arise from the order confirmation, and the final invoice at the end. The final invoice deducts the advance invoices with number and date.

Q: Is the module suitable for small businesses?

Yes. If your company is set as a small business, documents are created only with this tax case. There are also standard taxation and reverse charge under § 13b UStG.

Q: How are payments recorded?

In the open invoices, per invoice with date, amount and payment method, also as a part payment or with a cash discount. A wrongly recorded payment is reversed, and what no longer comes in you write off.

Q: Do I need a separate program for quotations and delivery notes?

No. Quotation, order confirmation and delivery note are document types in the same module, with their own number ranges. Each document produces the next, and the lines are carried over.

Once it is finalised, nobody changes it again. Takes the document from the quotation through order confirmation and delivery note to the invoice, with the client and service master data behind it. Once finalised, the document cannot be changed. Corrections run through cancellation and credit note.

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Invoicing Sample Business Ltd Receipts Billing from time spent Open invoices Dunning Clients

Receipts Invoicing

Open invoices 3,617.27 € in 2 invoices Overdue 715.67 € 1 invoice Drafts 6 not sent out so far

Receipts All 35 Invoice 17 Quote 5 Reversal 1 RE-202600016 Invoice · Petra Brinkmann Overdue 715.67 € RE-202600015 Final invoice · Elektro Vogt GmbH & Co. KG Sent 2,901.60 € RE-202600019 Invoice correction · Dachdeckerei Sandner GmbH Finalized -121.38 € E-CE754D88 Invoice · Bauunternehmung Kern GmbH Draft 1,725.50 €

Process

How an order runs through to the paid invoice

Every document knows its predecessor. The accepted quotation becomes the order confirmation, from that come the delivery note and the invoice, and in the end the payment receipt sits in the open invoices.

Quoting

You write the quotation with lines from the service master data, on request with optional and alternative lines. Whether the client accepts or declines, you record on the quotation.

Confirm

Billable

Finalize now

Send

Recording

What the Invoicing module can do

One document arises from the other, from quotation to final invoice. With the posting lock the invoice gets its number and can no longer be changed afterwards, and corrections go through a cancellation or an invoice correction.

Included

Quotation, order confirmation, delivery note, invoice
Gapless number ranges per document type and year
Immutable once finalized
Client and service master data with prices
Cancellation and credit note instead of a silent correction
DATEV handover as a posting batch

More detail

What the Invoicing module covers in detail

Doc types

From quotation to invoice correction

Quotation, order confirmation, delivery note, invoice, advance invoice and final invoice. Cancellations and invoice corrections always arise from the invoice they refer to.

Number ranges

Consecutive per year, with its own prefix

Quotations, order confirmations, delivery notes and invoices count in their own ranges. Drafts carry a provisional number, and the final one is assigned only by the posting lock.

Posting lock

Unchangeable, with checksum

A document with a posting lock can no longer be changed. A checksum over content and file shows at the push of a button whether the document is unchanged since the posting lock.

E-invoice

XRechnung and ZUGFeRD

Which format a client gets, you set on the client, with a Leitweg ID for public contracting authorities. Before the posting lock, the system checks the e-invoicing rules.

VAT

Standard taxation, small business and § 13b UStG

The tax case applies per document. For reverse charge on construction services, the system requires the client's certificate USt 1 TG.

Line items

Service, material, text and subtotal

Lines come from the service master data or are written freely, with a discount in percent. Optional and alternative lines appear in the quotation but do not count towards the total.

Clients

Client master data with contacts

For every client you keep the address, contacts and the e-invoice format. A client with documents under posting lock is not deleted but made anonymous.

Templates

Document templates, text blocks, payment terms

You set a default template per document type. Payment terms carry the payment term and, on request, a cash discount with a discount period.

Open invoices

What has not yet been paid

Every invoice under posting lock that is still open is listed there with due date, open amount and dunning level. A wrongly recorded payment is reversed, not deleted.

Retainage

Retainage per contract

If the client withholds part of the invoice as security, the retainage is shown separately from the open amount. If the client pays it out later, you book the payout to it.

Dunning

Payment reminder and two dunning levels

Preset are payment reminder, first and last dunning notice, and you adapt deadlines and texts. You start the dunning run yourself, after a preview of each notice.

DATEV

Posting batch for the tax adviser

Before the handover, the system checks revenue accounts and amounts and names open points. Every posting batch stays with its time and number of documents.

Retention

Archive and process documentation

Documents under posting lock stay in the archive for at least eight years. For an external audit you create a data handover, and the system compiles the process documentation from your settings.

For Whom

Who the Invoicing module is meant for

Skilled trade companies

Quotation, order confirmation, advance invoices and final invoice are everyday life on the building site. The final invoice deducts the advance invoices with number and date, and the retainage is shown separately from the open amount.

Service providers billing by the hour

What is allocated to a project in closed months is billed, at the project's billing rate. Time that is not billed, you can show as goodwill on request.

Accounting and tax consultancy

Documents are under posting lock, consecutively numbered and secured with a checksum. The posting batch goes to DATEV, and the process documentation is ready when someone asks for it.

Businesses with public sector clients

For authorities, the XRechnung is created with a Leitweg ID. It is uploaded in the client's invoice portal, for the federal government via the OZG-RE.

Managing directors

Open invoices and overdue invoices appear with their totals on one page. Who may view and create documents or trigger dunning notices is set by the rights per area.

Legal basis

What applies to invoices

E-invoice

Receiving since 2025, issuing from 2027

Since 1 January 2025, businesses in Germany must be able to receive e-invoices from other businesses. They must issue e-invoices from 2027 if the previous year's turnover exceeded €800,000, otherwise from 2028. [1] [2]

Format

A PDF alone is not an e-invoice

An e-invoice is a structured electronic format under the European standard EN 16931, such as XRechnung or ZUGFeRD. Invoices to private individuals are not covered by the duty. [1]

Small amounts

Exempt up to €250 gross

Invoices up to €250 gross may still be issued as other invoices, and that also works on paper. [3]

Retention

Eight years

Invoices must be kept for eight years. The period starts at the end of the calendar year in which the invoice was issued. [4] [5]

Arrears

30 days after due date and receipt

Without a reminder, a debtor falls into default at the latest 30 days after the due date and receipt of the invoice. A consumer is affected only if the invoice points this out. [6]

Flat fee

€40 from business debtors

If the debtor is not a consumer, the creditor can demand a flat fee of €40 in the event of default. It is offset against damages for the costs of legal enforcement. [7]

Pricing

14 € per employee and per month excl. VAT with monthly billing

Each module can be enabled on its own and cancelled on its own again. What you do not use costs you nothing. With monthly billing, all modules together cost at most 30 € per employee and per month excl. VAT. Special price until 31 March 2027, then 40 € per employee.

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Questions

What companies ask us first

Does the Invoicing module create e-invoices?

Yes, as XRechnung in UBL format and as ZUGFeRD in CII format. Which format a client gets, you set on the client, with a Leitweg ID for public contracting authorities. Before the posting lock, the system checks the e-invoicing rules.

Can an invoice under posting lock still be changed?

How does the data get to DATEV?

How does dunning work?

Can working hours be billed directly?

Are there advance invoices?

Is the module suitable for small businesses?

How are payments recorded?

For how long do invoices stay stored?

Do I need a separate program for quotations and delivery notes?

Zentrana info@zentrana.de

Write to us at this address. We answer it ourselves, usually within one working day.

The modules

One process runs across several modules

Time Tracking Recording working time has been mandatory since the 2022 Federal Labour Court ruling Key Management Always know who holds which key Fleet Management Deadlines you cannot afford to miss Boards Who does what by when is on the board Projects Project status is calculated from clocked hours, not from estimates

Your next step

Which modules do you need?

Set up the access for your company yourself and choose only the modules that you need.

How sign-up works for you

01 You enter your email and password, accept the general terms and conditions and read the privacy statement.
02 We send you a link to confirm your registration by email.
03 Your access is ready at once, the contract applies from then.

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