How to invoice when linked to Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, KashFlow or FreeAgent

These notes give an introduction to invoicing in MagManager when your account is linked to a thirds party accounts app such as Xero, Kashflow, QuickBooks, Sage & FreeAgent.  Xero is used an the example in these notes.

See also the notes on:
How to link MagManager with an accounts package  

In these notes:

• Creating individual invoices for one client
• Creating batch invoices
• Transferring invoices to the account app
• Emailing and printing invoices
• Deleting invoices
• Marking invoices as paid
• Syncing client details with Xero

In MagManager, you can create an invoice for an individual client from the Client screen, or you can create a batch of invoices for a given period. We will first look at creating a single invoice from a client.

Creating individual invoices for one client

When you create single invoices on an individual client, these will be imported into Xero straight away without you needing to do anything. 

Step 1 - Open the client record > Select the Financial tab > Select Create Invoice tab.

Step 2 - Tick the bookings you wish to invoice

Step 3 - Click Create and invoice for (2) Bookings Now.

Step 4 - The invoice created can be found under the Invoices tab. 

Selecting the magnifying glass to the left of the invoice number, expands the invoice details and displays the Email, Print & Cancel Invoice options.

You can also edit the text in the Description field of the invoice using the edit button to the right of the amount.

Creating a batch of invoices

Step 1 - Select Invoicing on the top navigation bar.

Step 2 - Select the To Invoice tab > If you use invoicing periods you will see additional tabs below for each period, select each in turn.

Step 3 - Select the publications and issue you want to invoice from the sidebar.

Note 1- selecting all publications at this stage will ensure that a client advertising in more than one publication will receive a single invoice with all bookings.

Note 2 - zero value bookings are NOT selected by default as the account apps will not allow the transfer of zero value invoices.  To see these bookings turn on the toggle switch ‘Show Zero Amount Bookings’, top right of the screen.  If you wish they can be selected and included on an invoice along with other chargeable bookings, but not on there own.

Step 4 - You will see a list of all the relevant bookings waiting to be invoiced, with the checkbox ticked in the first column. (If you use invoice periods the bookings will appear on the relevant tab).

Select the booking to be invoiced. If you do not want to raise an invoice for all bookings, you have the option to unselect some of the bookings, by unchecking the box in the first column. 

Step 5 - Click the green Create invoices for XX Booking Now button.

Step 6 - Enter the invoice date.

Step 7 - Click Create Invoices.

You may have to wait a while for the PDF files to be generated.

Step 8 - Your newly generated invoices can be found by going to the Invoiced tab, and selecting the Invoices by Date tab. 

From the sidebar you need to select the current month (or the month in which you raised the invoices) under ‘Invoiced In.’

TIP: Remember to select ‘Invoices by date’ as this is the best place to find invoice raised in the month you have selected.  The 'Invoices' tab displays invoices raised for the issue you have selected - meaning it will also show invoices raised in previous months for bookings in this issue, eg you invoice someone in January for the full year - their invoice will also show when February - December issues are selected. 

Step 9 - To see the most recent invoices, click on the sort icon next to the Invoice No column. 

Step 10 - To view details of an individual invoice, click on its magnifying glass icon.

Step 11- Clicking the blue Print Invoice button enables you to preview the invoice pdf.

Transferring invoices to Xero and other account apps

When you create a batch of invoices, these are not automatically transferred to Xero - you need to do this manually by selecting the invoices and clicking the Transfer To Xero button. 

Step 1 - After raising your invoices in MagManager, select Invoicing on the top navigation bar.

Step 2 - Select Invoiced tab > Then select Invoices By Date tab. 

Step 3 - From the side bar select the publications & month in which you created the invoices.

By default, all invoices in the current list will be selected - you can remove individual items by unselecting them. 

Step 4 - Click Transfer to Xero. 

NOTE: Do not use Export to Xero. If you can’t see 'Transfer to Xero'  this means your account is not connected. Go to the notes How to link MagManager with an accounts package and follow the notes to connect.

Step 5 - When using Xero - MagManager will ask how you would like these invoices to be imported ‘Draft, Awaiting Approval, Approved’. This batch of invoices will then automatically appear in Xero under the appropriate tab.

NOTE: If you choose to transfer your invoices to Xero as Draft, you will have the chance to check them again in Xero before approving them.

When using other account apps - once transferred the batch of invoices will automatically appear immediately - although there can be a time delay of up to 20 min on rare occasions, so be patient.

NOTE: New and updated Client information will automatically update in Xero / Sage.

NOTE: Be sure you have ‘Invoices By Date’ selected to find your most recent invoices - you can check in the date column that you have the invoices you want.

Printing and Emailing Invoices From MagManager

Before sending emails from MagManager, you need to check that you have set up the document templates for printing or invoicing emails.  Go to the main settings page > Under Admin > Select Document Templates. The two document to be updated are:

Invoice - Standard Document (this is the actual invoice PDF)

Invoice Email - Email Document (this is the covering email to which the invoice PDF is attached)

How to customise system document templates 

Emailing invoices

Step 1 - From the Invoicing screen > Select Invoiced tab > Select  Invoices By Date tab, as this is the best place to find invoice just raised.

Step 2 - At the top-right of the screen, you will see two switches.  if you toggle across ‘Email only’ this will select the invoices for clients set up for email delivery. (This preference is set up on the Details tab of the client record).

Step 3 - Check that the invoices selected are as you expect, and then click the blue ‘Email Invoices’ to email all selected invoices.

NOTE: Look in the Last Emailed column for a record of which invoices have been sent out by email from MagManager and when.

NOTE: If you want to process a few selected invoices, you will need to deselect all, and then select the desired ones. 

TIP: it’s a good idea to check that you haven’t included old invoices that have already been processed.

Printing Invoices for posting

Step 1 - From the Invoicing screen > Select Invoiced tab > Select  Invoices By Date tab, as this is the best place to find invoice just raised.

Step 2 - Toggle across ‘Print only’ at the top-right of the screen, this will select the invoices for clients set up for post delivery (This preference is sup up on the Details tab of the client record). Then click ‘Print Invoices’ at the top of the screen to download the PDFs.

If you wish to generate a single file containing all your invoices, you can enable this feature by switching on the option ‘Print Batch Invoices to One File’, in system defaults.  To do that go to to the main settings page > Under Settings > Select System Defaults and find it under Site Defaults - Click Update.

Deleting invoices

If you need to cancel an invoice, you should cancel it in MagManager. This will void the corresponding invoice in Xero.

If an invoice has been deleted in MagManager, that invoice number will no longer be available to use again. 

Marking invoices as paid 

When MagManager is linked to a third party accounts app, invoices should be marked as paid there.  The payment details will then pass back through the API and be updated in MagManager. 

NOTE: Part-payments made in your accounting package will not automatically show in MagManager - the full amount will still show as outstanding and will only clear once full payment is made.

Syncing information between MagManager and Xero 

You can choose whether or not client details updated in MagManager is also updated in Xero.

Go to Settings > Settings > System Defaults.

When you have "Accounts Package" set to Xero, there will be a switch option for "Keep Xero Contacts Synced". If this switch is on (green) then the version of the client details you have in MagManager will always be written to Xero. If you update information in Xero but not in MagManager, then the MagManager version will be copied to Xero again. To avoid MagManager over-riding the changes you make to your clients in Xero, switch this off.