Still waiting on approval or prepayment?
Do not send the final invoice yet. The workflow still belongs on proforma, deposit, or quotation options.
Final-stage timing guide
When to Send a Final Invoice
Send the final invoice when the billing step is real enough that the document should now function as the actual invoice. If the workflow still needs approval, a deposit request, or a prepayment step before real collection, stays with the earlier option.
A simple decision path
The job is billable now?
If the work, sale, or completed stage is real, the final invoice should now replace earlier-stage billing documents.
Deposit already received?
Show the prior payment clearly and let the remaining balance become the clearest number on the page.
The common mistakes
Using the final invoice too earlyThis blurs deposit or approval stages and makes the billing decision harder to trust.
Wrong stageForgetting prior paymentsIf the deposit disappears, the remaining balance feels arbitrary and invites dispute.
Breaks clarityLeaving the due step weakThe final invoice should point clearly to payment, not send the client back into process confusion.
Slows collectionChoose the next step
Open final invoice templateUse this when the answer is clearly yes: the invoice should now be the real billing record.
Best next stepReview final invoice helpUse this when the invoice fit is right but you need the timing boundary spelled out one more time.
See helpUse the deposit handoff guideUse this when the only missing piece is how to show prior payment and remaining balance together.
Related guideCompare proforma invoice templateUse this when the billing step still belongs before the real invoice should exist.
Step backReady to issue the real invoice?
Open the final invoice template and keep the billing event, prior payments, and due step clear enough that the client can pay without process ambiguity.