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Invoice System in BillaBear

BillaBear provides a comprehensive invoice management system that handles the creation, formatting, and delivery of invoices. This documentation section covers the technical aspects of working with invoices in BillaBear.

Overview​

The invoice system in BillaBear consists of several key components:

  1. Invoice Entity - The core data structure that represents an invoice
  2. Invoice Formatters - Components that generate invoices in different formats (PDF, ZUGFeRD, etc.)
  3. Invoice Delivery - System for delivering invoices to customers via various methods (Email, SFTP, Webhook)

Invoice Entity​

The Invoice entity in BillaBear contains all the information needed to represent an invoice, including:

  • Basic invoice information (invoice number, creation date, due date)
  • Financial information (currency, amount due, total, subtotal, tax total)
  • Customer information
  • Line items
  • Payment status
  • Addresses (biller and payee)
  • Related subscriptions and payments

The entity also provides methods for accessing monetary values in a formatted way and tracking the payment status of the invoice.

Key Features​

Multiple Format Support​

BillaBear supports generating invoices in multiple formats:

  • PDF (default)
  • ZUGFeRD (German electronic invoice format)
  • ZUGFeRD V2 (Updated version of the German electronic invoice format)
  • Custom formats (via the formatter interface)

See Invoice Formatters for more details on how to work with and extend the formatting system.

Flexible Delivery Options​

Invoices can be delivered to customers through various channels:

  • Email (with the invoice attached)
  • SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol)
  • Webhook (Posted to a URL the customer provides)

Each delivery method can be configured per customer and supports different invoice formats.

See Invoice Delivery for more details on the delivery system.

Integration with Payment Processing​

The invoice system integrates with BillaBear's payment processing system, allowing:

  • Automatic payment collection for invoices
  • Manual payment recording
  • Tracking of payment status
  • Generation of payment links for customers

Customization Options​

BillaBear provides several ways to customize the invoice system:

  • Custom invoice templates
  • Brand-specific settings
  • Customer-specific delivery preferences
  • Custom formatters for specialized invoice formats

Working with Invoices​

To work with invoices in BillaBear, you'll typically interact with:

  • The Invoice entity and related repositories
  • The InvoiceFormatterInterface and its implementations
  • The DeliveryHandlerInterface and its implementations

For specific implementation details, refer to the following sections: