Quotes & Invoices
Quotes propose work. Invoices request payment. Together, they form the financial backbone of HeyChief—a clean flow from "here's what it will cost" to "here's what you owe" to "paid in full."
The financial flow
Pricebook → Job Line Items → Quote → Approval → Invoice → Payment
Each step builds on the last. Line items flow from your Pricebook to the Job. Quotes pull from Job line items. Invoices pull from Jobs (or Quotes). Payments apply to Invoices.
No re-entering data. No copy-paste.
Quotes
A Quote is a proposal—a document that says "here's what we'll do, here's what it costs." The customer can approve it, decline it, or let it expire.
When to use Quotes
Quotes make sense when:
- The work requires customer approval before starting
- The job is complex enough that customers expect a written estimate
- You want to collect a deposit before beginning
- You need a paper trail of what was agreed
Common quote scenarios:
| Industry | Scenario |
|---|---|
| HVAC | AC replacement ($4,500, customer needs to approve) |
| Landscaping | Backyard redesign (multiple line items, deposit required) |
| Photography | Wedding package (detailed breakdown, terms) |
| Contractors | Bathroom remodel (scope of work, timeline, payment schedule) |
For simple appointments—a $50 haircut, a $89 diagnostic—you may not need a quote at all. Just schedule, complete, and invoice.
What's on a Quote
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Quote number | Human-readable ID like Q-1042 |
| Job | The job this quote is for |
| Line items | Services, materials, fees |
| Subtotal | Sum of line items |
| Tax | Calculated based on your tax rate |
| Total | What the customer will pay |
| Valid until | Expiration date |
| Notes | Any additional information |
| Terms | Your terms and conditions |
Quote lifecycle
Draft → Sent → Viewed → Approved / Declined / Expired
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
draft | You're still working on it |
sent | Delivered to the customer |
viewed | Customer opened it |
approved | Customer accepted |
declined | Customer said no |
expired | Passed the valid-until date with no response |
When a quote is approved, the associated Job advances (typically to approved or scheduled). If you required a deposit, it's collected at approval.
Sending Quotes
Send quotes via:
- Email – PDF attached, nice formatting
- SMS – Link to a web-hosted version
- Manual – Mark as sent if you delivered it in person
Customers can view, approve, and even sign quotes directly from their email or phone. No app download required.
Deposits
For larger projects, you can require a deposit:
| Option | Example |
|---|---|
| Fixed amount | $500 deposit required |
| Percentage | 50% deposit required |
When the customer approves the quote, they're prompted to pay the deposit. The deposit is recorded as a payment and applied to the eventual invoice.
Signatures
For quotes that need formal acceptance, enable signature capture. The customer signs directly on their device, and the signed quote is stored.
This is useful for:
- Contractors (scope of work agreements)
- Events (contracts)
- High-value services (proof of authorization)
Invoices
An Invoice is a request for payment—a formal document saying "you owe us this amount."
When to create Invoices
| Trigger | Scenario |
|---|---|
| Job completed | Work is done, time to bill |
| Milestone reached | Progress billing on a long project |
| Recurring service | Monthly or quarterly service agreement |
| Standalone | Invoice not tied to a specific job |
You can configure HeyChief to generate invoices automatically when jobs are marked complete, or create them manually.
What's on an Invoice
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Invoice number | Human-readable ID like INV-1042 |
| Customer | Who owes you |
| Job | The work being billed (if applicable) |
| Line items | What's being charged |
| Subtotal | Sum of line items |
| Tax | Calculated tax amount |
| Total | Full amount due |
| Amount paid | Payments received so far |
| Balance due | What's still owed |
| Issued date | When the invoice was created |
| Due date | When payment is expected |
| Terms | Payment terms (Net 30, etc.) |
Invoice lifecycle
Draft → Sent → Viewed → Partial / Paid / Overdue / Void
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
draft | Not yet sent |
sent | Delivered to customer |
viewed | Customer opened it |
partial | Some payment received, balance remaining |
paid | Fully paid |
overdue | Past due date, still unpaid |
void | Canceled, doesn't count as receivable |
Payment terms
Set expectations with payment terms:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
due_on_receipt | Pay immediately |
net_15 | Due in 15 days |
net_30 | Due in 30 days (most common) |
net_60 | Due in 60 days |
You can set a default for your business and override per customer or per invoice.
Sending Invoices
Send invoices via:
- Email – PDF attached, includes a "Pay Now" button
- SMS – Link to web-hosted invoice
- Manual – Mark as sent for in-person delivery
Customers can view and pay directly from the email or text. Card and ACH payments are supported.
Reminders
For unpaid invoices, you can:
- Send manual reminders with one click
- Set up automatic reminders (e.g., 3 days before due, on due date, 7 days overdue)
Reminders are polite but persistent—HeyChief tracks how many you've sent so you don't overdo it.
Payments
A Payment is money received. Payments are applied to invoices to reduce the balance due.
Payment methods
HeyChief supports:
| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Card | Customer pays via Stripe link |
| ACH | Bank transfer via Stripe |
| Cash | You record manually |
| Check | You record manually |
For card and ACH, the payment processes automatically and the invoice updates in real time.
Payment types
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Payment | Regular payment against an invoice |
| Deposit | Upfront payment, often before invoice exists |
| Refund | Money returned to customer |
Deposits are recorded on the Job and applied when an invoice is generated. This keeps your books clean.
Applying payments
Payments are applied to specific invoices. If a customer has multiple invoices, you choose where to apply the payment.
For deposits collected before invoicing, the deposit automatically applies to the first invoice for that job.
Partial payments
Customers can pay part of an invoice:
- Invoice total: $1,500
- Payment received: $500
- Balance due: $1,000
- Status:
partial
You can accept partial payments and follow up for the remainder.
Tracking money
Between Jobs, Quotes, Invoices, and Payments, you always know:
- What's been quoted (potential revenue)
- What's been invoiced (accounts receivable)
- What's been paid (collected revenue)
- What's outstanding (balance due across all customers)
Chief can summarize: "You have $12,400 in outstanding invoices, $3,200 of which is overdue."
Tips
-
Quote the scope, not just the price. A detailed quote prevents "I thought that was included" later.
-
Don't skip invoicing. Even for small jobs, an invoice creates a record. Your accountant will thank you.
-
Set realistic due dates. Net 30 is standard, but if you need cash flow, Net 15 or Due on Receipt is fine.
-
Follow up on overdue invoices. A polite reminder often does the trick. HeyChief makes it one click.
-
Use deposits for big jobs. Collecting money upfront protects you from scope creep and no-shows.
-
Let Chief handle reminders. Automate payment reminders so you're not the bad guy.