Invoicing in HighLevel

Updated: February 6, 2026  | 
Author: Bill Stilwell

This post covers how HighLevel invoicing works, how to build and send invoices, how recurring billing is set up, how automatic reminders work, and how invoicing connects to the Client Portal and the rest of the HighLevel platform.

Reading time: about 8 minutes.

What Is Invoicing in HighLevel?

HighLevel Invoicing is a billing tool built into the Payments section of every sub-account. It handles the full invoice lifecycle – create, send, track, remind, and collect – without leaving the platform.

Every invoice is associated with a contact in the CRM. The client’s billing history lives alongside their conversation history, appointment record, and deal status – in the same contact record where everything else about the relationship is managed.

This native CRM integration is what separates HighLevel invoicing from a standalone billing tool. An overdue invoice on a contact whose last communication was 6 weeks ago is visible in the same record – the context for a follow-up call is right there.

Find invoicing at Payments, then Invoices in any sub-account.

Building an Invoice

The invoice builder is straightforward. Select the contact, set the invoice date and due date, and add line items.

Each line item has a name, description, quantity, and unit price. HighLevel calculates line totals and the invoice subtotal automatically.

Additional rows handle taxes, discounts, and any other adjustments – each as a clearly labeled separate line.

Invoice branding – business name, logo, address – pulls from the sub-account settings and appears automatically on the invoice. The resulting document looks like a professional invoice rather than a generic template.

Payment terms are configurable: net 15, net 30, due on receipt, or a specific calendar date. A notes field allows additional instructions, payment details, or a message to the client.

Sending and Payment Collection

When an invoice is sent, the client receives an email containing a summary of the invoice and a payment link. They click the link, are taken to a hosted payment page, and complete payment using a credit or debit card.

Payment processes through the connected HighLevel Payments account – Stripe, NMI, or Authorize.net. The payment page is hosted by HighLevel and branded with the sub-account’s information.

The client does not need a HighLevel account or login to pay.

Payment confirmation is automatic. When the transaction completes, the invoice status updates to Paid, the payment is recorded in the contact record, and the revenue appears in the sub-account’s payment reporting.

Invoice Status Tracking

Every invoice has a status that updates automatically as the client interacts with it.

The statuses are: Draft (created, not sent), Sent (emailed to client), Viewed (client opened the link), Paid (payment received), and Overdue (due date passed without payment).

The Invoices section in Payments shows the current status of every invoice – giving an at-a-glance view of outstanding, overdue, and paid invoices across all contacts. The Viewed status is particularly useful for follow-up timing – if a client has viewed the invoice but not paid, a check-in message is more targeted than a blind reminder.

Automatic Payment Reminders

One of the highest-friction parts of invoicing for most small businesses is following up on unpaid invoices manually. HighLevel’s automatic reminder feature removes most of that friction.

Reminders are configured per invoice or as a default in the invoice settings. Common configurations include a reminder 3 days before the due date (proactive), a reminder on the due date, and a follow-up reminder 3 to 5 days after the due date for overdue invoices.

Each reminder fires automatically via email – the business does not have to remember to follow up or write individual messages. The reminder includes the invoice details and the payment link, making it easy for the client to pay directly from the reminder email.

For clients who regularly require manual reminders, automatic reminders address the follow-up workload systematically. For clients who pay reliably, the reminders provide a professional touch-point that confirms the invoice remains open without any friction on either side.

Recurring Invoices

Recurring invoices automate billing for ongoing services – monthly retainers, subscription services, or any engagement where the same invoice needs to go out on a regular schedule.

When creating an invoice, enable the recurring option and configure the frequency – weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually – and the end condition: a specific number of cycles, an end date, or ongoing until manually cancelled.

HighLevel generates and sends each invoice in the series automatically on the configured date. The same line items, the same terms, the same payment link – without any manual action required for each billing cycle.

For agencies billing monthly retainers across multiple clients, recurring invoices eliminate a significant administrative overhead. Each client’s invoice goes out on its billing date automatically.

The agency’s attention is needed only when something goes wrong – a payment fails, a client needs a change – rather than for every routine billing cycle.

Invoice Templates

Invoice templates save a standard invoice structure – line items, payment terms, branding – as a reusable starting point.

A retainer invoice template with standard monthly deliverable line items takes 2 minutes to create. Every subsequent retainer invoice starts from that template, customized only with the client name and any deliverable-specific adjustments.

The alternative – building each invoice from scratch – is significantly slower over the lifetime of a billing relationship.

Templates are especially useful for agencies with standardized service packages. One template per service type covers most of the invoicing volume with minimal per-invoice effort.

Invoices in the Client Portal

Clients with access to the HighLevel Client Portal can view their full invoice history from the portal’s billing section.

Current unpaid invoices appear with a direct payment option. Past paid invoices are accessible for the client’s records.

This self-service access reduces the volume of “Can you resend my invoice?” requests – clients can find and pay their invoices without contacting the business.

For agencies providing ongoing services, the combination of the Client Portal and recurring invoices means billing is largely handled without any manual intervention from either side.

What Can You Do With It?

• Send professional invoices with one click: Create, assign to a contact, and send – the client receives a payment link-enabled invoice immediately. No PDF attachment, no separate payment link, no manual follow-up until a reminder is needed.
• Automate monthly retainer billing: Set up a recurring invoice once and billing fires automatically every month. Agencies with 10 or 20 clients on monthly retainers eliminate hours of manual billing each month.
• Remove manual follow-up for unpaid invoices: Automatic reminders send before and after the due date without any human action – reducing the awkwardness and time cost of chasing payments manually.
• View billing history alongside the full contact relationship: Invoice status is visible in the contact record alongside conversation history, appointments, and deal status – giving complete relationship context when a billing issue needs to be addressed.
• Give clients self-service invoice access: Client Portal billing access means clients can view and pay invoices without contacting the business – reducing administrative back-and-forth around billing queries.
• Standardize billing with invoice templates: Templates for standard service packages mean consistent, professional invoices every time – no rebuilding from scratch, no missing line items, no formatting inconsistencies.

Key Definitions

Use Cases by Industry

Marketing Agencies

An agency with 15 clients on monthly retainers sets up recurring invoices for each client – same amount, same line items, same terms, billed on the 1st of each month. Once configured, billing for all 15 clients runs automatically every month without any manual action from the agency team.

Automatic reminders handle clients who are slow to pay. The Invoices section gives the agency a complete view of which clients have paid and which are overdue – without checking individual records or maintaining a separate spreadsheet.

Result: Monthly billing for 15 clients goes from a half-day administrative task to a background process. The agency team’s attention is needed only for exceptions – payment failures, billing disputes, or scope changes.

Home Services

A landscaping company sends invoices after each service visit. Each invoice is created from a job-specific template, assigned to the client’s contact record, and sent immediately on job completion.

The client receives the invoice and payment link while the crew is still on site.

Automatic reminders fire if payment has not been received after 7 days and again at 14 days. The overdue flag in the Invoices view alerts the owner if any invoice has gone beyond 30 days without payment.

Result: Billing is completed the same day as each job rather than batched weekly. Same-day invoicing reduces the time between service delivery and payment collection significantly.

Consultants and Coaches

A business consultant invoices for project milestones and ongoing advisory retainers. Project invoices are built individually with milestone-specific line items.

Monthly advisory invoices are set up as recurring billing.

The Client Portal gives each client access to their invoice history – they can see past invoices, confirm what has been paid, and pay any outstanding invoices without contacting the consultant’s office.

Result: Billing and payment history are self-service for clients. The consultant’s administrative time on billing questions drops significantly.

Medical and Health Practices

A physical therapy practice invoices patients for sessions not covered by insurance. Each invoice is created after the appointment, assigned to the patient’s contact record, and sent the same day.

The payment link allows patients to pay from home rather than at the front desk.

The Invoices section gives the practice manager a complete view of outstanding balances across all patients – identifying accounts that need follow-up without manually reviewing each patient file.

Result: Post-appointment billing is systematic and immediate. Outstanding balance management is visible from one screen rather than from individual patient records.

Photography and Creative Services

A photographer invoices for two phases: a 50% deposit invoice at booking and a final balance invoice after the session. Both use templates – one for the deposit, one for the final balance – customized with the session date and specific services.

The deposit invoice is sent when the booking is confirmed. The final invoice goes out the day after the session is delivered.

Automatic reminders on the final invoice follow up after 7 and 14 days if payment is outstanding.

Result: Two-phase billing is systematized. Deposits arrive before the session. Final payment follows immediately after delivery. Neither requires manual tracking or ad-hoc reminders.

Who Is This For?

How to Create and Send an Invoice

Step 1: Open the Invoices section

Go to Payments, then Invoices in the sub-account navigation.

Click Create Invoice to open the invoice builder.

Step 2: Add the client and invoice details

Select or search for the contact this invoice is for. Set the invoice date, due date, and invoice number.

Add a title or reference that identifies what the invoice covers – “March 2026 Retainer” or “Website Redesign Phase 2.”

Step 3: Add line items

Add itemized line items with names, descriptions, quantities, and unit prices.

Add separate rows for taxes and discounts. HighLevel calculates totals automatically as you add and adjust rows.

Step 4: Set payment terms

Configure payment terms – net 15, net 30, due on receipt, or a specific date.

Add any notes relevant to payment – bank details for bank transfer, a thank-you message, or specific instructions for the client.

Step 5: Configure automatic reminders

Set reminder timing – a reminder before the due date and a follow-up reminder after the due date if payment is not received.

These reminders fire automatically – no manual action required after the invoice is sent.

Step 6: Preview and send

Preview the invoice to confirm all details are correct. Click Send to email the invoice to the contact.

The invoice status changes from Draft to Sent and the client receives the invoice email with the payment link.

Step 7: Monitor invoice status

In Payments, then Invoices, check the status regularly. Viewed means the client has opened it.

Overdue means the due date has passed without payment – consider a personal follow-up at this point.

Step 8: Set up recurring billing if needed

For monthly retainers or subscription billing, enable the recurring option when creating the invoice. Select the frequency and end condition.

HighLevel generates and sends each subsequent invoice in the series automatically without any further input.

Step 9: Save as a template

If this invoice structure will be reused, save it as a template.

Future invoices of the same type start from the template – only the client-specific details need updating.

How Does It Connect to HighLevel?

• Estimates and Proposals: Estimates and Proposals handle the pre-engagement agreement and deposit. Invoicing handles ongoing and post-service billing. Both live in the same Documents and Contracts and Payments sections – the full billing lifecycle from proposal to final invoice is managed in one place.
• Client Portal: Clients with Client Portal access see their invoice history in the portal’s billing section – current, past, and unpaid invoices with a direct payment option. Self-service billing access reduces administrative back-and-forth.
• Workflow Builder: Invoice payment events can trigger workflows in Workflow Builder. A payment received event can trigger a thank-you email, update a pipeline stage, apply a tag, or initiate the onboarding sequence – automating post-payment actions without manual steps.
• Notification Settings: Notification Settings can alert team members when a client views or pays an invoice – keeping the relevant team member informed without manual monitoring of the Invoices section.
• Tag-Based Automation: Payment events can apply tags that route contacts into different sequences in Tag-Based Automation. A client who pays their first invoice can be tagged as “active client” and enrolled in an ongoing client retention sequence automatically.

Common Questions

What is Invoicing in HighLevel?

A billing tool at Payments, then Invoices that creates itemized invoices, sends them to contacts, collects online payment, tracks status, and sends automatic reminders – all within the CRM without a separate billing tool.

Where do I find Invoicing in HighLevel?

Go to Payments in the left navigation, then select Invoices. Create new invoices and manage existing ones from this section.

How do clients pay a HighLevel invoice?

The invoice email includes a payment link. The client clicks the link, is taken to a hosted payment page, and pays by credit card.

No client account required. Payment status updates automatically on completion.

Can HighLevel send automatic invoice reminders?

Yes. Configure reminder timing in the invoice settings – before and after the due date. Reminders fire automatically via email without any manual follow-up required.

Can HighLevel create recurring invoices?

Yes. Enable recurring in the invoice settings, configure frequency (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually) and end condition. HighLevel generates and sends each invoice in the series automatically.

Can I add taxes to a HighLevel invoice?

Yes. Add a tax row as a separate line item or apply a tax rate to the subtotal. The tax amount is calculated automatically based on the configured rate.

Can I create invoice templates in HighLevel?

Yes. Save any invoice as a template for reuse. Templates save the line item structure, branding, and terms – you customize client-specific details when creating each new invoice from the template.

Does HighLevel invoicing integrate with accounting software?

HighLevel stores all invoice and payment data within the platform. Direct accounting software integration may require additional steps or third-party connectors.

Check current HighLevel integrations for any available accounting software connections.

Can clients view their invoice history in HighLevel?

Yes. Clients with Client Portal access see current and past invoices in the portal’s billing section – with a direct payment option for outstanding invoices.

Self-service access reduces billing-related administrative queries.

What payment methods does HighLevel Invoicing support?

Credit and debit cards through the connected payment processor – Stripe, NMI, or Authorize.net. Supported methods depend on the specific processor configuration.

Stripe’s default includes Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

To Wrap It Up

Invoicing inside a CRM solves a problem that separate billing tools create: context separation. When billing is in a different tool from the client relationship, every payment question requires cross-referencing two systems.

Who was this invoice for? What did we discuss last week?

Have they paid? The answers are in different places.

In HighLevel, the invoice is in the same record as every other client interaction. The contact who has not paid their invoice is the same contact whose last SMS conversation was 10 days ago.

A team member handling a late payment already has everything they need in one view.

For agencies specifically, recurring invoices and templates together eliminate most of the monthly billing workload. Setup the recurring invoice once, build the template once, and then billing is a background process that surfaces only when exceptions occur.

Here is how to get started:

1. Go to Payments, then Invoices in the sub-account
2. Click Create Invoice and select a contact
3. Add line items with names, quantities, and prices
4. Set a due date and configure payment terms
5. Configure automatic reminder timing – before and after the due date
6. Preview the invoice and confirm all details are correct
7. Send the invoice – the client receives the payment link email immediately
8. Monitor status in the Invoices section – follow up personally if overdue after 7 days with no view activity
9. For ongoing billing, enable recurring and configure the schedule
10. Save the invoice structure as a template for similar future invoices

The Viewed status is the most actionable signal in the invoice tracking system. An invoice that is Sent but not Viewed after 3 days may not have reached the client – resend or follow up to confirm delivery.

An invoice that is Viewed but not Paid after 5 days is a different situation – the client has seen it and not acted. That warrants a personal follow-up, not another automated reminder.