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Invoice Templates ​

Overview ​

Invoice templates are Word (.docx) files that define the layout and formatting of your invoices. Ascend automatically fills in your time entry data using placeholder tags in the template.

Uploading a Template ​

Step 1: Prepare Your Template ​

Create a Word document with your invoice layout. Include:

  • Your business name and logo
  • Contact information
  • Invoice header section
  • Placeholder tags for dynamic data
  • Table for time entries
  • Total and payment terms

Step 2: Upload ​

  1. Go to the Templates tab in Time Tracking
  2. Drag and drop a .docx file onto the upload area, or click to browse
  3. Wait for upload to complete
  4. The system automatically detects placeholder tags in your template

Step 3: Review ​

After upload, you'll see:

  • Template name
  • Upload date
  • Detected tags
  • Actions (download, set as default, delete)

Available Template Tags ​

Use these tags in your Word template (exactly as shown, including curly braces):

Basic Information ​

  • {client_name} - Client's name from the contact or override
  • {invoice_number} - The invoice number
  • {date_range} - Billing period (e.g., "Jan 1 - Jan 31, 2024")

Summary Data ​

  • {total_hours} - Total hours being billed
  • {total_amount} - Total amount due (formatted with currency)

Time Entries Table ​

For a table of time entries, use block tags:

{#time_entries_table}
Date | Description | Hours | Rate | Amount
{date} | {description} | {hours} | {rate} | {amount}
{/time_entries_table}

Available fields in table:

  • {date} - Date of the time entry
  • {description} - What was worked on
  • {hours} - Hours worked (formatted)
  • {rate} - Hourly rate
  • {amount} - Line item total
  • {job_name} - Name of the job

Sample Template ​

Downloading the Sample ​

  1. In the Templates tab, click "Download Sample"
  2. Open the file in Microsoft Word
  3. Review the structure and tags
  4. Customize with your branding
  5. Upload as your own template

What's in the Sample ​

The sample template includes:

  • Professional invoice layout
  • All available tags demonstrated
  • Time entries table
  • Subtotal and total sections
  • Payment terms placeholder

Managing Templates ​

Setting a Default Template ​

  1. Find the template in the list
  2. Click the checkmark icon
  3. The template is marked as "Default"
  4. This template will be pre-selected when generating invoices

Only one template can be default at a time.

Downloading a Template ​

  1. Click the download icon next to a template
  2. The original .docx file downloads
  3. Edit and re-upload if needed

Deleting a Template ​

  1. Click the trash icon next to a template
  2. Confirm deletion
  3. The template is removed

Note: You cannot delete a template if it has been used for invoices. This preserves invoice history.

Creating Custom Templates ​

Design Tips ​

  1. Keep it Professional

    • Use clean, readable fonts
    • Include your logo
    • Maintain consistent spacing
    • Use your brand colors

  2. Include Essential Information

    • Your business name and contact info
    • Client billing address
    • Invoice number and date
    • Payment terms
    • Payment methods accepted

  3. Make Tables Clear

    • Use borders for readability
    • Include column headers
    • Right-align numbers
    • Bold totals

  4. Test Your Template

    • Generate a test invoice
    • Check all tags are replaced
    • Verify formatting looks good
    • Test both PDF and DOCX output

Tag Placement ​

Best practices:

  • Place tags where you want the data to appear
  • Use tables for structured data
  • Include labels before tags (e.g., "Invoice #: {invoice_number}")
  • Test with sample data

Common Mistakes ​

❌ Don't:

  • Use curly quotes (use straight quotes: {tag})
  • Add spaces inside braces ({ tag } won't work)
  • Misspell tag names
  • Forget closing tags for tables ({/time_entries_table})

✅ Do:

  • Use exact tag names from the list
  • Test after uploading
  • Keep a backup of your template
  • Use the sample as a starting point

Template Formats ​

PDF Output ​

When generating as PDF:

  • Preserves all formatting
  • Cannot be edited by client
  • Professional appearance
  • Smaller file size

Best for: Final invoices to clients

DOCX Output ​

When generating as DOCX:

  • Can be edited if needed
  • Maintains Word formatting
  • Larger file size
  • Allows client modifications

Best for: Invoices that need adjustment, internal records

Troubleshooting Templates ​

Tags Not Replaced ​

Problem: Tags appear as {client_name} in generated invoice

Solutions:

  1. Check tag spelling (must be exact)
  2. Ensure using straight braces, not curly quotes
  3. Re-upload the template
  4. Try the sample template to verify system is working

Table Not Generating ​

Problem: Time entries table doesn't appear

Solutions:

  1. Verify you have {#time_entries_table} and {/time_entries_table}
  2. Check there are time entries in the date range
  3. Ensure table tags are on separate lines
  4. Review the sample template structure

Formatting Issues ​

Problem: Invoice looks wrong in PDF

Solutions:

  1. Simplify complex formatting
  2. Use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
  3. Avoid advanced Word features
  4. Test with DOCX first, then PDF

Upload Fails ​

Problem: Template won't upload

Solutions:

  1. Verify file is .docx format (not .doc)
  2. Check file size (should be under 10MB)
  3. Try a different browser
  4. Ensure file isn't corrupted

Advanced Features ​

Multiple Templates ​

Create different templates for:

  • Different clients: Custom branding per client
  • Different services: Consulting vs development
  • Different formats: Detailed vs summary
  • Different languages: For international clients

Dynamic Content ​

Some tags support conditional logic:

  • Show/hide sections based on data
  • Different text for different amounts
  • Custom messages per client

(Contact support for advanced template features)