Automated invoice generation based on milestones or hours worked

Purpose

1.1. Automate the generation and delivery of invoices in energy advisory services based on project milestones or hourly work logs.
1.2. Automates financial reconciliation and documentation for project-based or time-based billing in professional energy consulting.
1.3. Enables accurate, timely, and auditable invoicing with minimal manual intervention, facilitating streamlined payment collections and compliance.
1.4. Centralizes billing data across platforms and ensures real-time synchronization with accounting and ERP systems.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. Completion of a defined project milestone in project management software.
2.2. Approval of a time sheet or logging of consulting hours by energy advisors.
2.3. Receipt of digital sign-off or client acceptance via e-signature platforms.
2.4. Scheduled intervals (e.g., weekly, monthly) for ongoing advisory retainer contracts.
2.5. Uploading documents or contract addenda to a shared drive or document management system.
2.6. Threshold values (e.g., budget consumption reaching 90%).

Platform Variants

3.1. Xero API
• Feature/Setting: Automate invoice creation via '/invoices' endpoint using milestone or hours data.
3.2. QuickBooks Online API
• Feature/Setting: Automates pushing time activities to '/invoice' endpoint and customer notifications.
3.3. Zoho Books API
• Feature/Setting: Use 'Create Invoice' function with project milestones as line items.
3.4. FreshBooks
• Feature/Setting: Automates recurring/milestone invoices using the 'Create Invoice' API.
3.5. Sage Intacct
• Feature/Setting: Use 'create_invoice' function with custom billing triggers.
3.6. NetSuite
• Feature/Setting: Automates invoice generation through SuiteScript RESTlet APIs.
3.7. SAP Business One
• Feature/Setting: Post invoices via '/InvoicesService_Add' endpoint based on ERP project data.
3.8. Microsoft Dynamics 365
• Feature/Setting: Automates invoice entity creation in Finance & Operations module.
3.9. Invoice Ninja
• Feature/Setting: Automated invoice creation through '/invoices' endpoint with time tracking input.
3.10. Harvest
• Feature/Setting: Automates conversion of timesheets to invoices via 'Create Invoice' API.
3.11. Clockify
• Feature/Setting: Pull hours worked using 'Get Reports' API, push to invoice system for automated invoicing.
3.12. Smartsheet
• Feature/Setting: Automates notification when a milestone cell changes, triggering invoice creation.
3.13. Monday.com
• Feature/Setting: Use integration automator recipes to trigger actions on status changes to ‘Done’.
3.14. Asana
• Feature/Setting: Automates via Rules/Integrations to flag task completion and push data to billing.
3.15. Trello
• Feature/Setting: Automates invoice creation using Power-Up automation when a card moves to 'Done'.
3.16. Salesforce
• Feature/Setting: Automates invoice objects generation after Opportunity stage is marked 'Closed Won'.
3.17. DocuSign
• Feature/Setting: Automatablly triggers invoices after contract count is completed via webhook.
3.18. Google Sheets
• Feature/Setting: Automates by monitoring new row/milestone entries, triggers webhook to finance system.
3.19. Airtable
• Feature/Setting: Automates billing integration on new record/milestone addition to a project table.
3.20. Stripe
• Feature/Setting: Automates invoice issuing via '/v1/invoices' API after data is posted from ERP/PM.

Benefits

4.1. Automated processes improve accuracy and reduce manual billing errors.
4.2. Automates routine administrative tasks, freeing resources for core advisory functions.
4.3. Ensures all invoices are generated and delivered on schedule, automating collections and reminders.
4.4. Automating the invoice cycle accelerates payment timelines and enhances cash flow management.
4.5. Automator ensures compliance with client contracts by tying invoicing directly to milestones or hours.
4.6. Facilitates audit trails through detailed automation logs, supporting transparency.
4.7. Enables scalability for advisory firms through automatable, repeatable workflows.
4.8. Automatedly pulls documentation for invoices, ensuring all necessary supporting files are attached.
4.9. Improved client experience through accurate, timely, and professional automated invoicing.
4.10. Automating notifications for overdue invoices and payment confirmations, creating a robust follow-up loop.