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Recurring Invoices

Recurring invoices allow you to automate the billing of recurring services: monthly subscriptions, quarterly maintenance, annual retentions, etc. Once configured, Frihet automatically generates and sends invoices.

When to use recurring invoices?​

Use recurring invoices when:

  • The client pays for a fixed service every month/quarter/year
  • The lines do not change (or change very little)
  • You want Frihet to automatically generate the invoice on the agreed date

Examples:

  • Monthly hosting fee: €50/month
  • Consulting service: €1,500/quarter
  • Annual software license: €2,000/year
  • Equipment maintenance: €300/month

If the lines or amounts vary each month, consider recurring quotes or manual invoicing.

Create a recurring invoice​

Step 1: Create the recurring invoice​

  1. Go to Sales → Recurring
  2. Click New recurring
  3. Select the client

Step 2: Configure the frequency​

OptionDescriptionExample
WeeklyGenerated every weekEvery Monday
BiweeklyGenerated every two weeksEvery other Monday
MonthlyGenerated every month on the same date1st of each month
QuarterlyEvery 3 monthsJanuary 1st, April 1st, July 1st, October 1st
AnnualOnce a yearJanuary 1st of each year

What day of the month? Select in Next run — by default, it's the current day.

Note: If you choose a day that does not exist in a month (for example, the 31st), the date rolls over to the first days of the following month. Use the 28th or earlier to avoid it.

Step 3: Add lines​

Exactly the same as in a normal invoice:

  • Concept (service description)
  • Quantity
  • Unit price
  • VAT type

Tip: Use clear descriptions so the client understands what they are paying for. E.g.: "Web Hosting - February 2026" instead of "Service".

Step 4: Set the validity period​

Start: When the recurrence begins (by default, today)

End: When it finishes (optional)

  • If left blank, it repeats indefinitely
  • If you specify a date, Frihet generates it until that day and then stops

Example: Contract from January to December 2026 → Start: 1/1/2026, End: 31/12/2026

Step 5: Save​

Save the recurring invoice. It appears in the list with its Next run and the Active status.

Manage recurring invoices​

View all recurring invoices​

  1. Go to Sales → Recurring
  2. You will see a list with:
    • Client
    • Frequency (Monthly, Quarterly, etc.)
    • Next run
    • Total per issuance
    • Status (Active, Paused, Finished)

Edit a recurring invoice​

  1. Open the recurring invoice from the list
  2. Make changes to lines, client, frequency, etc.
  3. Click Save changes

Note: Changes do not affect already generated invoices, only future ones.

Pause temporarily​

If the client is paused but will remain a client later:

  1. Open the recurring invoice
  2. Click Pause
  3. Generation stops until you click Resume

Delete a recurring invoice​

If you created it by mistake:

  1. In the list, click Delete on the recurring invoice
  2. Future invoices are cancelled; those already generated are not changed

Automatic generation process​

Frihet runs automatically via a scheduled process that activates on the configured issuance date:

  1. Identifies all recurring invoices with issuance date = today
  2. Generates a new invoice for each recurring invoice
  3. Automatically copies:
    • Exact lines (concept, quantity, price, VAT)
    • Client data
    • Numbering series
    • Discounts (if any)
  4. Sends by email (if activated)

What is NOT copied​

  • Payment dates (new dates based on configured payment terms)
  • Private comments

Notifications​

In the list, the Last run column shows whether the recurring invoice was generated or failed, with the reason for the failure.

Advanced customization​

Lines with variable quantities​

If the service has variable quantities (e.g., hosting + extra traffic), use a fixed line plus an optional one.

Fixed line + optional line

  • Add two lines: one fixed (base hosting) and one empty (extra traffic)
  • Each month, edit the second line before it is generated

If you need the month in the description, edit the description on the generated invoice.

Apply automatic discounts​

If the client has a volume discount or early payment discount:

  1. Open the recurring invoice
  2. In Global discount, specify the percentage
  3. It is automatically applied to each generation

Recurring invoice reports​

From Reports → Recurring Invoices, you will see the active and paused templates with their frequency, next send and total, plus these indicators:

MetricDescription
Active templatesNumber of active recurring invoices
Estimated MRREstimated monthly recurring revenue
Average valueAverage amount per template
Next invoiceDate of the next issuance

You can filter by status or client and use Export CSV.

Payment integration​

If you have Stripe Connect or online payments activated:

  1. You can send the client the payment link of each sent invoice that has not yet fallen due (Pro plan or higher)
  2. If the client pays online, Frihet automatically marks the invoice as paid

Learn more in Collections and Payments.

Common use cases​

Freelancer with fixed monthly retainer​

  • Client: Acme Corp
  • Frequency: Monthly
  • Line: "Web Development - February 2026 | 1 × €2,000"
  • Personal Income Tax: 15%
  • Total per month: €1,700

Agency with quarterly service​

  • Client: Marketing Ltd
  • Frequency: Quarterly (January 1st, April, July, October)
  • Lines: SEO (€500) + Social media (€800) + Analytics (€300)
  • Quarterly total: €1,600

SaaS with different plans​

Create a recurring invoice per plan:

  • Basic Plan: €29/month
  • Professional Plan: €99/month
  • Enterprise Plan: €500/month

Each client has their recurring invoice with their specific plan.

Previous: Invoices | Next: Quotes

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