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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: Open the client​

  1. Go to Clients → Select the client
  2. Open the Recurring Invoicing tab
  3. Click New recurring invoice

Or directly from Invoicing → Recurring Invoices → New recurring.

Step 2: Configure the frequency​

OptionDescriptionExample
DailyGenerated every dayIdeal for specific services
WeeklyGenerated every weekEvery 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 issuance — by default, it's the current day.

Note: If you choose the 31st and there's a month with fewer days, Frihet uses the last available day.

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: Configure notifications (optional)​

Notify before generating:

  • Activate this option if you want to be notified days before the invoice is generated
  • Useful for reviewing data or making adjustments before it becomes automatic
  • Frihet sends you an email N days before (configurable)

Example: If it's a monthly recurring invoice and you activate "Notify 3 days before", you will receive an email on the 28th of each month to review before the 1st.

Step 6: Save​

Click Save recurring. Frihet will show:

  • "Next issuance: X of February 2026"
  • "Status: Active"

Manage recurring invoices​

View all recurring invoices​

  1. Go to Invoicing → Recurring Invoices
  2. You will see a list with:
    • Client
    • Frequency (Monthly, Quarterly, etc.)
    • Next issuance
    • 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

Finish a recurring invoice​

When the client leaves or the service ends:

  1. Open the recurring invoice
  2. Click Mark as finished
  3. Frihet generates the last invoice (if applicable) and stops the recurrence

Delete a recurring invoice​

If you created it by mistake:

  1. Open the recurring invoice (it must be in draft or paused status)
  2. Click Delete

Note: You cannot delete recurring invoices that have already generated invoices. Instead, use "Finish".

Automatic generation process​

Frihet runs automatically via a scheduled Cloud Function 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)
  5. Registers in VeriFactu automatically

What is NOT copied​

  • The previous status (always created as "Sent" if auto-notified)
  • Payment dates (new dates based on configured payment terms)
  • Private comments

Notifications​

You receive a notification when:

  • A recurring invoice was successfully generated
  • An error occurred during generation (e.g., client without email)
  • You are notified 3 days before (if configured)

Advanced customization​

Lines with variable quantities​

If the service has variable quantities (e.g., hosting + extra traffic), you have two options:

Option 1: 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

Option 2: Custom script (PRO)

  • Use custom integrations to automatically update quantities
  • Contact support to configure

Include variable description (date, period)​

In the concept, use dynamic variables:

  • {MONTH} → Replaced by the month of issuance (February 2026)
  • {YEAR} → Year (2026)

Example:

  • Concept: Hosting - {MONTH}
  • Generates as: "Hosting - February 2026"

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 Invoicing, you will see:

MetricDescription
Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)Sum of all active monthly recurring invoices
Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)MRR × 12
Client Retention RateActive vs. historical recurring invoices
Next 30 days to generateInvoices that Frihet will issue soon

These reports help you understand the health of your recurring business.

Payment integration​

If you have Stripe Connect or online payments activated:

  1. Frihet automatically marks the invoice as "Payment Pending"
  2. Generates a unique payment link for the client
  3. 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.

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