Email invoice settings, footer builder & early generation

Invoices are always generated. These settings control whether invoices are emailed, how the invoice footer and heading look, and how far ahead invoices are generated.

Email invoices setting

The Email invoices setting controls whether generated invoices are emailed to the member. This is useful when some members should receive invoices (so they can pay via the embedded Pay Now link) but others should not — for example members on payroll deduction or weekly direct debit who don't need the paperwork.

The setting can be controlled at five levels. System is an on/off default; each level below it can be set to Yes or No to override, or Inherit to follow the level above. Order of precedence (lowest to highest): System → Category → Plan → Fee → Individual subscription.

System level

1. Click Settings in the main navigation.
2. Open Finance & usage.
3. Click Invoice settings.
4. Open the Delivery options tab.
5. Toggle Email system-generated invoices on or off.
6. Click Save.

The same Delivery options tab also has Send receipts for paid invoices, and an Integrations section with Integrate Events with Xero by default (see Event ticketing with Xero invoicing (Document ID: 278)) and Sync subscription invoices to Xero. To change the wording of the invoice email itself, or who at an organisation receives it, see System emails — customising the invoice email (Document ID: 447).

Category level

1. Open Settings → Finance & usage → Plans.
2. Select Manage Categories.
3. In the categories table, find the category and use its Email invoices column.
4. Choose Yes, No or Inherit.
5. Click Save.

The category setting applies to every plan in that category whose own Email invoices is set to Inherit.

Plan level

1. Open Settings → Finance & usage → Plans.
2. Click the plan to edit.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the plan settings.
4. Find the Email invoices setting.
5. Choose Yes, No or Inherit.
6. Click Save.

Fee level

1. Open Settings → Finance & usage → Plans.
2. Select the dollar ($) icon next to the plan to open its Plan fee structure, then open the fee (or add one with Add fee).
3. In the fee's Invoice Settings, find Email invoices.
4. Choose Yes, No or Inherit.
5. Click Save.

Individual subscription

1. Open the member's profile and go to the Financial tab.
2. Click the relevant subscription.
3. Find the Email invoices setting on the subscription.
4. Choose Yes, No or Inherit.
5. Click Save.

How Inherit works

Inherit means "use the value from the level above". A subscription set to Inherit takes its value from its Fee, which takes its value from its Plan, which takes its value from the plan's Category, which takes its value from System. A common pattern is to set the most common case at System or Plan, then use lower levels for exceptions — for example set System = Yes, then set No on a "Weekly Payroll Deduction" fee so those members don't receive invoices. Invoices are still generated and visible inside SwiftFox.

Invoice footer

1. Go to Settings → Finance & usage → Invoice settings.
2. On the Footer design tab, the section headed Invoice footer lets you customise the information displayed at the bottom of your invoices. Build the footer on the canvas by dragging in content blocks (Rich Text, Columns, Divider).
3. Type @ to insert merge fields (for example member number, BPAY reference). Add bank transfer details here if you collect payment that way.
4. Click Preview to test the layout, then Save. Both controls sit above the canvas, in that order.

The invoice heading/title is set separately on the Document identity tab — see below. Invoice settings are organised into four tabs: Document identity, Delivery options, Footer design and Defaults, the last of which holds your default invoice preferences.

Tax invoice wording & document title

For invoices to be valid as tax invoices for ATO purposes they must be labelled Tax Invoice. This is controlled on the Document identity tab of Settings → Finance & usage → Invoice settings:

• Turn on Registered for Tax so your document titles meet local tax requirements.
• Choose the Document title (for example Tax Invoice (Recommended) or Invoice). The chosen title appears at the top of the invoice header on the printed and emailed invoice.
• Toggle Include primary organisation name on invoices, which shows that name in the invoice header.

The document title should align with your legal ability to issue tax invoices — confirm the correct wording for your jurisdiction.

Early invoice generation

You can generate invoices ahead of when the period actually starts — useful for annual common-period plans where members need time to pay before renewal.

1. Open Settings → Finance & usage → Plans.
2. Click the plan to edit.
3. Under Invoice settings, find Default early invoice generation.
4. Set the lead time as a number of intervals and an interval type (for example 2 months, 6 weeks, 5 days).

A fee can set its own Early invoice generation (in the fee's Invoice Settings), which takes the place of the plan default for that fee.

5. Click Save.

SwiftFox calculates the lead time accurately (two months means two calendar months, not 60 days), generates the invoice that far in advance, and emails it according to your Email invoices settings. Generating an invoice does not necessarily email it.

Important — set future fees first. SwiftFox uses the fee valid for the period the invoice is for, not the fee at the time of generation. If the future fee hasn't been entered before the early-generation date, the invoice generates with the wrong amount and must be adjusted manually. For example, if your common period starts 1 January and you generate two months early, next year's fees must be entered by 31 October. Add a recurring reminder a few weeks before your earliest generation date to confirm next year's fees are set up across all plans.

Re-sending after changes

The emailed invoice is a snapshot at the time of sending and will not auto-update if you make adjustments (write-offs, fee changes, payments) afterwards. To send an updated invoice, open it and click Email Invoice again — a fresh PDF is generated with the latest balance and adjustments. The Pay Now link always reflects the current outstanding balance regardless.