Automatically import and collect payments on unpaid invoices from Xero or QuickBooks, reducing manual follow-ups, managing debtors and improving cash flow. With Ignition’s online payment portal, you can invite clients to pay with flexible options while effortlessly tracking and managing payments in one centralized platform.
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How to Sync Unpaid Invoices from Your Connected Ledger
To enable this feature in Ignition, navigate to the Apps tab → click into your ledger (Xero or QuickBooks).
Next, open the Invoice Settings→ Sync unpaid invoices toggle → Save.
Once enabled, Ignition will start automatically importing any unpaid invoices from Xero or QuickBooks that were billed in the last 90 days.
These unpaid invoices from the ledger will be available in the Outstanding tab under Payments → Collections. Invoices typically appear in Ignition within 1 to 2 hours.
Only invoices that are Issued or Approved and are Awaiting Payment in the ledger will be imported. New unpaid invoices will typically appear in Ignition every 1 to 2 hours.
View imported invoices
Once the feature is enabled, the Outstanding tab under Payments → Collections will show a list of all unpaid invoices regardless of whether Ignition created the invoice or it was synced from your ledger.
To view only the unpaid invoices imported from the ledger, apply the Source filter → select Ledger.
How to get paid
Unpaid invoices from your ledger are now available in Igntion to view and request payment via the Outstanding tab in Collections. Payment requests can be sent individually or in bulk to multiple clients.
Request payment method
Bulk-invite clients to pay outstanding invoices via Ignition’s secure payment portal. Send a payment request to one or multiple clients, regardless of whether they have a payment method on file in Ignition.
Bulk send payment requests
To bulk send payment requests, select the invoices from the Outstanding tab →select Request Payment.
Select multiple outstanding invoices for a client, you'll see the number of selected invoices and the combined total amount.
Customize the payment settings and message → click Preview to view a preview of the client emails → click Send via email to notify the clients.
Individual payment request
To send an individual payment request, click the 3 action dots on the right of the overdue invoice in the Outstanding tab → select Request Payment.
Schedule payment
If you have payment details stored for the client within Ignition, you can schedule the payment to be collected for the unpaid invoice. To schedule a payment, select the overdue invoice in the Outstanding tab → select Schedule.
Your client's experience
Your client will receive an email with a copy of the invoice and a link to add a payment method. This link will direct them to the client portal, where they can add new payment methods and manage existing ones.
Sync with XPM
Ignition only sees all invoices created in the Xero account. So if XPM creates the invoice in Xero and the invoice is marked as approved, Ignition will import it. The same applies if the invoice is created manually, bulk uploaded or created via some other system.
One thing to note is to make sure your XPM automation is updated to behave as expected, for example issuing invoices as “Approved” vs. “Approve and Send” at the same time.
Prepare Your Outstanding Tab
Ignition’s Oustanding tab will currently display a list of unpaid invoices created by Ignition.
However, prior to the release of our ‘mark as paid’ feature in September 2024 a number of invoices created before this date were unable to sync the current ‘paid status’ of the Xero invoice and as a result, may be showing as ‘unpaid’ when it has been paid manually by the client.
To ensure the Outstanding tab is an accurate reflection of your current unpaid invoices, we recommend following the steps below:
Navigate to Payments → Collections → Outstanding tab
Review Unpaid Invoices: if any invoices in the list have been paid manually by clients use the tick box on the left to select these invoices in bulk and click ‘Mark as Paid’
Reconcile with Ledger: Ensure the Outstanding tab matches your accounting records by matching the data from Ignition's Outstanding tab to the Detailed Accounts Receivable Report
Verify Accuracy: Confirm the tab reflects only valid unpaid invoices.
FAQs
When will Invoices not be imported to Ignition?
Invoices are not imported in the following scenarios:
If the invoice has been paid in full
If the Invoice has been partially paid
If the total invoice balance is less than $0.01
If tax rates on the invoice do not map to tax rates in your Ignition account
If the Invoice currency does not match Ignition account currency
If the invoice “state” in the ledger is in DRAFT, SUBMITTED, DELETED, AUTHORISED, VOIDED or similar
If the Invoice was due to be paid more than 90 days ago (seeking customer feedback on whether this should be fixed or flexible)
If the invoice contains a line item with a negative balance (we are exploring effort on how to remove this limitation)
Will the Invoice payment status from Ignition be synced back to my ledger?
Yes, it works the same as the existing Ignition and Ledger sync functionality.
Do clients need to be emailed from my ledger and from Ignition?
This is up to you. You can approve the invoice to be issued in your ledger, wait for it to appear in Ignition and email the client from Ignition
If I collect payment on unpaid invoices via Ignition will those clients count as an 'active client' against my subscription?
No, clients will only count as 'active clients' in Ignition if there are active services on the client's file set up via an accepted proposal or instant bill. Collecting payments on unpaid invoices will not effect the client's status in Ignition.