Billings Pro Help
Index

# Designing an estimate or invoice

The Report Engine in Billings Pro can be used to design templates for estimates and invoices. These templates are called print layouts. They describe "what" to get from the Billings Pro database, and "how" to show that information. Billings Pro comes with many pre-defined templates for creating estimates and invoices. You may also create your own templates from scratch or modify any of the existing templates to suit your requirements.

Using the Report Designer to design them from scratch is a technically complex process that requires some familiarity with software development.

## To design an invoice template

1. Choose Design > New Invoice. (For designing estimates, choose Design > New Estimate.)
2. Enter a name for the invoice. Click Next.
3. Select whether you want to start with a blank layout or report or use an existing layout or report as a starting point.

   If you select the latter, you may choose from one of the existing layouts or reports.

4. Click Next.
5. To change the paper size, click Change.

   The Page Setup window opens.

6. Specify the appropriate settings. Click OK.
7. Click Next.

   A new print layout opens.

8. You can use the design tools in the interface to design the invoice template. For more information about designing estimate or invoice templates, please see these tutorial videos. To learn more about the Report Engine concepts, click here.
9. Save the file frequently.
10. When you're finished, close the window.

The next time you want to send an invoice, you will notice that the template you designed is available in the style gallery of the Invoice window. You may apply it and preview it by clicking Preview.

## See also

Customizing estimates

Customizing invoices

Designing a report