Why do I see a difference between Sales and Invoices?
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Applies to: All plans
Quick Summary
A difference between invoices and sales can occur because not every payment automatically results in an invoice, because required customer details are missing, or because a payment is completed in a different month than when the invoice was created.
Why This Matters
Understanding why these differences occur helps you correctly interpret your financial reports. Sales are based on the actual payment date, while invoices are based on the moment the invoice is created. This means totals can differ depending on the timing of payments or system settings.
Sometimes there is a difference between invoices and sales. This can have several causes:
Not every payment (order) needs to have an invoice. For example, if you have disabled the option to automatically create an invoice (via My business > Settings > Invoice settings), no invoice will be generated automatically. Note: only new orders generate invoices.
The same applies if a customer has not filled in their address details. In that case, no invoice can be created, which can also cause a difference.
An outstanding payment can be paid in a different month than when the invoice was created. In that case, a difference can also arise between sales and invoices, because sales use the payment date as a reference (once the payment is completed).
Common Questions
Why don’t my sales and invoices match?
– This is usually due to timing differences, missing invoices, or missing customer details.
Does every payment automatically become an invoice?
– No, this depends on your settings and whether the customer details are complete.