Updated 7 September 2026
How to send an invoice (link vs email vs PDF)
They cannot pay a file they cannot open. Send one document, one number, and a way to pay — not a portal password.
Sending an invoice is not “marketing automation.” It is getting the same document in front of the person who signs off payment. Three methods cover almost every solo operator. Use one as the source of truth so you do not end up with INV-3a in email and INV-3 in Drive.
Share a link
A public page they open in the browser, no account. They print or save a PDF from there. This is what justIssued does at /i/ — the number, totals, and (on Paid) how to pay stay on that page. Good for clients who ignore attachments, and for you: one URL in the thread instead of three PDF versions.
Email a PDF
AP desks still want a file in the mailbox. Paid justIssued emails the invoice with a PDF attached and still includes the live link. Put their AP address in the To field, not a generic info@ if they gave you billing@. Subject line: invoice number and your name.
Some jobs still hand a paper invoice. Print from the same document you would share. Do not retype it in Word after the fact — that is how totals drift. See Word vs an invoice app.
What not to send
- A screenshot of a spreadsheet.
- “Please pay” with no number, due date, or how to pay.
- A client-portal invite they have to register for.
- A Pay now checkout if they already pay Interac or wire.
After you send it, mark it sent. When the money lands, mark it paid. If they go quiet, chase overdue invoices with the same link, not a new PDF.
justIssued
Share links stay on Free (3 clients). Email with PDF is Paid — $12/mo after a 7-day trial. No Pay now. Start free.
justIssued is the billing loop, not a second set of books.
Numbered PDF, share link, outstanding. Free is 3 clients. Paid is $12/mo after a 7-day trial (card required). No Pay now. No cut of client payments.