Before you create a new invoice, make sure that the invoice format is to your liking and that it includes all the details. You can do this under Configuration->Network Invoice Format->Invoice format. There are 2 types of invoices you can edit there, the proforma invoice which is send when you generate the invoice by following these steps and then the real invoice which is sent once the invoice is marked as paid.
To generate (create) the invoice in Post Affiliate Network you have to navigate to Accounts->Account manager->click edit (pencil icon) next to any account->Accounting (tab) and click the Create invoice button:
When you click the button the actual invoice creation window is shown, its individual settings are described under the screenshot:
Let's explain some fields from above:
- Date from/to: the date range of the so far not paid (billed) approved commissions of the particular merchant. The Date to is always one day back from the date when you click the 'Create invoice' button.
- Due date: date by which the invoice has to be paid.
- Commissions: all the commissions that were approved during the invoicing period and are so far not paid (billed/invoiced) under the merchant's campaigns until the Date to so 1 day before the day of creating the invoice.
E.g.: if you are creating the invoice on January 31st, then it will include commissions earned until January 30th. - Total Cost: sum of the total cost values of the included commissions which are to be paid.
- Transactions count: count of the commissions.
- Fee:
- Fixed = a fixed fee the merchant agreed to pay (this fee should be also mentioned in your terms&conditons in order to play fair)
- Percentage from commission = a percentage from the Commissions listed above added on top as the fee the merchant has to pay for using your services.
- Percentage from total cost = a percentage from the Total Cost listed above as fee the merchant has to pay.
- Fixed per transaction = a fixed value per transaction/commission, so basically whatever value inserted here is multiplied by the Transactions count.
- Amount: the total amount of the money (Fees + Commissions) the particular merchant has to pay you.
- Balance after this payment: this field shows you the value of the merchant's main Balance, which is seen when you edit him. This Balance field is calculated as Commissions + Fees - Payments. The balance field has more significance with the "Network Account Prepaid" feature, without it it is mostly informational.
When the invoice is created and after the invoice is paid by the merchant, you have to mark it as 'paid' also in your Post Affiliate Network. You can do that by going to Accounts->Account manager->click edit (pencil icon) next to any account->Accounting (tab), there you'd press the dollar or check mark icon
next to the particular invoice which you wish to mark as paid.
When this is done the merchant will receive the regular invoice for which the format was defined in Configuration->Network Invoice Format->Invoice format and the value of the payment will be included in the Payments field, so it will increase merchant's balance: