> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hiveku.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Bill a Client Every Month

> Set up a recurring invoice that bills a client the same lines every week, month or year, emailed ahead of its date, and check what will happen before you start it

A recurring invoice bills the same client for the same lines on a schedule: every week, every month or every year. Hiveku creates each invoice on its date and emails it to your client, so you don't write the same invoice again each month.

This guide sets up Lanternwick Café's monthly coffee: eight bags of single origin and four of house espresso, billed on the 1st of each month for a year. It saves the recurring invoice as a draft, so nothing is created or sent until it is started.

> [!NOTE]
>
> The Commerce menu has two items called Recurring. **Recurring invoices**, under **Receivables**, bills your clients. **Recurring**, under **Payables**, is for bills you pay to your own suppliers.

## Start a recurring invoice

Click **Commerce** in the left rail, then **Recurring invoices**, then **New recurring invoice** at the top right. The same list is on the **Recurring** tab of **Invoices**.

![The Commerce menu with Recurring invoices outlined, and the Invoices page on its Recurring tab with No recurring invoices yet and the New recurring invoice button outlined](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/H11iBbs2xb2VsODA/images/how-tos/commerce/rec-01-open-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=H11iBbs2xb2VsODA\&q=85\&s=a6dfbf5cb32843957939f326623d103d)

## Fill in what it bills

**1. Name and client**

The form opens as a **New billing schedule** with **Retainer (recurring)** chosen. That is the recurring invoice; the other types are for deposits, installments and one-time invoices.

Type a **Name** to find it by: your client never sees it. The **Invoice title** is printed on each invoice. Pick the **Client**; a **Deal** is optional.

![New billing schedule with Retainer (recurring) chosen and outlined, Name Lanternwick Café monthly coffee, Invoice title Monthly coffee for your bar and Client Theo Nakamura, each outlined, and Deal left empty](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/H11iBbs2xb2VsODA/images/how-tos/commerce/rec-02-name-and-client-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=H11iBbs2xb2VsODA\&q=85\&s=bed0e05e6693bc6670761367f0f1c729)

**2. Line items**

Add the lines with **Pick from catalog…** and type each quantity, as on any invoice. **Tax rate (%)** is **Automatic**: the tax is worked out for the client on each invoice. **Total per invoice** shows what each one bills before tax.

![Two lines picked from the catalog and outlined, 8 Ethiopia Yirgacheffe 5 lb bags at 78.00 and 4 House Espresso 5 lb wholesale bags at 62.00, and Total per invoice \$872.00, plus tax worked out each run, outlined](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/H11iBbs2xb2VsODA/images/how-tos/commerce/rec-03-line-items-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=H11iBbs2xb2VsODA\&q=85\&s=f82f8d8e710c1a9182cb9a42249efabf)

**3. How often, and for how long**

Under **Cadence**, set **Repeat every** to 1 month(s), or to days, weeks or years. The **Start date** is the date of the first invoice, which is due that day.

To stop on its own, set an **End date (optional)** or a **Number of invoices (optional)**. Leave both blank to keep billing until you stop it.

![Cadence with Repeat every 1 month(s), Start date 12/01/2026 and Number of invoices 12 outlined, and End date left empty](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/H11iBbs2xb2VsODA/images/how-tos/commerce/rec-04-cadence-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=H11iBbs2xb2VsODA\&q=85\&s=a1887813396ff729cd47be1f5829234d)

**4. Sending and charging**

With **Email each invoice to the client** on, each invoice is emailed with a link to pay. Off, each one waits as a draft for you to send.

Type a number in **Email each invoice** to email each one that many **days before the invoice date**. Northwind emails each one 5 days ahead, so the December invoice goes out on November 26.

**Charge the client's saved card** charges each invoice on its due date, to a card your client saved. It needs a payment processor. Northwind has none connected, so it stays off.

![Sending and charging with Email each invoice to the client switched on and outlined, Email each invoice 5 days before the invoice date with the 5 outlined, and Charge the client's saved card switched off and outlined](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/H11iBbs2xb2VsODA/images/how-tos/commerce/rec-05-sending-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=H11iBbs2xb2VsODA\&q=85\&s=f88255e8f7ba11a9c4bad5873790551b)

**5. Delivery and other settings**

Below, **Delivery** sets who gets each invoice (**To** starts as the client's email), whether a PDF is attached, and the **Default email** or a **Custom message**. **Other settings** switches reminders, partial payments and receipts on or off for every invoice it creates.

## Check what will happen, then save

**What happens next**, at the bottom, says in plain words when the first invoice is due, when it is emailed, how often it repeats and when it ends. Read it before you save.

Click **Save as draft** to keep it paused: nothing is created or sent until you start it. **Create schedule** starts it at once.

![What happens next: First invoice due Dec 1, 2026, emailed on Nov 26, 2026 to Theo Nakamura; then every month on the 1st, each emailed 5 days before it is due, 12 invoices in all, the last on Nov 1, 2027; Not charged automatically. Outlined, with the Save as draft button outlined next to Create schedule](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/H11iBbs2xb2VsODA/images/how-tos/commerce/rec-06-what-happens-next-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=H11iBbs2xb2VsODA\&q=85\&s=04e044b1a63dbfef6e94901137202b89)

The recurring invoice opens marked **Draft**. When you are ready, click **Start**. **Edit** changes it, and **Stop schedule** ends it.

![Lanternwick Café monthly coffee with the Draft badge outlined, the Edit, Start and Stop schedule buttons, the notice Draft: nothing is created or sent until you start it, outlined, and the Cadence and Client details](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/H11iBbs2xb2VsODA/images/how-tos/commerce/rec-07-saved-draft-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=H11iBbs2xb2VsODA\&q=85\&s=2954900a3e3021ba034fa5510c962afb)

It is listed under **Recurring invoices** with its amount, how often it bills and its next invoice date.

![The Recurring list with Billed monthly, Active, Paused and Needs attention counts, and one draft, Lanternwick Café monthly coffee for Theo Nakamura, \$872.00, Monthly, next invoice Dec 1, 2026 once started, outlined](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/H11iBbs2xb2VsODA/images/how-tos/commerce/rec-08-list-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=H11iBbs2xb2VsODA\&q=85\&s=ca2f72971c0c05d75857abbcfd0c047a)

## Shortcut: repeat an invoice you already sent

**1. Choose Make recurring**

On an invoice that is sent, partly paid or paid, click the **...** button at the top right, then **Make recurring**.

![The ... menu of a paid invoice with Edit wording, Turn into subscription, Make recurring outlined, and Save as template](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/H11iBbs2xb2VsODA/images/how-tos/commerce/rec-09-make-recurring-menu-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=H11iBbs2xb2VsODA\&q=85\&s=7c8c098aefc7bdb29796cc3438b64e37)

**2. Set how often**

Pick how often under **Repeat every**. The dialog shows the next invoice date and whether each new invoice is emailed, and the box at the bottom sums it up. This invoice counts as the first one.

**Email each invoice … days before it's due** starts from the invoice's payment terms, up to the most the schedule allows (27 days here, for a Net 30 invoice billed monthly). Type 0 to email each one on its due date.

**Make recurring** starts billing straight away, with no draft step. Northwind clicked **Cancel** here.

![The Make this invoice recurring dialog with Repeat every 1 month outlined, Next invoice Dec 20, 2026, the card and email settings, and the summary This invoice counts as the first run, outlined, above the Cancel and Make recurring buttons](https://mintcdn.com/locusdigital/H11iBbs2xb2VsODA/images/how-tos/commerce/rec-10-make-recurring-dialog-closeup.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=H11iBbs2xb2VsODA\&q=85\&s=69171b1397e2b788e8309a8ad974c87d)

## Good to know

* **Each invoice it creates is a normal invoice.** It appears under **Invoices**, and on the recurring invoice's page under **Invoices generated**. Record payments on it as usual.
* **Changing it later:** **Edit** on the recurring invoice changes the invoices still to come. Invoices already created keep their lines.
* **Subscriptions are different.** A subscription bills a plan, usually to a saved card. A recurring invoice bills your own lines and works with or without a card.
* **More:** [Subscriptions](/commerce/subscriptions) covers plans and subscriptions. To set up your catalog first, see [Add Your Products and Services](/how-tos/commerce/add-products-and-services).


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