WooCommerce is one of the most popular platforms for the creation of online shops. This online-shop plugin for WordPress is a powerful, flexible and free tool that makes it very easy to create a professional e-commerce site with a high degree of customisation, without the need to invest too much time or money in the process.

When you work with an online sales business, it’s important to be able to generate sales invoices, as these will be required for any shipments that pass through customs, for legal accounting matters and because they may be requested by customers.

Using an external programme to generate invoices in WooCommerce is not the ideal solution, as it’s possible to use a specific invoice plugin that automatically generates invoices in PDF format every time you make a sale.

What is an invoice for WooCommerce?

A WooCommerce invoice is the document that indicates the sale made in the online shop, along with customer details, the e-commerce business itself and the products included in the purchase. These products are specified by quantity and price in order to generate the value of the invoice, adding any applicable taxes, as well as delivery costs.

In a WooCommerce sales invoice, you’ll also need to specify two important details: the date of the sale and the invoice number.

Why generate invoices on WooCommerce?

There are many reasons why you may need an invoicing system on WooCommerce.

• Generating invoices in order to ensure the business’s bookkeeping.
• In the majority of package shipments that need to pass through a country’s customs controls, you’ll need to include the sales invoice. Even when it comes to special areas within the same country, whenever these shipments pass through customs, you’ll need to invoice the invoice.
• A customer may request an invoice when they make a purchase, as they are entitled to do so. The e-commerce business is obligated to provide this invoice if the consumer requests it.

How to generate invoices on WooCommerce

There are various plugins or add-ons available to create invoices for sales carried out in a WooCommerce online shop. Some of the most interesting plugins available to generate sales invoices include:

WooCommerce PDF Invoices

This WooCommerce add-on stands out with the ability to automate the process for the generation and delivery of sales invoices. The plugin can be very easily configured so that every time a sale is made on the platform, the email automatically sent to the user to confirm their purchase includes a PDF-format invoice.

Some of the features that make this WooCommerce plugin one of the best options for creating invoices are:

• It’s capable of generating sequential numbering for invoices. This numbering is carried out automatically, saving the shop’s administrator the bother of assigning invoice numbers.
• Customers can access the invoice from their account on the e-commerce site, and download it in PDF format if necessary.
• You can also activate the option to send the generated invoice to a printer in order to create a paper-format invoice.
• There are various different invoice templates available, so you can choose the one that best suits your business. What’s more, you can customise the invoice to meet all your needs.

WPForms

If you’re looking for an add-on to create customised invoices in WooCommerce with minimal effort, WPForms is the answer. Its drag and drop system for the intuitive creation of invoices and forms is perfect for those looking for a more visual and natural system.

This plugin is particularly useful for creating invoices and forms without the need to invest too much time or effort.

WP Invoice Manager

Another interesting option that may be used on WooCommerce as an invoicing manager for your online shop is the WP Invoice Manager plugin. This add-on offers extensive control of the various processes related to invoicing.

Its main characteristics when it comes to creating and generating invoices are:

• With this plugin, there is no limit to the number of customers and invoices that may be generated on WooCommerce.
• The option to manually create invoices for those customers who pay using bank transfer.
• Use of filters to search for invoices with parameters such as due date, payment status or invoice number, among others.
• Facilitates the receipt of payment and management of refunds.
• It includes good documentation regarding the plugin’s operation so it can be simply and correctly configured and implemented.

Quaderno

This payment plugin is a professional solution that allows you to control all the processes related to e-commerce invoicing. Beyond the creation and delivery of invoices generated after a sale, it also includes various features such as:

• You can create amending invoices when you need to refund a customer. It’s important to remember that Spanish law requires you to generate an amending invoice in the case of returns, with their corresponding invoice number and a description of the cause.
• Avoiding problems when it comes to assigning invoice numbers progressively and sequentially. In case of error, or if an invoice is created with a later date, this can be modified to comply with the order required by law for the numbering and dating of invoices.
• The plugin offers multi-language support so you can create invoices in your customer’s language. If the sale is made in France, an invoice will be generated in French to be delivered to the customer, thereby creating an image of professionalism.
• The generation and delivery of invoices is carried out automatically whenever a sale is completed.
• You can carry out internal and filtered searches by invoice number, invoice status, or delivery status and date, among other options.

Quip Invoices

The solution offered by Quip Invoices to generate and manage online-shop invoices is very attractive. This option include features spanning from the ability to set various invoice parameters such as individualised items or tax rate, to the simultaneous delivery of the invoice to various people.

With this WooCommerce plugin, you can also work with quotes, which – if accepted by the customer – can be converted into invoices in just a single click.

This plugin supports English, German, French and Spanish, generating invoices in each of these languages.

Invoicing is a fundamental aspect of an online business, and as such the creation of invoices and invoicing management should be a priority for your company.

Fortunately, there are various add-ons available, such as the WooCommerce PDF Invoice plugin which facilitates and accelerates all the processes required for online-shop invoicing.

Automation is one of the greatest advantages of using this type of plugin, as they are capable of automatically creating and delivering invoices whenever a sale is made on the e-commerce site. With these add-ons, a PDF-format invoice is attached to the order confirmation email delivered to the customer. What’s more, this invoice may also be accessed by the consumer by logging into their account on the site, with the option to download it if required.