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Create a custom template to control how your invoice PDFs look. Every new template starts as a copy of the read-only System English Letter template or of another template, so you edit a working layout rather than building from a blank page. A new template isn’t applied anywhere, so creating or cloning one never changes an existing invoice.

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Prerequisites

  • The invoice_template:create and invoice_template:edit permissions. The Admin, Accounts Receivable, and Controller roles include both by default. See User roles and permissions.
  • Any invoice custom fields you want on the PDF. Custom fields that apply to invoices appear in the editor automatically.
  • A logo file (PNG, JPG, or WebP, up to 1 MB), if the template should use its own logo instead of the company logo.

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Create the template

  1. Go to Accounting Setup → Custom Templates.
  2. Choose New to start from the system template, or open the row menu on an existing template and choose Clone. The editor opens on the new copy.
  3. Rename the template in the editor header. Use a name that says where it applies, such as Netherlands Dutch A4, so it’s easy to pick out when you apply it later.
  4. Set the language under Language and labels and the paper size above the canvas. See How to Invoice in Another Language if you choose Dutch.
  5. Under Branding, set Logo source to Company (the company logo, falling back to the organization logo) or Template (upload a logo for this template only).
  6. Edit the layout, as described in the next section.
  7. Choose Preview to check the result against a sample invoice, then choose Save.
After saving, the template appears on the Custom Templates list with Applied for set to Nothing. Next, apply it to an organization, company, or customer.

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Edit the layout

The canvas is a 12-column grid of tiles, and each tile holds fields. Select a tile to see its controls in the toolbar and right-hand panel. Use these actions to shape the layout:
  • Add a tile: drag a tile from Add Tiles onto the page. Dropping it into empty space creates a new row.
  • Add a field: select a tile, then choose a field under Insert Field, or drag the field into the tile. Search matches field names and the Company, Customer, Invoice, Line Items, and Amounts groups. DualEntry rejects a drop into a tile that can’t hold that field.
  • Move a tile: drag it to another row, or use Move row up and Move row down. Drag fields within a tile to reorder them.
  • Resize a tile: drag its left or right edge, or focus the edge and press the Left or Right arrow key. Widths snap to whole grid units, and tiles never overlap.
  • Duplicate, hide, or remove a tile: use Duplicate block, Hide block, or Remove block in the toolbar.
  • Change a label: select the label on the canvas and type, or use Custom labels under Language and labels.
  • Format a field: set where the value sits relative to its label (Values on right, Values left, or Values below), its text alignment, and its font size.
  • Edit line-item columns: add, remove, reorder, and resize optional columns. Visible columns always total 12 units.
  • Edit the footer: add up to three footer cards with + Add card and resize them; their combined width can’t exceed 12 units.
See the Custom Templates Reference for every tile, field, and setting. To let customers pay from the PDF, add the Pay online field (in the Invoice group) to a Payment info tile, a Button / Link tile, or a footer card. The link renders only on invoices whose Payment Information is set to your Stripe integration; on other invoices the field is hidden. See Add a Stripe payment link to an invoice for the invoice-side setup. The editor preview uses sample invoice INV-1042 with a placeholder link, so check Pay online on a real saved invoice.

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Troubleshooting

Save fails with “Required fields missing” or “Required columns missing.” Every template must show the invoice Number, Tax, and Amount Due fields, and the line items must include the Item and Amount columns. Add back whichever the message names, then save again. The template saved with “(1)” after its name. Active template names must be unique, so DualEntry adds a suffix when a name is already taken. Rename this template or the existing one. You can’t edit or save the template. It’s the system template, which is read-only. Choose Clone to make an editable copy. You can’t archive the template. A template that’s applied to an organization, company, or customer can’t be archived. Remove it from each record listed under Applied for, then archive it. You want to see who changed a template. Open the template and choose Activity. The tab lists create, update, archive, and recover events, and needs the audit_trail:view permission.
Last modified on October 6, 2026