HoneyBook invoices give you full control over how you bill clients and get paid. You can configure tax rates, discounts, service charges, payment methods, autopay, late fees, gift card redemption, promo-code entry and payment schedules — all within the invoice block.
Access invoice settings
To edit any invoice settings:
Use the search bar or select Projects from the navigation menu, to find the project and open the smart file that holds the invoice
Select Edit file > the invoice block
Make updates within the invoice block or the toolbar
All financial changes recalculate totals in real time as you make edits
Use HoneyBook AI to edit an invoice
Select
Edit your invoice with AI while building your invoice to use HoneyBook AI.
AI can help you:
Add or update services
Adjust quantities, prices, or units
Modify taxes or service charges
If you don't like a change, ask HoneyBook AI to undo it.
Configure payment details
Use payment settings to control how and when you get paid — from invoice type and due dates to payment methods, autopay, and late fees.
If eligible, you can turn on Buy now, pay later with Affirm for supported invoices. To use it on an invoice, you first need to turn on Affirm in your company payment settings. During invoice creation, HoneyBook guides you to set it up or turn it on if needed. Affirm can be unavailable if the invoice amount or your payment setup doesn’t meet eligibility requirements. If you choose Buy now, pay later, autopay isn’t available for that invoice.
📣 Note
Canada-based members can currently accept credit card payments only. You can’t place a temporary hold on a client's card for damages or cancellations. Instead, collect a deposit upfront and issue a refund later if needed.
Setting | Options |
Invoice type | Standard (one-time) or recurring |
Payment methods | Credit card, ACH bank transfer, Buy now, pay later (Affirm), or eligible combinations shown in invoice creation. To offer Affirm, you need to turn it on in your company payment settings first. |
Autopay | Optional or required before payment submission; unavailable when Buy now, pay later is turned on |
Late fees | Add a late fee to encourage on-time payment |
Client tipping | Enable an optional gratuity field |
📣 Note
Regulations about passing along processing fees may vary by location. Check your local laws before enabling or using platform fee settings.
Change a payment due date after sharing
You can update a payment's due date even after you've shared the invoice with a client.
Find the project, then open the smart file that holds the invoice
Select Edit file > the invoice block
Under “Payment plan,” select the due date > Edit invoice
Choose a new due date
Select Save > Update & share, then re-share the updated invoice with your client
Redeem a gift card
Use the gift card row in the invoice block to apply a gift card code to the invoice total.
Find the project, then open the smart file that holds the invoice
Select Edit file > the invoice block
In the gift card row, select Enter code
Enter the gift card code and apply it
If needed, select Clear to remove the applied gift card
After you apply a gift card, the invoice summary shows a Gift Card line with the redeemed amount as a negative value. If the gift card covers the full balance, the payment summary updates to show that the invoice is fully covered.
Add a discount
You can discount an invoice in two ways: apply a discount to the invoice subtotal, or add a negative-value service item to show a discount on a specific service. Use the invoice-level discount when it should apply to the full subtotal, and a negative service item when the discount belongs to one service. You can use either method on its own or combine them.
Apply a discount to the whole invoice
Invoice-level discounts reduce the invoice subtotal before taxes are calculated. They can be set as a flat dollar amount or a percentage.
Find the project, then open the smart file that holds the invoice
Select Edit file > the invoice block > + Add discount
Enter a percentage or flat dollar amount — changes save automatically
Show a discount on a specific service
To display a discount directly beneath a particular service, add a service item or sub-item with a negative price. This gives you another way to present discounts and matches how legacy files handled them.
Find the project, then open the smart file that holds the invoice
Select Edit file > the invoice block
Add a new service item, or add a sub-item under an existing service
In the price field, enter a minus sign (-) followed by the amount (for example, -50)
Name the item so your client can see what the discount is for (for example, "Early booking discount")
All totals recalculate automatically.
📣 Note
If your invoice includes taxable services, HoneyBook applies the invoice-level discount first, then calculates tax on the reduced taxable amount. Percentage-based taxes and service charges also calculate on negative service items, so those charges will be negative too, and a warning tooltip appears when this applies. For details, see Add a service charge and Add tax.
Add a service charge
Service charges are commonly used for administrative, operational, or venue fees. They can be added as a percentage or flat rate, marked as taxable, and removed at any time. All totals recalculate automatically.
If a service item has a negative price, percentage-based tax and service changes show a warning tooltip because those charges will be negative too.
On the web
Find the project, then open the smart file that holds the invoice
Select Edit file > the invoice block > + Add service charge
Enter a percentage or flat dollar amount
Turn Taxable on or off
In the mobile app
Find the project, then open the smart file that holds the invoice
Select Edit file > the invoice block > Service charge (SVC) details > + Add service charge (SVC)
Enter a percentage or flat dollar amount
Turn Taxable on or off
Select Publish
Add tax
Tax in HoneyBook is applied to specific services and line items. You can set tax at the template level so the correct rate is pre-applied every time you use the template — and adjust it on individual smart files as needed.
Taxes must be manually enabled for each item, but configuring templates with tax settings can reduce manual effort. To streamline tax application, navigate to Templates > File Templates, select the template you want to edit, and enable tax for each taxable service or item. Save the template to ensure future invoices or proposals generated from it include the correct tax settings.
If a service item has a negative price, percentage-based tax and service changes show a warning tooltip because those charges will be negative too.
Find the project, then open the smart file that holds the invoice
Select Edit file > the invoice block > + Add tax
Name the tax (optional), and enter a percentage or flat dollar amount
For each taxable line item, select the checkbox under the “Tax” column
If you don't see the “Tax” column, enable it in the sidebar by selecting Design > Show/Hide columns > Tax
You can add multiple taxes or fees (such as a service charge)
To delete a tax, select the tax >
Delete (trash icon) — make sure no line items have that tax applied first
📣 Note
When a client pays an invoice with tax, you receive the full amount paid minus processing fees. HoneyBook doesn’t withhold collected tax funds.
Troubleshooting Tax Application Issues
If taxes are not being applied correctly, consider the following:
Check Tax Checkboxes: Ensure the tax checkbox is enabled for each service or item.
Update Templates: If templates were updated after being used, ensure the tax settings are correctly configured in the project files.
Adjust Sub-Item Settings: If sub-items are not being taxed, review their configuration and update the template.
Enable Tax in Lead Forms: For invoices generated from lead forms, manually enable tax for each service.
Include billable hour details
Invoice totals show hours and rates, but detailed time logs (dates, tasks, and breakdowns) don't appear automatically. If your client needs a full breakdown, add a separate page to the smart file.
Add a billable hours details page
At the top of the smart file builder, select
Manage your pages
Select + Add page > + Start from blank (or choose a template)
Select the
three-dot menu icon next to the page > Rename (for example, “Billable Hour Details”)
Select Layouts, then choose a layout that fits your content
Enter your time entries — this page will be included when you share the file
Example format
(June 10, 2025) – Created emblem 4 hours × $40/hour = $160 | (June 12, 2025) – Set up initial page layouts 3 hours × $40/hour = $120 |
📚 Tip
The invoice page already shows total hours, hourly rate, and invoice total — the details page is just for the breakdown your client needs.
Still have questions? Feel free to send us a message by clicking the Question Mark icon on any HoneyBook page. Our team is always happy to help!