Invoice settings
Numbering, VAT and payment term — what you set here applies to invoices you create afterwards, never retroactively.
Under Invoicing → Invoice settings you decide what your invoice numbers look like, and which VAT rate and payment term a new invoice starts with. You set this once and rarely come back to it.
The question behind almost every setting on this page: does this change invoices that already exist? Almost never — and where it does matter, it is spelled out below.
Numbering
An invoice number is built from two things: a fixed part you choose, and a sequence that counts up by one with every invoice you issue.
Prefix
OptionalThe fixed part before the number, for example INV- or 2026-. Leave it empty and
the number is just the sequence.
Useful when invoices from several sources land in one set of books: the prefix tells you at a glance which came from Schedulinq. Keep it short — it appears on every invoice and in every payment reference.
Start number
Minimum 1New years onlyThe first number used when a brand-new year's sequence starts. It has no effect on a year that already has issued invoices.
This is the setting people most often misread. Set it to 500 halfway through the year while you are on invoice 12 and nothing happens: the sequence simply carries on to 13. It only counts on 1 January, when the new year has no invoice yet. So you cannot jump to a different number mid-year — the sequence is not allowed gaps or jumps.
Number format
Decides how the number is assembled. You combine fixed text with tokens:
| Token | Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
{prefix} | The prefix above | INV- |
{year} | The year, 4 digits | 2026 |
{seq:0000} | The sequence, zero-padded to the number of 0s | 0001 |
So {prefix}{seq:0000} produces a number like INV-0001, and {year}{seq:0000}
produces one like 20260001.
The number of zeros sets the minimum width, not a maximum. With {seq:0000} the
sequence rolls neatly from 0999 to 1000 — you can never run out. Four zeros is
plenty for most businesses and reads well on a bank statement.
Restart the sequence each calendar year
Decides whether numbering starts again from the start number on 1 January.
Almost every business numbers per year — that is also what the legal requirement
of a gapless sequence per year assumes. Turn it off and the sequence runs on across
the year boundary. In that case do not use {year} in your format: a continuous
number with a year in front of it reads like a sequence that resets annually, when
it does not.
Next invoice number
At the bottom of the block you can see what the next number will look like.
What changes on existing invoices?
Short answer: nothing. Everything on this page works forwards.
| Setting | Applies to |
|---|---|
| Prefix, number format | Invoices you issue afterwards |
| Start number | Only the first number of a new year |
| Default VAT rate | New invoice lines |
| Payment term | The due date of new invoices |
An issued invoice keeps its own number, VAT and due date. You can change these settings freely without touching last year's books.
Defaults
Default VAT rate
The rate a new invoice line starts with. You choose from 21%, 9% and 0%.
It is a starting value, not a lock: you can still pick a different rate per line. Set it to the rate you use most often and most invoices need no adjusting.
Payment term (days)
0 to 365The number of days added to the invoice date to work out the due date. At 30 days, an invoice dated 1 March falls due on 31 March.
The due date is what payment reminders hang off. Set 0 and the invoice is payable immediately, so a reminder can leave right after you send it — rarely what you want.
Reminders and invoice emails
Reminders are not a separate setting: they are communication steps in the invoice flow, just like your appointment confirmations. The button on this page takes you straight there.
That is where you decide how many reminders go out, how many days after the due date, through which channel and with what wording. See How communication works and Edit a step.
Saving
Changes only take effect when you click Save. Cancel reloads the saved settings and discards your edits.
Frequently asked questions
I want to continue with a higher number this year. You cannot. The sequence for the current year runs on without gaps; the start number only applies to the next year. If you really need a jump, talk to your accountant first — a gap in the numbering is exactly what the legal requirement exists to prevent.
I changed the prefix. Do old invoices get it too? No. Every issued invoice keeps the number it was issued with. Only invoices you issue afterwards get the new prefix.
Where do I put my IBAN or company registration number? Not here. Those belong to your company details, under Company → Details. This page is only about numbering and defaults.
Where is the text at the bottom of my invoice? On Invoicing → Invoice template, together with the colour and the fonts.