The Invoice Machine

V3 Release Date

Thursday, March 15, 2012 Comments (10)

If you've been following our tweets you may already know that we're working hard on a brand-new version of The Invoice Machine. Not only have we switched to Ruby On Rails and developed a fully Javascript-based front-end. We've also added hundreds of new features and improvements. In fact, we're pretty sure we're sitting on one of the most advanced - yet most user-friendly - invoicing experiences available. Today, we would like to share some highlights of the new version and announce the release date:

April 30, 2012

We thought that we could release it all now in March, but to be honest, we're not quite there yet. We still need a little more time to polish - in order to meet your and our own high expectations. The private beta will start a few weeks before the release. We still have a few spots left for beta-testers, so if you're interested, please contact us and include your machine-id (sub-domain) and we'll sign you up. Once the beta goes live you will receive an email with instructions from us.

So now that you have a release date to look forward to, we would like to share a little more in depth on what's new in V3 to keep you hyped.

A new front-end

The entire front-end is now built on JavaScript and is super fast. Once you've logged in there are no page reloads at all. Browsing back and forth is handled with HTML5's pushState (or hash segments for older browsers). The way we handle loading of data makes most of the browsing between pages instant. New data is only fetched from the server when changed. For example; if you're viewing an invoice and click to edit - the switch between pages will be instant because the data has already been loaded.

Search and sort

It is now possible to search and sort your data. The search field has an autocomplete menu that gives you keyword suggestions as you type. The search, sort and filtering is stored in the URL so you can browse back and forth in the filtered result.

Total, paid and outstanding summaries of your invoices

Now you will have a full overview on your total, paid and outstanding balances. The summary is updated when you search and filter your invoices - so that you can see the balance for a specific period or client. Multiple currencies are also supported.

Templates with behaviors

"Recurring Templates" is now just "Templates" - with an optional "behavior" assigned to it. A behavior is simply a way in which you want the template to act under certain circumstances. For example; the recurring behavior - that generates and (optionally) sends an invoice on a specific schedule. You can choose not to assign a behavior and the template can be used just as a blueprint for new invoices.

Custom invoice and estimate layouts

It is now possible to take complete control over the design on your own invoices and estimates through CSS and HTML. This also includes the PDF version! The use of Liquid template variables and statements makes this feature perfect for advanced modifications such as adding calculations, removing something or making the addresses match a specific enveloped letter. Since we're using a Webkit PDF rendering engine, CSS3 features such as border-radius and gradients works like a charm. Please note that this feature require one of our payed subscription plans.

Detailed history and analytics

Each invoice, estimate, template, project, item and client now has a history section where you can view all of its events. You can see when it was created and by who - when it was updated and to whom it was sent. You can even see if and when any of your clients contacts opened the invoice email, clicked any links, or if the email was bounced or accidentally marked as spam.

Advanced variables and statements in email messages

Just as in the custom invoice and estimate layouts - we're also adding support for Liquid template variables and statements in email messages. This gives you endless possibilities to customize the emails you're sending to your clients. For example; you can translate the email message based on the language that is selected, you can personalize it for specific clients or you can add your own calculations. Since almost all your account's information is available as variables - this feature is extremely powerful.

Comments and attachments

You can now add comments and attachments to your invoices and estimates. Your clients contacts can also add comments (if you allow it) on the permalink page. This is a great way to keep the discussions centered around (and stored with) the invoice itself. You can also attach associated files such as bills or agreements. You can choose whether the client have access to the attachments, and/or only if the invoice has been fully paid. This is a great way to deliver your digital products or source files of the paid job.

New payment gateway integrations

In addition to the already available integrations with PayPal Website Payments Standard and Authorize.Net there are now also seamless integrations with:

• 2 Checkout
• Beanstream
• BluePay
• PayPal Website Payments Pro
• Stripe
• WorldPay

And There's Even More!

• A new restful JSON and XML based API.
• SSL (https) throughout the whole app.
• Inventory tracking.
• Notifications.
• Control over permalink pages (turn it off, require authorization, allow commenting etc.).
• Html tags and Liquid template variables and statements can be used in most text areas.
• The Items tab and it's section is back.
• Invoices/estimates can be manually marked or unmarked as sent.
• Estimates can be declined.
• Invoices can be converted to templates and vice versa.
• Client-level specified currency and language.
• Payments now have optional fields for transaction id, method and notes.
• Templates, projects, items and clients now have individual "show"- or "view"-pages with further details and actions.
• A new Help Center with frequently asked questions, how-to's and discussions.

We're super excited about putting v3 in your hands - and we're confident it will simplify and make your invoicing an even better experience. As always, we're deeply thankful for your continued support by using The Invoice Machine. If you've got any questions or feedback please don't hesitate to leave a comment, contact us by email or tweet us on Twitter. We'd love to hear from you!