---
title: "Send invoices automatically"
description: "Email each customer their invoice as soon as an order comes in, or once it reaches a status you choose."
url: https://help.invoicefalcon.com/send-invoices-automatically/
section: "Emails"
last_updated: 2026-10-28
---

# Send invoices automatically

> Email each customer their invoice as soon as an order comes in, or once it reaches a status you choose.

Use this guide if you want every customer to get their invoice by email without you sending it. By the end, each new order gets its invoice PDF in the customer's inbox, either right away or once the order is paid, fulfilled, or delivered.

## Before you begin

- Automatic sending only covers **new orders**, placed after you turn it on. Orders from before that are never sent in bulk. To send older invoices, see [Email invoices in bulk](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/bulk-email-invoices/).
- Each invoice is sent automatically **once**. Later changes to the order don't send it again.
- On the Free plan, automatic sending counts toward your monthly limit of 50 orders. When you reach it, automatic sending stops until the limit resets and Invoice Falcon emails you. See [How the monthly invoice limit works](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/monthly-invoice-limit/).
- Sending only when an order reaches a status, and the tag rules, need the **Pro plan**. Sending right away, and the delay, are on every plan.

## Choose your setup

| Use this | When |
|---|---|
| **Any status** (the default) | You want the invoice to go out as soon as the order comes in. |
| **Payment status** | You only want to send once the customer has paid, for example **Order is fully paid**. |
| **Fulfillment status** | You want the invoice to arrive with the shipment, for example **Order is completely fulfilled**. |
| **Shipment status** | You want to send when the order is **out for delivery** or **delivered**. |
| **Tags** | Only some customers or orders should get an invoice, for example wholesale customers. |

## What customers will see

An email from your store with the invoice attached as a PDF, named after the order, like **1001.pdf**. To change the name, see [Change the PDF file name](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/print-or-download-an-invoice/#change-the-pdf-file-name). The sender name is your Shopify store name. The address is `invoices@invoicefalcon.com` unless you [change the sender address](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/change-the-sender-address/). Replies go to your store email.

The invoice uses your default template for orders. See [Rename a template and set a default](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/set-a-default-template/).

## Set it up

1. Open your Shopify admin and click **Invoice Falcon** in the left menu.
2. Click **Settings** in the app's menu. The **Emails** tab opens.
3. In the **Invoice emails** section, click **Customize email**. The invoice email editor opens.
4. In the editor's sidebar, under **Sending**, click **Automatic invoices**.
5. Next to **Send invoices automatically**, click **Turn on**.
6. Optional: drag the **Delay** slider to wait up to 30 minutes after an order comes in before sending. Leave it at **No delay** to send right away.
7. Optional, Pro plan: under **Only send when**, pick a status type:
   1. Open the **Order status** dropdown and choose **Payment status**, **Fulfillment status**, or **Shipment status**.
   2. Open the **Status is** dropdown and choose the status, for example **Order is fully paid**.
8. Optional, Pro plan: under **Tags**, fill in any of **Customer tags**, **Except customer tags**, **Order tags**, and **Except order tags**.
9. Click **Save** in the bar at the top of the page.

Close the editor with the back arrow. The **Invoice emails** section now shows **On** and a summary of your rules, for example "Sent as soon as an order comes in. For every order."

To change what the email says, click **Subject and message** in the same sidebar. See [Customize your invoice emails](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/customize-invoice-emails/).

## How the rules work

- **Delay.** A short delay helps when another app adds details to the order (such as a tax ID or a PO number) just after checkout. The invoice is built at send time, so it picks those details up.
- **Status.** Only one status type can be active. With a status set, the invoice waits until Shopify reports the order has reached it, then goes out once.
- **Tags.** Write tags exactly as they appear in Shopify, separated by a comma and a space: `wholesale, vip`. Matching is exact and case-sensitive. A customer must have at least one tag from **Customer tags** to get an invoice, and none from **Except customer tags**. The order tag fields work the same way.

## Check your setup

1. Place a test order in your store using your own email address. If you set a status rule, move the order to that status in Shopify.
2. Wait for the delay you set, plus a minute or two.
3. Check your inbox for the invoice email, and open the PDF.
4. In Invoice Falcon, open **Orders**. The test order now shows an **Invoice #**, and its email icon turns blue once the email is logged.

## Troubleshooting

### A new order didn't get an invoice email

Check these in order:

1. **Send invoices automatically** shows **On** in **Settings** > **Emails**.
2. The order reached the status in **Only send when**. An order that is never marked paid or fulfilled never sends.
3. The customer or order tags match your **Tags** rules exactly, including capital letters and the comma-and-space between tags.
4. The order has a customer email address.
5. You have not reached the Free plan's monthly limit. Invoice Falcon emails you when automatic sending stops for that reason.

If all of these look right, see [Troubleshoot invoice emails](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/troubleshoot-invoice-emails/).

### Orders from before I turned it on weren't sent

That's expected. Automatic sending starts with the next new order. Send older invoices from **Bulk actions**. See [Email invoices in bulk](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/bulk-email-invoices/).

### My tag rule matches nobody

Tags must be separated by a comma and a space. `wholesale,vip` is read as one tag called "wholesale,vip". Change it to `wholesale, vip` and save.

### I can't change Only send when or Tags

Both need the **Pro plan**, and both are greyed out while **Send invoices automatically** is off. Turn sending on first. To upgrade, see [Invoice Falcon pricing and plans](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/pricing-and-plans/).

### The invoice went out before the order was paid

With **Any status**, the invoice is sent as soon as the order comes in. To wait for payment, set **Order status** to **Payment status** and **Status is** to **Order is fully paid**.

## FAQ

### Does turning this on send invoices for my existing orders?

No. Only orders placed after you turn it on are sent. Existing orders are not touched.

### Will a customer get the invoice again if I edit the order?

No. Each invoice is sent automatically once. If you change the order and want the customer to have the new version, send it again yourself from the order page. See [Email an invoice to a customer](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/email-an-invoice/).

### Can I get a copy of every invoice email?

Yes, on the Pro plan. Turn on **Send me a copy** under **Copies** in the same editor. See [Send copies of invoice emails](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/send-email-copies/).

### Which template is used for automatic invoices?

The template set as the default for orders. To change it, see [Rename a template and set a default](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/set-a-default-template/).

### Can quotes for draft orders be sent automatically?

No. Automatic sending covers orders only. Send quotes from the draft order's page. See [Send quotes for draft orders](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/send-quotes-for-draft-orders/).

### Can customers pay straight from the invoice email?

Yes, on the Pro plan. Turn on the **Pay now button** and the email gets a button to Shopify's payment page while the order is unpaid. See [Let customers pay with a Pay now link](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/add-a-pay-now-link/).

## Related guides

- [Customize your invoice emails](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/customize-invoice-emails/), to change the subject and message.
- [Change the sender address](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/change-the-sender-address/), to send from your own domain.
- [Send payment reminders](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/send-payment-reminders/), which build on automatic invoices.
- [Troubleshoot invoice emails](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/troubleshoot-invoice-emails/), when a customer didn't get theirs.