Skip to main content

Customer Message

Updated
The Goal: Create a reusable Customer Message and have it print correctly on your invoices, sales receipts, and credits.

Before You Begin:

  • You need permission to the Setup and Billing modules.
  • The wording of the message you want to save (for example your remit-to address or a seasonal payment note).
  • Your invoice template must contain the [invoice_comment] database field. The Customer Message prints through this field. If the field is not on the template you are using, the message you select will not appear on the invoice — even though it saved correctly on the batch. Step 1 below shows how to confirm and add it.

Step 1: Confirm the Invoice Comment field is on your invoice template

The Customer Message is populated on an invoice by the [invoice_comment] database field, labeled Invoice Comment in the Template Manager. Do this once per template.

  1. Select Setup from the left-hand menu.
  2. In the Billing section, select Template Manager.
  3. Set Transaction type to Invoice, then choose your template from the Loaded template drop-down list.
  4. In the Page Layout area, look for [invoice_comment]. If it is already present, your template is ready — continue to Step 2.
  5. If it is missing, click the spot on the layout where you want the message to print (commonly just below [invoice_billto]), then click the Add Database Field button on the editor toolbar.
  6. Open Billing Template Fields, scroll to and click Invoice Comment. The [invoice_comment] field is inserted at your cursor.

  7. Enter a name in the Template name field and click Save As so the original template is preserved. See Invoice Templates for full template editing details.

Step 2: Create or edit a Customer Message

  1. Select Setup from the left-hand menu.
  2. In the Billing section, select Customer Messages. Previously created Customer Messages are displayed.
  3. Select Edit Text to change an existing message, or Add New Message to create a new one.
  4. Enter your message text and click Save.

Step 3: Add the Customer Message to an Invoice, Sales Receipt, or Credit

  1. Select Billing from the left-hand menu.
  2. On the Invoices tab, select the message you want from the Message drop-down list. Select edit to make changes to that Customer Message.
  3. The selected message is automatically applied to the Invoice, Sales Receipt, or Credit.
  4. Print or preview the invoice to confirm the message appears where you placed [invoice_comment] on the template.

Common Pitfalls

  • Message selected but nothing prints on the invoice: the invoice template in use is missing the [invoice_comment] field. Add the field as shown in Step 1, then re-print or re-email the invoice.
  • You added the field to a template that isn't the one being used: after clicking Save As you created a new template. Set it as the default under Setup > Billing Options and Settings > Appearance > Invoice Default Template, or select it at print time.
  • No Template Manager under Setup > Billing: the feature is not enabled in your database. Contact support@growthzone.com to have it turned on.

Related articles