Start from the problem, not the feature list
Get paid early with a discount
Two percent off if they pay in ten days is a cheap way to turn a 45-day client into a 9-day one, as long as the invoice does the arithmetic and nobody has to argue about which amount applies.
The situation
Your cash flow would rather have 98 percent now than 100 percent in six weeks. Some clients will take the offer every time; others never will, and you do not want to chase them about it.
What goes wrong today
The discount is a line in the terms that the client's accounts payable may or may not honour. They pay the discounted amount on day 14, you have to decide whether to argue over the difference, and the ledger shows a short payment either way.
How it works in Invoice My Clients
Set the discount percentage and the window on the invoice or as a default (Starter plan and above). The invoice shows the full amount, the discounted amount and the date it stops applying. The payment page charges the discounted amount inside the window and the full amount after it, so nobody has to interpret the terms. A discount honoured is recorded as such, not as a short payment, so the invoice closes cleanly.
When it does not fit
| Situation | What happens | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| The client pays by check after the window at the discounted amount | The invoice shows a balance due for the difference | Waive it with a discount line, or send the balance reminder |
| You want the discount on some invoices only | It is set per invoice; the default is optional | Switch it on where it helps |
| You are on the Free plan | Early-payment discounts are on Starter and above | State the terms in the invoice notes and apply the discount by hand |
Where this lives in the product
Free tools
Questions people ask
How does this show up in my books?+
As a discount on the invoice, so revenue and the payment reconcile without a short-pay entry.
Can I combine it with interest on late payment?+
Yes. A discount for paying early and interest for paying late are independent settings on the same invoice.
What is a sensible rate?+
Two percent for payment within ten days is the common business convention; the glossary entry explains how to compare it to your cost of waiting.