Change an invoice without approval

Hi! You are right that there's a systems limitation here, so you have 2 options:

1. Communicate to clients how the approval process in Honeybook works so they can expect the changes. Keep a list and update in HB so you only have to send 1 revision. 

2. Create a separate invoice specifically for add-ons or addendums. I have a template for this if you'd like, but essentially it's a contract addendum plus invoice. 

You can even ask the client which they prefer. 

Yes, the template for add-on would be helpful.  Please send.

Can you please share the email you use to log into Honeybook? 

matt@applepiemedia.net

Hello?

We are not experiencing issues when we go to change the invoice mid project or even towards the end.  Same as Matt, the quantity and even invoice items change during the contractual period and to update every time is bothersome to our client.  Our lawyer doesn’t like for us to keep making addendums or changes to the original contract, but I can’t find the one you guys were talking about a year ago.  My biggest concern is that now when I am making changes, the HB system actually changes the amounts already recorded and paid and has also removed payments due.  The most recent showed the invoice paid in full, when it was not!  Tried working with your system to get help but your Customer Service process now is very slow and not helpful at all.

​@Gretchen Long - Thank you for checking in on this While I don’t have an exact solution that will fit your wants/needs within the current HoneyBook setup, I highly recommend continuing to reach out to HoneyBook Support so a ticket is officially logged. I know the process can feel slow at times, but that’s the best way for the product team to track and investigate technical issues like invoice adjustments affecting recorded payments or schedules.

In the meantime, here are two workflow options that might help until more flexibility is introduced:

Option 1: Keep Edits Within a Single Invoice

Communicate with your client up front about how the HoneyBook invoice revision and approval process works. Let them know that updates are possible, but they’ll be prompted to re-approve. Keep a running list of updates and wait to revise in HoneyBook until everything is confirmed, so you’re only sending one updated version for approval.

Option 2: Use a Separate Add-On Invoice

Instead of revising the original file, create a separate Smart File for any mid-project additions or addendums. This keeps your original invoice intact and prevents any issues with previous payments disappearing. I actually have a template that combines a contract addendum + invoice—happy to share if that’s helpful!

You can even ask your client which method they prefer—it gives them clarity and you more flexibility.

💡 Submit a Feature Request

If this is something you’d like to see improved in HoneyBook, I recommend submitting the idea directly in the Ideas section of the Community. You can describe exactly how you’d like invoice edits to behave—and when others upvote it, it increases the chances of it being considered for development. (You can find the Ideas section from the main community homepage.)

Thanks again for sharing—your voice matters and helps make the platform better for everyone. 💛

Yes I would like to see the contract addendum + invoice you are talking about.  I have been emailing back and fourth about serious accounting issues with the system but I am being told that is just how it works.  That isn’t acceptable and I can’t wait to see if you guys decide to change but I do appreciate you giving your recommendations.  

I do want to warn other HB users of the issue because as an accounting business owner, I know how systems should work, and what I am being told is very concerning.

We have discovered that when we make changes to the invoice which causes the total to change, the system will adjust the Payment Made to equal the new total if we marked the Payments Paid manually.  So if I let my clients pay outside of HB, I may get shorted on payments due to this.  

Here is the example, we adjusted a smartfile invoice (changed qty on a few items, and added a new line item), we made no changes to the payments, The first two were marked paid manually but it did not equal the new total, and we had one payment still due.  We didn’t check the payments because we thought that if there was an open payment it would be adjusted to the new total due or if we were short a payment that we would be told before we could save to fix the issue.  Instead, HB adjusted payments paid to equal the new invoice total even though no money has been collected.  I understand that payments always need to equal the new total but it should never get to change a payment whether it was manually entered as paid by check or collected through HB.  That I am being told this is just how it is, is not acceptable and I wouldn’t think other businesses would be ok with this either.  A payment line marked as paid should never get changed unless you manually go in and edit it/refund it/etc.

​@Alicia Bauer Would it be possible for you to send the add-on contract addendum and invoice to me please? flintandsteelcreativeco@gmail.com
I’m experiencing this with almost all of my clients because they add items in the middle of the project, and it’s not a great customer experience when they have to pay the balance of the deposit and a separate add-on in two separate transactions. I used Bonsai before this, and it was easy to combine or batch invoices so the customer only has to make one payment.

Thank you!

​@Haley Van Heel - Thanks so much for reaching out. I’m so sorry to say that I can’t locate the original add-on contract addendum template I used to use for this type of situation, so unfortunately I no longer have it available to send. I must have purged it when I was reworking my automations. 

I know how frustrating it can be when clients add services mid-project and HoneyBook doesn't offer a super seamless way to combine updated contracts and invoices into one transaction, especially when you're trying to provide a streamlined experience.

That said, here’s a simple workaround that you can create within HoneyBook using Smart Files:

✨ How to create an Add-On Agreement & Updated Invoice Smart File:

1. Start a New Smart File

   • Select “Start from Scratch” or duplicate an existing proposal to keep branding consistent.

2. Add a Cover Page (optional)

   • Use this to outline the new service(s), a brief message, and thank them for their continued trust.

3. Insert a Contract Block

   • Add an addendum-style contract that includes only the new items being added.

   • If you'd like to keep it informal, you can even just use a text block with a checkbox for agreement.

4. Add a New Invoice Block

   • Build an invoice that includes only the additional service(s) and set it up as either a deposit or flat payment.

   • Note: Unfortunately, HoneyBook doesn’t currently allow you to update or batch invoices once sent. Creating this add-on Smart File is the cleanest solution.

5. Send as a Smart File

   • Title it something clear like “Add-On Services Agreement + Invoice” so your client knows what it’s for.

   • You can also adjust payment reminders or schedule automations to help follow up.

Thank you, ​@Alicia Bauer ! This is very helpful! I appreciate your help!