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Convert an Estimate Into an Invoice

All plansBeginnerVideo, 0:52Updated August 7, 2026

Open the estimate and click Convert to Invoice; line items, taxes, deposit settings, notes, terms, and the PO number all carry over. When a client approves an estimate online, WorkZen converts it to an invoice automatically.

The moment a client approves the estimate, the only question that matters is "how fast can we invoice?" In WorkZen the answer is usually "it already happened": online approval converts the estimate to an invoice automatically. When approval happens over the phone or on a handshake, one click does the same thing.

Convert it manually

  1. Open the estimate and click Convert to Invoice.
  2. The Convert Estimate modal opens. It also converts the lead to a client if the estimate was for a lead.
  3. Leave Create a Job on to automatically create a job linked to the invoice, and set the Job title. Turn it off if you only need the invoice.
  4. Click Convert.

You can convert an estimate that the client has not approved yet; WorkZen marks it approved as part of the conversion and notes on the estimate's history that it was converted before client approval.

What carries over

From the estimateTo the invoice
Line itemsCopied with quantities, prices, tax rates, and SKUs
DiscountSame type and amount
Deposit settingsCarried over; deposit payments count against the invoice
PO NumberCopied; edit it later in the invoice's Client Details section
Notes and termsCopied as written
Service locationSame property
Client detailsThe snapshot exactly as it appeared on the estimate

Line items the client excluded before approving are left off the invoice, so you never bill for options they turned down. The new invoice starts as Unsent, ready for sending.

Note

A converted estimate is locked: its status becomes Converted and it can no longer be edited. Use Send Copy to email the client another copy, and Go to Invoice to jump to the invoice it became. Both documents link to each other in their history.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Open the estimate

    Go to Estimates and open the one you want to bill.

  2. 2

    Click Convert to Invoice

    The Convert Estimate modal opens with a summary of what will happen.

  3. 3

    Decide about the job

    Leave Create a Job on to spin up a linked job automatically, and give it a job title. Turn it off if you only need the invoice.

  4. 4

    Click Convert

    The invoice is created, the estimate is marked Converted and locked, and you can jump straight to the new invoice.

See it in action

Frequently Asked Questions

Line items with their quantities, prices, and tax rates, the discount, deposit settings, notes, terms, the PO number, the service location, and the client details as they appeared on the estimate. Line items a client excluded before approving are left off.
Only when the approval happens off the record. When a client approves the estimate online, WorkZen converts it to an invoice automatically. Manual conversion covers verbal go-aheads; converting before client approval is noted on the estimate's history.
No. A converted estimate is locked and cannot be edited. You can still use Send Copy to email the client a copy, and Go to Invoice to open the invoice it became.
Converting also converts the lead into a client, so the invoice lands on a proper client record with the full history attached.
Deposit configuration on the estimate carries over to the new invoice, and any deposit your client pays online is recorded as a payment against that invoice.

This article answers:

  • How do I turn an estimate into an invoice?
  • Do line items carry over when converting an estimate?
  • Does WorkZen create the invoice automatically when a client approves?
  • Can I edit an estimate after converting it?

Related articles

Create and Send an Estimate ManuallyBuild an estimate with line items from your price book, send it by email, and let your client approve and sign it online.Video, 2:38How To Create And Send An Invoice in WorkZenCreate an invoice, add line items from your price book or packages, and send it to your client by email with an online payment link.Video, 2:00How To Record A Payment in WorkZenRecord cash, check, e-transfer, card, and other payments against an invoice, including partial payments, and see exactly what's still owing.Video, 1:09What the Needs attention alerts meanWorkZen alerts admins when something breaks that only they can fix, like a disconnected integration or a failed subscription payment.2 min read

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