> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.elateuk.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Funders and invoice templates

> Record the funders you bill and set up invoice templates for numbering, VAT, payment terms and what an invoice shows.

A funder is whoever pays for someone's care, such as a council or an NHS body. An invoice template sets how invoices are numbered, taxed and laid out. Both feed into every invoice Elate generates.

**Who can do this:** funders need **Finance**. By default that is Organisation Owners, Service Provider Admins and Finance Users; Read Only Auditors can view funders but not change them. Invoice templates are in **Settings**, and only Organisation Owners and Service Provider Admins see that tab. Your organisation can change Finance access in **Settings > Permissions**.

<Note>This is not included in Elate Free.</Note>

## Add a funder

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a new funder">
    Go to **Finance > Funders** and select **New funder**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fill in the details">
    Enter the **Name** (required) and the fields below.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Select **Save funder**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

| Field | Notes |
| - | - |
| **Funder type** | **Local authority**, **NHS**, **Private**, **Insurance** or **Other**. |
| **Reference** | Your reference for the funder. |
| **Contact name**, **Billing email**, **Telephone** | Who receives invoices. **Billing email** fills in the recipient when you send an invoice. |
| **Address line 1**, **Address line 2**, **Town or city**, **Postcode**, **Country** | The bill-to address on the invoice PDF. **Country** starts as United Kingdom. |
| **VAT number** | The funder's VAT number. |
| **Payment terms (days)** | Starts at 30. Copied into new contracts for this funder. |
| **Purchase order required** | Tick if the funder will not pay without a purchase order number. |
| **Status** | **Active** or **Inactive**. |
| **Invoice template** | **Organisation default**, or a named template for this funder's invoices. |

The **Funders** tab lists each funder with its contact, payment terms, whether a purchase order is **Required** or **Optional**, and its status. Use **Search funders** and the status filter to narrow it, and **Export CSV** to download it.

Select a funder's name to open its page. It shows its details and the **Contracts** that use it. Select **Edit funder** to change it.

## How a funder affects invoices

You link a funder to a contract with the **Funder** field on the contract. See [Contracts and rates](/finance/contracts). Then:

* **Bill to.** Invoices for visits under that contract are billed to the funder. The invoice page says **Billed to** the funder, and the PDF shows the funder's name and address under **Bill to**, with the support recipient named as the care recipient. Without a funder, the invoice is billed to the support recipient.
* **Sending.** **Send invoice** fills in the funder's **Billing email**.
* **Purchase orders.** If **Purchase order required** is ticked, a contract for this funder cannot be saved without a **Purchase order number**, and invoices cannot be generated without one (from the generate sheet or the contract).
* **Payment terms.** The funder's terms are used when the contract sets none, and they come before the invoice template's.
* **Template.** The funder's **Invoice template** is used when the contract does not name one.
* **One funder per invoice.** An invoice never mixes funders. Select one funder's visits at a time.
* **Filtering.** **Finance > Overview** and **Finance > Invoices** can both be filtered by funder.

<Warning>
  Set a funder to **Inactive** only when you no longer bill it. Inactive funders are not offered for new contracts, and Elate will not generate invoices for a contract whose funder is inactive.
</Warning>

## Invoice templates

Go to **Settings > Invoice templates**. Until you create a template and set it as the default, invoices use the standard layout, numbered like INV-2026-0001.

### Create a template

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a template">
    Select **Create template**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fill in the settings">
    Give it a **Template name** and change the settings you need (listed below).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Preview it">
    Select **Preview PDF** to see a sample invoice in the same layout as a sent one.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Select **Save template**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make it the default, if you want">
    In the list, select **Set default** next to the template. The default is marked **(default)**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

To change a template, select **Edit** next to it. Changes apply to invoices generated afterwards. Invoices already made keep the settings they were generated with.

### Template settings

| Setting | What it does |
| - | - |
| **Template logo override** | A PNG or JPEG up to 2 MB. Without one, the organisation logo is used. **Use organisation logo** removes the override. |
| **Invoice number prefix** | The start of every invoice number, such as INV. |
| **Currency code** | Three capital letters, such as GBP. |
| **Accent colour** | The brand colour used in the invoice email. |
| **Numbering period** | **Annual** (for example INV-2026-0001), **Monthly** (the count restarts each month) or **Continuous** (for example INV-0001). |
| **Number digits** | How many digits the number is padded to. |
| **Default VAT rate (%)** | The VAT rate the invoice starts from. |
| **Payment terms (days)** | Days from the issue date to the due date, used when neither the contract nor the funder sets terms. |
| **VAT calculation** | **No VAT**, **Per line**, or **Once on subtotal**. |
| **Group visit lines by** | **Each visit**, **Day**, **Week** or **Month**. This is where the generate sheet starts. |
| **Status** | **Active** or **Inactive**. The default template's status cannot be changed. |
| **Include approved billable expenses by default** | Starts the generate sheet with expenses included. |
| **Apply VAT to expenses** | Charges VAT on expense lines too. |
| **Show bank details** | Prints the bank details from **Settings > Branding**. |
| **Show individual visit details** | Lists the visits behind each line. |
| **Footer text**, **Payment instructions** | Text printed on the invoice. |

### Which template an invoice uses

Elate uses the first active template it finds:

1. The template chosen on the contract.
2. The template chosen on the funder.
3. Your default template.

<Note>
  The due date uses the contract's **Payment terms (days)** first, then the funder's, then the invoice template's, then **Default payment terms (days)** in **Settings > Branding**. An invoice keeps the terms it was issued with.
</Note>

Your organisation's name, address, VAT number, bank details and default payment terms are set in **Settings > Branding**. See [Organisation settings](/settings/organisation-settings).

## Related pages

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Contracts and rates" icon="file-signature" href="/finance/contracts">
    Link a funder and template to a contract.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Invoices" icon="file-invoice" href="/finance/invoices">
    Generate and send invoices.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


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