Understanding Invoices
Charges and invoices are related but different things in the portal. This article explains what an invoice is, how its status changes over time, how automatic charges become an invoice, and what to...
Last updated
Charges and invoices are related but different things in the portal. This article explains what an invoice is, how its status changes over time, how automatic charges become an invoice, and what to expect from the email your property sends when a new invoice is ready.
What is an invoice, and how is it different from a charge?
A charge is a single fee, like one month's maintenance fee or one special assessment. An invoice is the actual bill: it groups one or more charges together into a single amount you pay in one transaction.
Most of the time, your invoice will contain the charges that were due for that billing cycle, for example your monthly maintenance fee. Sometimes an invoice can include more than one charge if several fees were billed together.
You can find your invoices in the Billing tab of the portal. Opening an invoice shows you its line items (the individual charges that make it up), the amount, the due date, and its current status.
Example
Your property bills a $150.00 monthly maintenance fee and, in the same cycle, a $40.00 late fee from a prior payment. Both of those are separate charges, but your property groups them into one invoice for $190.00. You pay that single invoice once, rather than making two separate payments.
Invoice statuses, in plain language
As an invoice moves through its life, its status changes. Here is what each one means:
| Status | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Draft | Your property is still preparing this invoice. You will not see draft invoices in your Billing tab; once it is ready, it moves to Sent. |
| Sent | The invoice has been issued to you and is ready to pay. |
| Viewed | You have opened the invoice, but have not paid it yet. |
| Partially Paid | You (or someone sharing the invoice with you) have made a payment, but the full amount is not yet covered. The remaining balance is still due. |
| Paid | The invoice is fully paid. Nothing further is owed on it. |
| Overdue | The invoice's due date has passed and it is not yet fully paid. |
| Void | The invoice was canceled by your property and is no longer payable. |
| Written Off | Your property has closed out the invoice without full payment, typically as an accounting adjustment. This is handled on the property's side. |
If you are ever unsure what a status on your account means, reach out to hello@myurbi.co and we can walk through it with you.
How automatic charges turn into an invoice
Many charges, like your regular monthly fee, are generated automatically by your property on a set schedule. Once those charges are created, a separate automated process groups the relevant charges together and turns them into an invoice, which then gets sent to you.
In short: the charge is the raw fee, and shortly afterward, an invoice is built from it (and possibly other charges from the same cycle) and issued to you. This usually happens overnight, so you may see a new charge appear on your Home tab one day and find it billed as part of an invoice in your Billing tab shortly after.
The billing summary email
When your property's automatic billing process creates and sends new invoices for you, you may receive a summary email. Rather than sending you a separate email for every single invoice, the portal combines everything from that billing run into one email, so you get a single, clear summary instead of a flood of individual notices.
This email lets you know that new charges have been billed and gives you a way to get back into the portal to review and pay them.
What this means for you
- A charge is a line item; an invoice is the bill you actually pay.
- Check the invoice's status before assuming action is needed. "Sent" and "Overdue" need your attention; "Paid" does not.
- If an invoice shows "Partially Paid," there is still a remaining balance due.
- Expect your regular monthly billing to arrive as a summary email rather than one email per charge.
FAQ
Q: Why does my invoice include more than one charge? A: Your property may bill multiple fees together in the same cycle (for example, a monthly fee and a late fee) to keep things simple, combining them into one invoice and one payment.
Q: I paid my invoice. Why does it still show "Partially Paid"? A: This means the payment that was recorded did not cover the full invoice amount. Check the invoice detail page for the remaining balance, or contact hello@myurbi.co if you believe you paid in full.
Q: What does "Overdue" actually change for me? A: It means the due date has passed without full payment. Depending on your property's policies, a late fee (its own separate charge) may be added. Pay as soon as you can to avoid further charges.
Q: I got a billing summary email but do not see the invoice yet in the portal. What should I do? A: Give it a few minutes and refresh the Billing tab. If it still is not there, contact hello@myurbi.co.
Q: Can an invoice be canceled? A: Yes, your property can void an invoice if needed. A voided invoice is no longer payable and will show as "Void" in your Billing tab.
Questions about a specific invoice on your account? Contact hello@myurbi.co.