---
title: Understanding your invoices
description: "Every charge on your account is represented by an invoice: the first payment for a service, each renewal, prorated differences when you change a package, and top-ups of account credit. This article explains the invoice list, what each status means,…"
url: "https://rackhelm.com/documentation/understanding-your-invoices/"
updated: "2026-09-24"
category: "Client Portal: Account & Billing"
---

# Understanding your invoices

Every charge on your account is represented by an invoice: the first payment for a service, each renewal, prorated differences when you change a package, and top-ups of account credit. This article explains the invoice list, what each status means, and the ways to pay.

## Your invoice list

Open **Invoices** in the sidebar or go to `/invoices`. Invoices are listed newest first, twenty to a page.

| Column | What it shows |
| --- | --- |
| **Invoice #** | The invoice number, with the date it was raised underneath. |
| **Description** | The first item on the invoice, plus *+n more* when there are others. Domain lines show the full domain name. |
| **Amount** | The total due — the figure that is actually charged. |
| **Status** | See the table below. |
| **Due Date** | Shown in red with a warning icon once an unpaid invoice is past due. |
| **Action** | **View Details**, **Download PDF** and, while unpaid, **Pay Now**. |

The **Status** button above the table filters the list. Choose **All**, **Paid**, **Open** or **Pending**.

![The invoice list with a status filter and per-row action menu](/wp-content/uploads/rackhelm-docs/portal-account-invoices-list.png)
Overdue invoices are highlighted in the **Due Date** column, not the status badge.

## What the statuses mean

| Status | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **Pending** | Raised and awaiting payment. This is the normal state of a new invoice. |
| **Unpaid** | An automatic renewal charge could not be taken automatically — most often because your default method is bank transfer. Pay it from the invoice page. |
| **Paid** | Settled. The invoice page shows the date it was paid. |
| **Cancelled** | Voided by your provider, usually because the service behind it was removed. Nothing to pay. |

## The invoice page

Selecting an invoice opens the full document. From the header you can go **Back**, download the file with **PDF**, and — while it is unpaid and not awaiting a bank transfer — **Pay Now**.

The body shows **Order Items**, a **Summary** with the subtotal, any discount, any credit already applied and the **Total Due**, then **Customer Details** and the **Billing Address** the invoice was issued to.

### Changing the billing address on an invoice

While the invoice is unpaid, select **Change Billing Address** beside the address panel, pick a different saved address and **Save Changes**. Once an invoice is paid the address is fixed — the page tells you so if you try.

## Paying an invoice

### By card

1. Select **Pay Now** or **Complete Payment**.
2. In **Select Payment Method**, choose a saved card or enter a new one.
3. Select **Pay £x**. If your bank asks for confirmation, complete it in the box that appears.

Your card details go straight to the payment provider — RackHelm stores only the brand and last four digits.

### With account credit

Where your balance covers the full total, you can settle the invoice from your credit instead. See [Paying with account credit](/docs/paying-with-account-credit/).

### By bank transfer

If the invoice is flagged for bank transfer, the payment button is replaced by an **Awaiting Bank Transfer** panel showing your provider's bank details and the reference to quote — always the invoice number. Payment is confirmed manually by your provider.

## Downloading the PDF

Use **Download PDF** from the row menu in the invoice list, or **PDF** in the header of the invoice page. The file is named `Invoice-<number>.pdf` and is served only to the account that owns it.

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Cause and fix |
| --- | --- |
| The **Open** filter shows nothing | Invoices in this portal are stored as *pending*, *unpaid*, *paid* or *cancelled*. Use **Pending** or **All** to find what you owe. |
| "Amount (£x) is too small to process via Stripe." | Card payments have a 50p minimum. Pay with account credit, or let the amount roll into the next invoice. |
| "Could not initialize payment system. Please try again later." | The card gateway did not respond. Try again shortly; if it persists your provider needs to check their gateway settings. |
| "Your payment was received but does not cover the full invoice total." | The invoice total changed — usually a late fee added — after the payment was started. Your provider reconciles this manually; the balance stays outstanding until they do. |
| The total rose after the due date | Your provider can apply a late fee to overdue invoices. It appears as its own line on the invoice. |
| "Insufficient credit balance." | Paying by credit requires the balance to cover the whole invoice. Top up first or pay by card. |
| "You cannot change the billing address on an invoice that has already been paid." | Correct — paid invoices are fixed. Update the address in your [address book](/docs/your-address-book/) so future invoices are right. |
| You get a permission error opening an invoice | The invoice belongs to a different account. Sub-accounts see the billing account's invoices, not another customer's. |
| The PDF will not download | The stored file is missing. Raise a ticket quoting the invoice number. |