--- name: "invoices_create" area: "invoices" title: "Create a quote or invoice" price: "$0.01" method: "POST" url: "https://api.conecto.chat/v1/tools/invoices_create" mcp_server: "https://api.conecto.chat/mcp/invoices" auth: "Authorization: Bearer " docs_url: "https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_create" --- # Create a quote or invoice (`invoices_create`) Creates a draft quote or invoice: the customer, the lines, the currency and the dates. Create a quote or an invoice as a draft: the customer (a CRM contact or company, or a name and email), line items, currency and dates. Nothing is numbered or sent yet; change drafts with invoices_update and send them with invoices_send. Amounts are the business's money in the document's currency, rounded half-up line by line. Price: $0.01 a call. A call that fails costs nothing. ## Use it when A customer should get a price (a quote) or a bill (an invoice). Nothing is numbered or sent yet. - For a bill the business received from a supplier, use [purchasing_create_bill](https://conecto.chat/tools/purchasing/purchasing_create_bill.md). ## Say this to your agent > Quote Hotel Elbblick for 40 beech bistro chairs for the terrace at 320 euros each before VAT, 10% off for the volume, plus 150 for delivery. ## Inputs | Name | Type | Required | Description | Allowed values | Default | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | `kind` | string | yes | | `"invoice"`, `"quote"` | | | `customer` | object | yes | Who the document is for. Link a CRM record with contact_id or company_id, or give name and email (an email that matches a CRM contact links it). What is given here is printed as it is. | | | | `customer.contact_id` | integer | no | A CRM contact; fills the name and email. At least 1. | | | | `customer.company_id` | integer | no | A CRM company; fills the name. At least 1. | | | | `customer.name` | string | no | Who is billed, as printed. Up to 200 characters. | | | | `customer.email` | string | no | Where the document is emailed. Up to 254 characters. | | | | `customer.address` | string | no | Postal address, one line per row. Up to 1,000 characters. | | | | `customer.tax_id` | string | no | The customer's VAT or tax number, for business customers. A reverse-charge or intra-EU invoice needs their EU VAT ID, e.g. "FR12345678901". Up to 60 characters. | | | | `customer.country` | string | no | ISO 3166-1 code of the customer's country, e.g. "FR". Checks intra_eu and export invoices; e-invoices need it. Up to 2 characters. | | | | `items` | array of objects | yes | 1 to 200 items. | | | | `items[].description` | string | yes, in each item of `items` | What was sold. Lines after the first print smaller, underneath. 1 to 2,000 characters. | | | | `items[].quantity` | number or string | no | Default 1. Up to 6 decimals, e.g. 1.5 (hours). Up to 24 characters. | | | | `items[].unit_price` | number or string | yes, in each item of `items` | The price of one, before tax, e.g. "19.99". Negative for a credit line. Up to 24 characters. | | | | `items[].tax_rate` | number or string | no | Tax percent, e.g. 19. Default: the profile's tax_rate. Up to 24 characters. | | | | `items[].discount` | number or string | no | Discount percent on this line, e.g. 10. Up to 24 characters. | | | | `items[].account` | string | no | With books: the income account this line books to, e.g. "4100" for services. Default: the sales account. Up to 20 characters. | | | | `items[].tracking` | object | no | With books: tracking options, e.g. {"Department": "Service"}. | | | | `currency` | string | no | ISO 4217, e.g. "USD", "EUR" or "JPY". Matches ^[A-Za-z]{3}$. | | | | `notes` | string | no | Printed above the lines, e.g. "Thank you for your order" or a project reference. Up to 5,000 characters. | | | | `payment_link` | string | no | An https link to pay this document. Default: the profile's payment_link. Up to 500 characters. | | | | `tax_exemption` | string | no | Why lines with tax_rate 0 carry no tax, printed on the invoice as the law asks: exempt, zero_rated, reverse_charge (the customer accounts for the VAT), intra_eu (goods to a business in another EU country), export (goods leaving the EU), outside_scope, small_business (a business under its country's small-business VAT exemption, such as UStG §19 or art. 293 B CGI: no line may carry tax). Needed in the EU for any line without tax. Default: the profile's. | `""`, `"exempt"`, `"zero_rated"`, `"reverse_charge"`, `"intra_eu"`, `"export"`, `"outside_scope"`, `"small_business"` | | | `tax_exemption_note` | string | no | The wording printed for the exemption instead of the standard one, e.g. "Steuerbefreit als Kleinunternehmer nach § 19 UStG". Up to 300 characters. | | | | `e_invoice` | string | no | Invoices and their credit notes as EN 16931 e-invoices (German B2B invoices must be from 2027): factur-x (Factur-X/ZUGFeRD, the XML inside the PDF/A-3) or xrechnung (XRechnung 3.0, its own XML beside the PDF), checked against the EN 16931 schema before sending. "" is the default: none, except that from 2027 an invoice from a German business to a German business above EUR 250 is a factur-x; "none" opts out (a business under the EUR 800,000 turnover allowance until 2028). Needs the customer's country. Default: the profile's. | `""`, `"factur-x"`, `"xrechnung"`, `"none"` | | | `vat_exchange_rate` | number or string or null | no | For an invoice in another currency than the national one of the business's country: one unit of it in the national currency, for the VAT shown in both. Default in the EU: the European Central Bank's rate for the day of supply; UK businesses give it. Up to 24 characters. | | | | `supply_date` | string | no | Invoices: the day the goods or services were supplied, or the first day of a period. Default: the issue date, which the invoice then states. Matches ^\\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}$. | | | | `supply_until` | string | no | Invoices: the last day of the supply period, e.g. a month of service. Matches ^\\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}$. | | | | `issue_date` | string | no | Default: the day it is sent. Matches ^\\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}$. | | | | `due_date` | string | no | Invoices. Default: issue date + the payment terms. Matches ^\\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}$. | | | | `payment_terms_days` | integer | no | Invoices: days to pay, instead of the profile's terms. 0 to 365. | | | | `valid_until` | string | no | Quotes. Default: issue date + the profile's quote_valid_days. Matches ^\\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}$. | | | ## Example Written for Hansen & Voss, a restaurant-equipment wholesaler in Hamburg with 60 staff. MCP: call `invoices_create` on the MCP server `https://api.conecto.chat/mcp/invoices` with these arguments: ```json { "kind": "quote", "currency": "EUR", "customer": { "name": "Hotel Elbblick GmbH", "email": "lukas.meyer@hotel-elbblick.example", "address": "Elbchaussee 120\n22763 Hamburg" }, "items": [ { "description": "Bistro chair, beech\nStackable, for terraces", "quantity": 40, "unit_price": "320.00", "discount": 10 }, { "description": "Delivery and setup", "unit_price": "150.00" } ], "notes": "Thank you for your enquiry. The chairs can be delivered in week 49." } ``` REST: ```bash curl https://api.conecto.chat/v1/tools/invoices_create \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $CONECTO_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"kind": "quote", "currency": "EUR", "customer": {"name": "Hotel Elbblick GmbH", "email": "lukas.meyer@hotel-elbblick.example", "address": "Elbchaussee 120\n22763 Hamburg"}, "items": [{"description": "Bistro chair, beech\nStackable, for terraces", "quantity": 40, "unit_price": "320.00", "discount": 10}, {"description": "Delivery and setup", "unit_price": "150.00"}], "notes": "Thank you for your enquiry. The chairs can be delivered in week 49."}' ``` ## Response ```json { "call_id": "5f0c8a2e-3b7d-4c1e-9a64-2d8e1f7b0c93", "tool": "invoices_create", "status": "succeeded", "replayed": false, "cost_usd": "$0.01", "balance_usd": "$19.75", "result": { "invoice": { "invoice_id": "005ea1ee-dfd9-4cac-a569-45f94e97e248", "kind": "quote", "number": null, "status": "draft", "currency": "EUR", "issue_date": null, "valid_until": null, "expired": false, "customer": { "contact_id": null, "company_id": null, "name": "Hotel Elbblick GmbH", "email": "lukas.meyer@hotel-elbblick.example", "address": "Elbchaussee 120\n22763 Hamburg", "tax_id": "", "country": null }, "total": "13887.30", "total_formatted": "€13,887.30", "amount_paid": "0.00", "balance": "13887.30", "balance_formatted": "€13,887.30", "public_url": null, "created_at": "2026-10-14T08:00:00+00:00", "sent_at": null, "items": [ { "description": "Bistro chair, beech\nStackable, for terraces", "quantity": "40", "unit_price": "320", "tax_rate": "19", "discount_percent": "10", "amount": "12800.00", "discount": "1280.00", "tax": "2188.80", "total": "13708.80" }, { "description": "Delivery and setup", "quantity": "1", "unit_price": "150", "tax_rate": "19", "discount_percent": "0", "amount": "150.00", "discount": "0.00", "tax": "28.50", "total": "178.50" } ], "totals": { "subtotal": "12950.00", "subtotal_formatted": "€12,950.00", "discount": "1280.00", "discount_formatted": "€1,280.00", "tax": "2217.30", "tax_formatted": "€2,217.30", "total": "13887.30", "total_formatted": "€13,887.30", "credited": "0.00", "credited_formatted": "€0.00", "amount_paid": "0.00", "amount_paid_formatted": "€0.00", "balance": "13887.30", "balance_formatted": "€13,887.30", "taxes": [ { "rate": "19", "base": "11670.00", "amount": "2217.30", "amount_formatted": "€2,217.30" } ] }, "supply": null, "tax_exemption": null, "tax_note": null, "vat_exchange_rate": null, "national_vat": null, "e_invoice": null, "notes": "Thank you for your enquiry. The chairs can be delivered in week 49.", "payment_link": null, "ready_to_send": true, "business": { "name": "Hansen & Voss GmbH", "address": "Billbrookdeich 112\n22113 Hamburg\nGermany", "tax_id": "DE123456789", "email": "billing@hansenvoss.example", "phone": "+49 40 66969 100", "logo_file_id": "", "footer": "Please pay by bank transfer to Hansen & Voss GmbH\nIBAN DE89 3704 0044 0532 0130 00, BIC COBADEFFXXX", "tax_label": "VAT", "paper": "a4", "country": "DE", "legal_notes": "Hansen & Voss GmbH, Amtsgericht Hamburg HRB 123456\nManaging directors: Clara Hansen, Henrik Voss", "document_language": "" }, "pdf": null, "payments": [], "invoice_ids": [], "response": { "name": null, "note": null }, "viewed_at": null, "accepted_at": null, "declined_at": null, "paid_at": null, "voided_at": null, "void_reason": null, "last_emailed_at": null, "reminders_sent": 0, "history": [ { "at": "2026-10-14T08:00:00+00:00", "event": "created", "detail": "", "by": "key 4101 (Pip)" } ] } } } ``` `result`: The draft with its invoice_id, kind and status, customer, lines with their amounts, totals and taxes, currency and dates. ## Errors | Code | Status | When | Fix | |---|---|---|---| | `invalid_input` | 400 | A line, amount, date, currency, country, email or link is not valid, or the total comes out negative or too large. | Fix what the message names: amounts like 19.99, dates like 2026-11-20, currencies like EUR. | | `not_found` | 404 | The customer's contact_id or company_id is not in the business's CRM. | Find the record with crm_search, or give a name and email instead. | The refusals every tool can give (401 key, 402 balance, 429 limits) are on the errors page: https://conecto.chat/docs/errors.md ## Related - [invoices_set_profile](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_set_profile.md): Sets the business details on quotes and invoices: name, country, address, tax ID, logo, terms, tax, numbering, how to pay and legal notes. $0.001 a call. - [invoices_get_profile](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_get_profile.md): The business details on quotes and invoices, the next numbers, and what is missing before documents can be sent. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [invoices_connect_stripe](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_connect_stripe.md): Connects the business's own Stripe account with a restricted key, so invoices can be paid online; the money goes straight to the business. $0.001 a call. - [invoices_update](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_update.md): Changes a draft quote or invoice; customer and lines replace the old ones. $0.01 a call. - [invoices_send](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_send.md): Sends a draft: it gets the next number, its PDF is made, and the customer is emailed a link to view, pay or accept it. $0.10 a call. - [invoices_get](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_get.md): One quote or invoice in full, by invoice_id or number: lines, totals, taxes, payments, history, its page and a fresh PDF link. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [invoices_list](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_list.md): Quotes and invoices, newest first, by kind, status (also overdue, unpaid and expired), customer and issue date. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [invoices_convert_quote](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_convert_quote.md): Turns an accepted quote into a draft invoice with the same customer and lines. $0.01 a call. - [invoices_record_payment](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_record_payment.md): Records money received against a sent invoice, or a refund; the invoice becomes partially paid or paid. $0.01 a call. - [invoices_record_prepayment](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_record_prepayment.md): Records a customer's deposit before there is an invoice, like Xero's prepayments; it waits as their credit, with its VAT owed at once. $0.01 a call. - [invoices_use_credit](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_use_credit.md): Puts a customer's credit on their invoice, like Xero's allocate credit, or pays it back to them. $0.01 a call. - [invoices_list_credits](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_list_credits.md): Lists customers' credits, deposits and overpayments, with what is left on each. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [invoices_remind](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_remind.md): Emails the customer a reminder about a sent invoice with a balance, at most once a day. $0.02 a call. - [invoices_remind_overdue](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_remind_overdue.md): Emails a reminder about every invoice at least some days overdue, the longest overdue first. $0.02 per reminder sent. - [invoices_set_expected_date](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_set_expected_date.md): Notes the day a customer says they will pay an invoice, so the cash flow forecast counts the money then, even when the invoice is overdue. Free. - [invoices_create_credit_note](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_create_credit_note.md): Corrects a sent invoice with a numbered credit note: all of it, some of its lines or an amount, emailed like an invoice. $0.10 a call. - [invoices_void](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_void.md): Voids a document: a sent one keeps its number but can no longer be paid or accepted; a draft is discarded. $0.01 a call. - [invoices_save_repeating](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_save_repeating.md): Makes an invoice again every so many weeks, months or years, drafted or sent on its day, with [Month] and [Year] filled in, like Xero's repeating invoices. $0.001 a call. - [invoices_list_repeating](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_list_repeating.md): Lists the repeating invoices: who each is for, how often, the next dates, and what each made. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [invoices_delete_repeating](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_delete_repeating.md): Stops a repeating invoice for good; the invoices it made stay. Free. - [invoices_statement](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_statement.md): Makes a customer statement, outstanding or activity, as a PDF, and emails it when asked, like Xero's statements. $0.05 a call. - [invoices_summary](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_summary.md): What customers owe, per currency: outstanding, overdue and paid this month, and the quotes still open. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month. - [invoices_report](https://conecto.chat/tools/invoices/invoices_report.md): Aged receivables on any day, or sales per customer for a period with the credit notes taken off. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month.