# Introduction - Recurring Invoices

A recurring invoice is a template plus a schedule.

**Video coming soon:** Setting up a recurring profile, and what it generates each cycle.

SorviAI Finance raises a real invoice from it on every cycle, so retainers, subscriptions and rent bill themselves. The profile is not an invoice and never appears in your books; only what it generates does.

![The Recurring Invoices screen. A table lists profiles with columns for Profile Name, Customer, Amount, Frequency, Status, Next Invoice, Generated and Created At. Frequencies read Every Week and Every Month, and every status badge reads Active.](https://www.sorviai.com/help/recurring-invoices/recurring-invoice-list.png)

*Profiles, not invoices. Next Invoice is the date the next real invoice will be raised.*

## Profile against generated invoice

This distinction causes most of the confusion in this module, so it is worth being precise about.

**The profile** (What you set up once)

- Yes: Holds the customer, lines and schedule
- Yes: Editable at any time
- No: Posts nothing to your books, ever
- No: Does not appear in Reports

**The generated invoice** (What it produces each cycle)

- Yes: A normal invoice with its own number
- Yes: Posts to your books like any other
- Yes: Can be edited, voided or credited individually
- No: Editing it does not change future cycles

> **Tip:**
>
> **Change the profile, not the invoice**
>
> Editing this month's generated invoice fixes this month only. If a price changed permanently, edit the profile so every future cycle picks it up.

## When a profile is the right answer

Use one when the same customer is billed the same thing on a predictable rhythm. Duplicate an invoice instead when the amount or the lines change every time, because a profile you edit every month is a profile that is costing you time rather than saving it.

- **Good fit** (stable): Monthly retainers, annual licences, rent, support contracts, anything with a fixed fee.
- **Poor fit** (variable): Usage-based billing, time and materials, anything where the lines are rewritten each cycle.
- **Wrong tool** (one-off): A charge that repeats twice. Duplicate the invoice and move on.

## What generation does

1. **Cycle date arrives**: Per the schedule
2. **Invoice generated**: Draft, or sent automatically
3. **Profile advances**: Next cycle date set
4. **Invoice behaves normally**: Ages, is paid, can be credited

Generation follows the calendar, not working days. A monthly profile starting on the 31st generates on the last day of shorter months rather than skipping them.