This guide explains how to add custom fields to the Invoice activity in Tribe. It helps you capture additional information that is relevant to your invoicing process but not covered by the default fields. You might use this step when your customers require specific references on invoices, or when your internal processes depend on tracking additional data. By completing this step, your invoices will contain exactly the information your organisation and your customers need.
Table of Contents
Background and Context
Tribe includes a set of standard fields for invoices, covering the essentials such as invoice date, due date, amount, and status. In practice, however, many organisations need to capture additional information that is specific to their business or their customers' requirements.
Common examples include:
PO number | Many larger organisations require a purchase order number on every invoice before they will process payment. Missing this field often leads to delayed payments |
Project reference | When invoicing for project-based work, linking an invoice to a specific project or phase helps both your team and your customer reconcile costs |
Cost centre | Some customers require invoices to reference an internal cost centre or department for their own administration |
Contract number | Useful when invoices are tied to a specific framework agreement or long-term contract |
VAT exemption reference | Relevant when invoicing internationally or in situations where a specific exemption code must be stated |
Adding these fields to the Invoice activity ensures that end users can capture this information directly in Tribe, where it remains linked to the invoice and the relationship.
What Does This Step Do?
This step guides you through adding custom fields to the Invoice activity in Tribe. Once configured, these fields appear on the invoice record and can be filled in by end users when creating or editing an invoice. If a field is connected to your invoice template, its value can also appear on the printed or sent invoice document.
Before You Start: Think About What You Need
Before adding fields, take a moment to consider which information you actually need to capture. Ask yourself:
Do your customers ever request specific references or codes on invoices?
Are there internal fields that help your team or your finance department process invoices more efficiently?
Is there information that currently lives outside Tribe (in emails, spreadsheets, or notes) that belongs on the invoice?
Focus on what is genuinely needed. Every extra field adds complexity for end users, so only add fields that will be used consistently.
Step by Step Instructions
Adding fields to the Invoice activity works the same way as adding fields to relationship types, which you have already done in the Relationship Management setup.
Navigate to Settings and select Activities.
Go to Invoices, and click on Fields to manage the fields for this activity.
For detailed guidance on working with fields, refer to the following articles:
Tips and Best Practices
Start with the fields you know are needed today. You can always add more later.
Use clear, recognisable field names so end users understand what to fill in without explanation.
If a field is only relevant for a subset of customers, consider whether it should be optional or mandatory.
Discuss with your finance team or account managers which references your customers most frequently request — they will know from experience what causes invoice delays.
If a field needs to appear on the invoice document itself, make sure it is also added to your invoice template. Configuring templates is covered in Step 3.
Quick Summary
Adding custom fields to the Invoice activity allows you to capture information beyond the standard defaults. This is especially valuable when your customers require specific references, or when your internal processes depend on tracking additional data per invoice. Because this works the same way as configuring fields elsewhere in Tribe, the process will feel familiar.