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How to create and pay a bill

Create a bill on a single page, assign it to a budget and category, then pay it now or schedule it for later.

Tip: You can also email invoices to your Buddy email address and bills are created automatically. See How to use your Buddy email.

Getting started

  • Click Bills in the sidebar.
  • Select the New bill button at the top right.

Add the bill details

A bill opens on a single page, so you can fill in everything in one place.

Note: If your company uses AI Bookkeeping, the budget and category are chosen automatically when you select a supplier, marked with an agent icon. You can change either one at any time.

  • Choose a Supplier from the dropdown, or select Add new to create one.
    • For a new supplier, enter the supplier name, ABN, and payment details.
  • Upload an invoice if you have one — drag and drop or click Browse. Budgetly extracts the details automatically.
  • Pick the Budget the bill is paid from.
  • Select a Category for the bill.
  • Enter the Total amount.
  • Fill in the optional fields as needed:
    • GST — the GST component of the bill.
    • Reference — an invoice or PO number for your records.
    • Issued and Due dates.
    • Internal note — visible only to your team.
  • Add one or more addresses under Send remittance to if you want the supplier notified by email when the bill is paid. Separate multiple addresses with commas.

Note: Once you choose a budget, its available balance is shown so you can confirm there are enough funds.

Pay or schedule the bill

Important: A category is required before you can pay, schedule, or send a bill for approval. You can still save a draft without one.

  • Review the bill summary — supplier, amount, budget, category, and payment details.
  • Choose how to pay:
    • Pay now — processes the payment immediately. This is disabled if the bill is over the available budget or your Spend Account has insufficient funds.
    • Schedule — pick a future date, then select Schedule payment.
    • Request approval — send the bill for admin sign-off if it needs approval before payment.

Payments are sent via bank transfer (BSB) or BPAY, depending on the supplier’s payment details. Set up the payment method when creating the supplier — see How to manage suppliers.

Bill statuses

StatusWhat it means
DraftCreated but not yet submitted for payment
Pending approvalWaiting for admin approval (exceeds auto-approval limit)
ApprovedReady to be paid
ProcessingPayment is being processed
PaidPayment completed
UnsuccessfulPayment failed — edit and retry

Common questions

Can I pay a bill without uploading an invoice?
Yes. Skip the invoice upload and enter the bill details manually.
Do I have to choose a category?
You need a category to pay, schedule, or send a bill for approval. You can save a draft without one and add it later.
Can I schedule a bill payment for a future date?
Yes. Choose Schedule instead of Pay now and select the date.
What happens if my Spend Account balance is too low?
The payment will fail with an Unsuccessful status. Deposit more funds, then edit and retry the bill.