Invoicing & Payments

Create an Invoice in 60 Seconds

1. Open a completed job
2. Click "Create Invoice"
3. Colony Core auto-fills:
   • Client name and address
   • Job details (date, location, drone type)
   • Flight hours (from flight logs)
   • Rate (from your pricing rules)
   • Taxes (if applicable)
4. Review and save the invoice
5. Share the invoice through your current billing workflow and keep the record linked to the job

Flexible Pricing Models

Choose how you bill your clients:

• Hourly: $200/hour for flight time (auto-calculated from logs)
• Per-Job Flat Rate: $500 for a real estate photo shoot
• Per-Acre: $10/acre for agricultural mapping
• Fixed + Variable: $300 base + $50/hour flight time
• Equipment Markup: Add 30% markup on drone/battery costs

Billing Options in Beta

Live payment rails are not broadly active in the current beta. Use invoice records and your existing payment collection process while rollout continues:

• Invoice records: Keep billing details tied to the job and client
• Manual collection: Accept payment through your current process while beta billing remains limited
• Exports: Move billing records into accounting or payment systems as needed

Selected payment workflows may be introduced later as beta expands.

Track Billing Status

Dashboard shows invoice and billing status information:

• Sent: Invoice sent, waiting for payment
• Partial: Client paid part of invoice
• Overdue: Payment is past due and should be followed up
• Paid: Full payment received

Billing Follow-Up

Keep overdue follow-up organized during beta:

• Review sent and overdue invoices on a regular schedule
• Use invoice status to prioritize which clients need follow-up
• Document payment conversations and promised dates outside the invoice record if needed
• Use exports or your current communication tools for client reminders while beta billing evolves

Work with Your Accounting Software

Export invoice and billing data in standard formats:

• Standard exports: Use CSV and related reporting outputs for your accounting workflow
• Selected integrations: Available on a limited beta basis
• Accountant-friendly workflows: Keep your existing bookkeeping process in place
• Contact us: Ask for the current accounting integration status

Cash Flow & Financial Reports

Understand your business health:

• Monthly Revenue: Total invoiced and paid
• Accounts Receivable: Money still owed to you
• Days Sales Outstanding (DSO): Average payment time
• Profit by Job Type: Which services are most profitable
• Customer Lifetime Value: Repeat customers ranked by spend