# Early Invoicing



Overview [#overview]

Typically the invoicing system is triggered by the `generateTime` on [installments](/features/billing/installments-and-installment-lattices) are billable. Once this trigger is reached, the system will gather all installments for the account that have reached their generate time, and create one or more invoices from them.

"Early" invoicing involves issuing invoices for installments that haven't yet reached their generate time.

Invocation [#invocation]

Early invoicing starts with a request to the <ApiLink name="initiateEarlyInvoicing" /> endpoint. The <ApiLink name="EarlyInvoicingRequest" /> contains information used to determine which uninvoiced installments will be invoiced. This can be done either by:

* Specifying an `accountLocator` and the `invoiceThroughTime`, which will identify all installments that are uninvoiced and have a `generateTime` at or before the given time; or by
* Specifying a set of installments using the `installmentLocators` property.

In addition, you can include:

* An optional `invoiceDueTime`, which allows you to override the system-calculated due time.
* An optional `timezone`, which if provided will override the system-calculated timezone.
* The `ignoreHolds` flag, which if set to `true` will exclude all installments for accounts that have an invoicing hold set.

<Callout>
  If no installments are found based on the request, then no invoices will be created and no error will be generated.
</Callout>

Behavior [#behavior]

The system will gather all the installments to be invoiced (either explicitly, or based on the generate time) and then group them as needed based on billing level and currency. They will
*not* be grouped separately based on different due times, start or end times, timezones, etc.

For each installment group, one invoice will be created:

* The `dueTime` for the invoice will be either the `dueTime` specified in the request, or if that is not set, the *earliest* `dueTime` of all the installments in that group.
* The `startTime` will be the *earliest* `startTime` for all the installments in the group.
* The `endTime` will be the *latest* `endTime` for all the installments in the group.
* The `timezone` will be the timezone in the request, or if that is not set, the `timezone` of the installment with the earliest `startTime`.

Early invoicing is handled asynchronously from the request sent.

Error Conditions [#error-conditions]

An error will result in any of these cases:

* The `invoiceThroughTime` is given without also including the `accountLocator`
* The `invoiceThroughTime` and `installmentLocators` are both set, or neither set
* The `installmentLocators` contain installments belonging to more than one account

<Callout>
  If an installment locator is given that is already invoiced, it will be ignored. Also, if the `accountLocator` is set, it will be ignored if `invoiceThrough` is not set.
</Callout>

<Callout type="warn">
  Up to 1000 installments per request are supported.
</Callout>

See Also [#see-also]

* [Invoicing Feature Guide](/features/billing/invoicing)
* [Invoices API](/api/billing/invoices)
* [Jobs API](/api/configuration-and-development/jobs)