Attach contract terms to invoices

Contract terms ride invoices two ways in Dispatch Bros: as text — the Contract & Terms box on every invoice, backed by reusable templates with a per-document-type default — and as uploaded PDF/Word Contract Files the customer can open and download from their invoice link. Both are managed in Invoices → Settings on the Contracts tab.

Before you start

• You need owner/admin (or settings edit) rights to manage templates and files; anyone creating an invoice can use them.
• Decide what belongs in text (warranty, payment conditions) vs. a file (a signed master agreement, a spec sheet).

Step 1 — Create contract text templates

1. Go to Invoices → Settings, tab Contracts. The Contract Templates section explains: "Reusable legal/terms text blocks, grouped by document."
2. Click the black add button under the group you want (the groups are Invoices and Estimates).
3. In the form, Used For picks the group, then enter the Template Name (for example "Standard Terms & Conditions") and the Content — your terms, conditions, and warranty text.
4. Save. The first template in a group becomes that group's default; use Set Default to change it later. The default carries a DEFAULT chip and is auto-attached to every new document of that type.

Step 2 — Upload contract files

Still on the Contracts tab, the Contract Files section notes: "Upload PDF or Word contract files to attach to invoices."

1. Click Upload Contract File and pick a PDF, DOC, or DOCX.
2. The file joins the list with its upload date. Delete removes it from future invoices.

If you pick another file type you'll see "Only PDF, DOC, and DOCX files are allowed".

Step 3 — Put terms on an invoice

On Create Invoice:

• The Contract & Terms box is pre-filled with your default template. Swap it via the "Choose a saved contract…" dropdown, or edit the text freely — changes affect only this invoice.
• Owners and admins can click Save as template to store the current text as a new reusable template without leaving the form (same name updates the existing template instead of duplicating it).
• Your uploaded contract files appear as checkboxes — tick the ones to attach to this invoice.

What your customer sees

On the public invoice link, the contract text and any attached files live in a Terms & Conditions tab next to the invoice; each file can be viewed, printed, and downloaded. Internally, an invoice with attached files gets a Contract tab on its detail page listing the Contract Documents with View and Download buttons.

Troubleshooting

• "No invoice contract templates yet." — the Invoices group is empty; add a template so new invoices start with your terms instead of the built-in default text.
• The wrong terms appear on new invoices — check which template carries the DEFAULT chip in the Invoices group; defaults are per group, so changing the estimate default doesn't touch invoices.
• A contract file won't upload — only PDF, DOC, and DOCX are accepted.
• The customer doesn't see the terms tab — it only appears when the invoice actually carries terms text or attached files; confirm the checkbox was ticked and the terms box wasn't emptied before sending.