Customizing invoice templates

Every invoice is rendered through a template that controls the page format, fonts, colors, and where each section sits on the page. The template editor is opened via Edit Templates… in the Generate Invoice sheet, or via Configure PDF Invoice Templates in Your Details.

The three template groups

• Default Templates: one read-only template per paper size: Default A4, Default US Letter, Default Legal.
• Predefined Templates: read-only factory designs shipped with the app (Modern-Sidebar and Premium-Minimal), each offered in all three paper sizes.
• Custom Templates: your own. Only these can be edited.

Read-only templates show the banner "Create a custom template to make changes." Duplicate one to customize it. If you delete the template you are currently using, TimeBill falls back to Default A4.

Create and edit a custom template

1. Select the template you want to start from and click the + button (or right-click → Duplicate).
2. Rename it via the name field at the top of the preview.
3. In the General tab, set the Page Format (A4, US Letter, or Legal; converting remaps the layout proportionally), the Font family and size (7–14 pt), Grid Style (Rounded, Sharp, or Minimalistic), Color Scheme accent color, and Text Color.
4. Click a section tab (Customer Details, Your Details, Title, Invoice Details, Table, Payment, Page Number) or click the section directly in the preview. Each section has a visibility toggle, position/size fields, and its own typography settings. Handy extras: Show 'Bill To:' Label (Customer Details), Position Column and Highlight Total (Table).
5. Switch between First Page and Subsequent Pages at the top. Leave Use first page settings on to keep both in sync, or turn it off to style follow-on pages independently.
6. Double-click the preview for a focused, full-size editing mode with rulers; double-click again to exit.
7. Click Done, then pick your template in the generator's Templates menu under Custom Templates.

Made a mess? Reset First Page Layout / Reset Subsequent Layout in the toolbar restore a custom template's layout.

Use your own letterhead

Custom templates can embed a background PDF (your existing stationery):

1. In the General tab under Background PDF, click Choose PDF…, or drag a PDF onto the page preview ("Drop PDF here").
2. Switch to Subsequent Pages to set a different background for follow-on pages; otherwise the first page's background is reused.
3. Optional: in the Payment tab, turn off Box Background so payment details render as plain text over your stationery.

The PDF is embedded into the template itself and stretched to fill the page.

Share templates between Macs

Export a template from the sidebar (right-click → Export…) to get a self-contained .timebilltemplate file, background PDFs included. On the other Mac, use the import button in the editor (or just double-click the file). Imported templates land under Custom with a fresh identity; name collisions get " 2" appended. Files created by a newer TimeBill version are rejected with a prompt to update.

Good to know

• Sections that are too tight or overlapping can block exports; see Fixing "content too long" when exporting.
• QR code placement and sizing live in the template's Payment tab. See Payment details and the SEPA QR code.