How to automate invoice generation in Bubble

The simplest reliable way to automate invoice generation in Bubble is to create a backend workflow that receives the necessary data (like user, items, prices), creates an Invoice thing in the database, and then uses either a PDF plugin or an external PDF service (like PDFMonkey, DocSpring, or Placid) to generate the invoice file. You then store that PDF file back on the Invoice record and optionally email it using Bubble’s built‑in email action.

Core Structure You Need

You need three pieces: an Invoice data type, a backend workflow that runs automatically, and a PDF generation step.

• Invoice data type: fields like User (User), Line Items (list), Total (number), Status (text), PDF file (file).
• Backend workflow: this runs even when the user isn’t online. You trigger it on a schedule or when an event happens.
• PDF generation: either Bubble plugin PDF generator or an external API via API Connector.

Step-by-Step Setup

Create the Invoice: First build the Database entry. In your backend workflow, use “Create a new thing → Invoice”. Fill in user, items, and calculated totals.

Generate the PDF: If using an external PDF API, call it using API Connector. Send all invoice fields (like invoice\_id, total, date). The API returns a PDF URL. Save that URL in your Invoice’s PDF field.

{
  "invoice_id": "<unique_id>",
  "total": 129.50,
  "customer_name": "John Doe"  
}
// Example body you send to a PDF service via API Connector

Deliver or notify: Add an action like “Send email” and attach the PDF file from the Invoice thing.

• You can also trigger this workflow daily/weekly using “Schedule API Workflow” if you generate recurring invoices.
• Privacy rules: Make sure only the invoice’s owner can see it. Set rules on the Invoice data type using “When Current User is This Invoice’s User”.

When to Trigger the Automation

• After a purchase: Run backend workflow when a payment (Stripe webhook) comes in.
• Recurring billing: Schedule the backend workflow on a repeating date field.

This setup ensures invoices generate automatically, create a stored PDF, and optionally email it — all with Bubble-native backend workflows and either a plugin or an external PDF service.