Generate invoices from Google Sheets, one PDF per client

20 Oct 2026

Many small teams track invoices in a Google Sheet. Each row is one invoice. Then each one gets copied into a document by hand.

This guide shows how to make every invoice from the sheet at once. Each invoice becomes a PDF in your Drive. Fillmore can also email each PDF to the client.

What Fillmore does, and what it does not

Fillmore fills a template from a row. So one row makes one invoice.

It is not accounting software. It does not track payments, add up tax or send reminders. Do the sums in your sheet, with formulas. Fillmore copies the result into the invoice.

One more limit: a tag holds one value. Fillmore cannot add table rows for a long list of items. For a few items, give each item its own columns.

Step 1: Set up the sheet

Put one invoice on each row. Row 1 holds the column names. Here is an example:

Find the total with a formula. Say Price 1 is in column F, and Price 2 in column H:

=F2+H2

Add tax in its own column, if you need it. Say the total is in column I. For 20% tax, rounded to cents:

=ROUND(I2*0.2, 2)

Format money cells as currency. Open Format, then Number, then Currency. Source: Format numbers in a spreadsheet, read 20 Oct 2026. Fillmore uses each value as the sheet shows it. So "$450.00" stays "$450.00" on the invoice.

Step 2: Type the dates, do not use TODAY

Type each invoice date as a plain date. Do not use TODAY() or NOW() in a column the invoice uses.

Those formulas change every day. So the row looks new on every run. Fillmore warns you about this. With email on, it stops the run, so no client gets the same invoice twice.

Step 3: Make the invoice template

Make the invoice in Google Docs. Add your logo, address and payment details. Where a value goes, type a tag:

Invoice <<Invoice>>, dated <<Date>>

Bill to: <<Client>>

<<Item 1>>: <<Price 1>>

Total due: <<Total>>

Tags work in tables and in the header and footer too. See how to write merge tags for every rule.

Step 4: Set up the job

Open Extensions, then Fillmore, then Open Fillmore. Press Set up a job for this tab. Then:

1. Press Choose template, and pick the invoice Doc.
2. Press Choose folder, and pick the folder for invoices.
3. Open Change file name. A good name is "Invoice {{Invoice}} - {{Client}}".
4. Under Each row makes, pick A PDF.

Step 5: Pick the invoice number as the ID

Open More options. Under ID column (optional), pick the Invoice column.

Now Fillmore knows each invoice by its number. Fix a typo in a row, and the next run replaces that invoice's old file. With email on, the client gets the new one too. Without an ID column, a changed row gets a new file. The old one stays.

Each row then needs its own number. Fillmore checks this before it makes anything. It names any row with a blank or repeated number.

Step 6: Email each invoice

Still under More options, turn on Also send each file by email. Pick the Client Email column as the Email column.

Write a short Subject, such as "Invoice {{Invoice}} from Bright Path". In the Email text, add the total and the due date. The PDF is attached to each email.

Press Save job. Then press Try one row first. That sends a real email, so test with your own address first. The email guide shows how.

Step 7: Make the invoices

Press Make files. Fillmore makes a PDF for each row, and emails it if email is on. The "Fillmore status" column shows each result.

Next month, add the new rows and press Make files again. Rows that are done are skipped. Only new rows get files.

Common questions