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Invoice Ninja Zapier integrationAutomate Invoice Ninja with Zapier.

The Invoice Ninja Zapier integration offers 29 operations: 12 triggers, 11 actions and 6 searches. Every trigger is instant, so a new client, quote, invoice or payment reaches your other tools the moment it happens, even on the free plan.

See the 29 operations

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Overview

What the Invoice Ninja Zapier integration does for you

It links your billing to the rest of your business. A Zap (an automation on Zapier: one event that starts it, then steps that run every time) can react to what happens in Invoice Ninja, create records there from other tools, and look up an existing client, invoice or quote on the way.

Three outcomes worth building first. A project ready on day one: New Client fires when a client is added, and Create Project opens the matching project straight away. An invoice that leaves on its own: Create Invoice builds it from an order placed elsewhere, then Email Invoice sends it. A payment that tells the team: New Payment starts a Zap the moment money is recorded.

The good news for a free plan: all 12 triggers are instant. Invoice Ninja reports each event to Zapier itself, so nothing waits for a scheduled check.

What Zapier does not do here: there is no action to update or delete a record, and nothing to email a credit or a payment receipt. You create, send invoices and quotes, look up, and react. Also, every create action that touches a client wants the client's ID, not a name or an email, which is why Find Client comes up so often below. Not sure Zapier is the right tool? Our Zapier review covers its strengths and limits.

Vocabulary

Zapier words, in one minute

Eight terms come back on this page. Here they are in plain English.

Zap
The automation itself: one event that starts it, then one or more steps that run every time that event happens again.
Trigger
The event in an app that starts the Zap. Invoice Ninja has 12, from a new client to an updated payment.
Action
What the Zap does once started: the step that creates or sends something. Invoice Ninja offers 11 of them.
Task
The unit Zapier bills: one action that completes successfully. Your plan's quota counts those and nothing else.
Instant vs polling
An instant trigger is reported by the app as it happens; a polling one is checked by Zapier on a timer. Here, all are instant.
Filter
A step that lets the Zap continue only when what arrived meets your condition, and stops it quietly the rest of the time.
Search step
A step that looks up something that already exists, such as a client, so the next steps can use what it found.
Multi-step Zap
Any Zap beyond one trigger and one action. A second action, a filter or a search makes one, and it needs a paid plan.
Cost

What an Invoice Ninja Zap really costs

Zapier bills tasks, and only tasks. Here is how they add up with Invoice Ninja.

  • Free plan100 tasks a month
  • Zap size on free2 steps: one trigger, one action
  • Premium appNo
  • Instant triggers12 of 12

Triggers never cost a task. Each action that succeeds counts as one; one that fails is not counted. Invoice Ninja is not a premium app (the kind Zapier keeps for paid plans), so it runs on the free plan: 100 tasks a month, with Zaps of two steps only, one trigger and one action. The catch is the client ID: most create actions need one, and fetching it with Find Client adds a search step. That makes the Zap multi-step, and multi-step Zaps need a paid plan.

Connect

Connect your Invoice Ninja account to Zapier

  1. 01

    Open the Apps page

    In your Zapier account, open the Apps page and click + Add connection. A dialog opens where you type the name of the app you want to link to your workspace.

  2. 02

    Pick Invoice Ninja

    Search for Invoice Ninja, select it and click Add connection. You need an Invoice Ninja account, plus access to any client, invoice or project you do not own yourself but want the Zap to touch.

  3. 03

    Sign in and grant access

    A new tab opens on Invoice Ninja. Sign in and allow Zapier to use your account. The connection then appears in your list, ready for every Invoice Ninja step of every Zap.

First Zap

Your first Invoice Ninja Zap: a project and a kickoff task per client

GoalEach new client of a chosen type gets a project and a first task, without anyone opening Invoice Ninja.

  1. 01

    Pick the trigger

    Create a Zap, choose Invoice Ninja and New Client, then your connection. It is instant: the Zap will start as each client is added.

  2. 02

    Test on a real client

    Run the test: Zapier brings back the three most recent clients of your account. Pick a real one so the next steps are mapped on actual data.

  3. 03

    Keep the right clients

    Add a Filter from the plus icon: field, rule, value. Rules are typed, so a text rule only works on text. Pick the field that marks the clients you care about.

  4. 04

    Create the project

    Add Create Project. Map the client from the trigger into Client, which wants an ID, and type a Name; both are required. Test the step.

  5. 05

    Add the task and publish

    Add Create Task to log the kickoff, test it, then click Publish. With a filter and two actions, this Zap needs a paid plan.

Triggers

The 12 Invoice Ninja triggers

12 events start a Zap when something happens in Invoice Ninja, and 12 of them are instant: the app calls Zapier straight away, whatever your plan.

1

New Client

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new client is added.”

Whenever a client is added to Invoice Ninja, this trigger starts your Zap with that new record. It is the cleanest entry point for onboarding: everything that should happen once per customer can hang off it, from a welcome email to a folder or a project.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
a design studio wants a project and a shared folder ready before the first call with each new client.
Watch out
it fires on creation only; edits to an existing client belong to Update Client.
2

New Credit

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new credit is added.”

This one wakes up when a credit is added on your account. Credits usually mean money owed back or set aside for a client, so they are worth knowing about outside billing too, where support or account managers can act on them.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
an account manager should hear about every credit issued to their clients, so a refund never surprises them.
Watch out
there is no action to email a credit, so any notice to the client has to go through another tool.
3

New Invoice

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new invoice is added.”

As soon as an invoice is added in Invoice Ninja, the Zap kicks off with it. It reacts to creation, not to sending, which makes it a good trigger for bookkeeping copies and internal tracking that should start as early as possible.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
a bookkeeper keeps a running log of every invoice the moment it is created, before review.
Watch out
if you only care about invoices the client has received, Sent Invoice is the better fit.
4

New Payment

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new payment is added.”

Each payment recorded in Invoice Ninja starts the Zap. Money in is the event most teams want to celebrate or act on, and this is where it surfaces in Zapier.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
a freelancer wants a message in the team chat each time a client pays, to release the next delivery.
Watch out
changes to a payment already recorded belong to Update Payment, not to this trigger.
5

New Project

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new project is added.”

Opening a project in Invoice Ninja fires this trigger. Projects group the tasks and time you will bill a client for, so their creation is often the signal for the delivery side to get moving.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
a web agency mirrors each new project into its project tracker, so developers see it without logging into billing.
Watch out
a Zap ending with Create Project would fire this trigger again; keep them in separate Zaps.
6

New Quote

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new quote is added.”

Each quote added to your account starts the Zap. Like New Invoice, it reacts to creation rather than sending. Sales teams use it to keep a pipeline up to date without double entry.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
a sales lead wants every quote logged in the pipeline sheet the moment someone drafts it.
Watch out
to react only when the client actually receives the quote, pick Sent Quote instead.
7

Sent Invoice

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when an invoice is sent.”

This trigger waits for the moment an invoice is sent. It is the point where an invoice stops being internal and becomes a request for payment, which is when reminders and follow-ups should start their clock.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
a consultant wants a follow-up task created for every invoice sent, to check payment later.
Watch out
test it on a real invoice first, and read what comes back before building reminders on it.
8

Sent Quote

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a quote is sent.”

When a quote goes out to a client, this event starts the Zap. A sent quote is a live offer, so it is the natural start for a sales follow-up rather than an internal log.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
a contractor schedules a call reminder for each quote sent, so no offer goes cold.
Watch out
a Zap that sends quotes with Email Quote and watches this trigger can chain into itself; keep the two apart.
9

Update Client

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a client is updated.”

Any change to an existing client record fires this trigger: whatever detail someone edits. It is how other systems stay in step with what your billing knows about a customer.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
keeping the CRM copy of each client aligned when the finance team corrects a billing contact.
Watch out
it fires on every edit, so a filter helps if only certain changes matter to you.
10

Update Invoice

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when an invoice is updated.”

This one starts the Zap whenever an invoice is changed. Any edit lands here, which makes it broad on purpose and best paired with a filter.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
a finance lead wants to know when someone edits an invoice that is already out.
Watch out
if an action in the same Zap touches invoices, it can set this trigger off again and loop.
11

Update Payment

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a payment is updated.”

Changes made to a payment already recorded start this trigger. It catches what New Payment never sees: whatever happens to a payment after it was first recorded.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
an accountant wants every payment correction copied to the audit log in the accounting tool.
Watch out
it reports changes, not new payments; you will usually want both triggers in separate Zaps.
12

Update Quote

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a quote is updated.”

Editing a quote fires this trigger. When a client negotiates and the quote is revised, the change reaches Zapier straight away.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
a sales team wants the pipeline value to follow each revised quote without retyping.
Watch out
it fires on every edit, so add a filter to keep the Zap from reacting to minor tweaks.
Actions

The 11 Invoice Ninja actions

Invoice Ninja gives you 11 actions. For each one: what it does for you, when to reach for it, and what to watch out for.

1

Create Client

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new client”

Adds a new client to Invoice Ninja from any tool where the customer first shows up. It is often the first link in a billing chain.

When to use it
a signed contract in your e-signature tool should create the client before anyone writes an invoice.
2

Create Credit

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new credit.”

Adds a credit for a client, with options to email it, auto-bill it, mark it sent or paid, and download its PDF.

When to use it
a refund approved in your support tool should leave a credit in billing.
Watch out
the client is identified by ID, never by name.
3

Email Invoice

Action

In Zapier“Emails an invoice.”

Once an invoice exists, this step mails it to the client. You point at it with its Invoice ID.

When to use it
an invoice created as a draft goes out once the project is marked delivered in your tracker.
Watch out
without the invoice ID, the step cannot run; a Find Invoice step can supply it.
4

Email Quote

Action

In Zapier“Emails a quote.”

Sends an existing quote to the client by email. It needs the quote's ID.

When to use it
once a manager approves a quote in your workflow, it leaves automatically.
Watch out
it sends a quote that already exists; create it first, or use the email option of Create Quote.
5

Create Invoice

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new invoice.”

Builds an invoice for a client. Options let you email it straight away, mark it sent or paid, auto-bill it, or apply the discount as a fixed amount instead of a percentage.

When to use it
an order paid in your online shop should produce the matching invoice in Invoice Ninja.
Watch out
the Client ID field takes the ID only.
6

Create Payment

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new payment.”

Records a payment in Invoice Ninja. The client is the only required field listed.

When to use it
a bank transfer confirmed in your payment tool should show up as paid in Invoice Ninja.
Watch out
a Zap triggered by New Payment that ends here would loop.
7

Create Product

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new product.”

Adds an item to your product list, so it can be picked when building invoices and quotes later on.

When to use it
a new service added to your online catalog should exist in Invoice Ninja too, with the same name.
8

Create Project

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new project.”

Opens a project for a client, so tasks and time can be grouped under it. It needs the client, as an ID, and a project name.

When to use it
a deal marked won in the CRM should open the delivery project at once.
Watch out
the Client field wants the ID, not the name or email.
9

Create Quote

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new qoute.”

Builds a quote for a client, optionally downloads its PDF or emails it on creation. Mark Sent switched off leaves it as a draft.

When to use it
a form on your site requesting a price creates a draft quote for review.
Watch out
the client goes in as an ID; a name or email will not work.
10

Create Recurring Invoice

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new recurring invoice.”

Sets up an invoice that repeats on the frequency you pick. Client ID and Frequency are required, and Mark Ready creates it as pending.

When to use it
a new monthly retainer signed in your CRM should start billing itself.
Watch out
check the frequency before publishing; every run creates a schedule, not a single invoice.
11

Create Task

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new task.”

Logs a task in Invoice Ninja, the unit you can later bill for. Handy when work is tracked elsewhere but billed here.

When to use it
a ticket closed in your help desk becomes a billable task for the account.
Searches

The 6 Invoice Ninja searches

6 search steps look for data that already exists in Invoice Ninja, so a later step can use it.

A search step looks up a record that already exists and hands it to the next steps. In the editor, the searches sit at the bottom of the Action event list, under SEARCH. Each one asks for a Search Field and a Search Value, and three settings decide what happens when the answer is not clean.

1

Find Client

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds a client by their email or id number”

Looks up a client, by email or ID number, and returns it to the Zap. This is the step that supplies the ID most create actions require. Include Deleted widens the search to removed clients.

When to use it
an order comes in with a customer email and you need the client before Create Invoice.
Watch out
the editor also lists Find or Create Client: same search, with the create box ticked.
2

Find Credit

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds an credit by it's credit number.”

Finds a credit, typically by its credit number, and can include its PDF in what comes back.

When to use it
attaching the credit document to a reply in your support tool.
Watch out
Find or Create Credit is this same search with creation switched on, not a separate operation.
3

Find Invoice

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds an invoice by it's invoice number.”

Retrieves an invoice, usually by its number, with the option to include the PDF.

When to use it
feeding the invoice ID to Email Invoice when only the invoice number travels between tools.
Watch out
the Find or Create Invoice line in the editor is this search with the create box ticked.
4

Find Product

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds a product by its ...”

Looks up an item of your product list, using the field and value you choose.

When to use it
checking that a catalog item exists before using it on an invoice.
Watch out
Find or Create Product reuses this search and adds the item if it is missing.
5

Find Project

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds a project by searching.”

Locates a project from the field and value you pick, deleted ones included if you ask for them.

When to use it
attaching a new task to the right project when only its name is known.
Watch out
Find or Create Project is the same step, set to create the project when none matches.
6

Find Quote

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds an quote by it's quote number.”

Brings back a quote, usually by its number, with its PDF if you include it.

When to use it
getting the quote ID to send it with Email Quote.
Watch out
Find or Create Quote is this search with creation ticked, not an extra operation.

The three settings every search exposes

  1. Successful if no search results are found?
    Left as it is, a search that finds nothing stops the Zap and skips what depended on it. Switched on, the Zap carries on empty-handed.
  2. Create X if it doesn't exist yet?
    Ticking it turns the search into find-or-create: it drops the setting above and asks for what is needed to create the missing record.
  3. If multiple search results are found?
    Three ways out: keep the first match, which is the default, stop the Zap, or pass every match on at once.
When it breaks

When an Invoice Ninja Zap breaks

Zapier links no help article to Invoice Ninja, so the known failure points are the general ones, plus the client ID trap above.

Each of them hits a billing Zap sooner or later. If one resists, our Zapier troubleshooting service can look at it with you.

  • Old invoices are not picked up

    A Zap only reacts to what happens after you switch it on. Invoices, quotes or payments from last month will not come through; moving that history is a separate job.

  • A Zap that triggers itself

    If a Zap writes into the place its own trigger watches, such as New Invoice feeding Create Invoice, it starts again and again and drains your tasks fast.

  • A bulk import gets held

    When a trigger suddenly returns a huge batch, after importing clients or migrating from another billing tool, Zapier's flood protection can hold it back.

  • A name where an ID should be

    Create Invoice, Create Quote, Create Credit and Create Project fail when given a client name or email. Map the ID found by Find Client instead.
Need help

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FAQ

Invoice Ninja Zapier integration: your questions

01Is the Invoice Ninja Zapier integration free?
Yes, on Zapier's side. Invoice Ninja is not a premium app, so it works on the free plan, which gives you 100 tasks a month and Zaps of two steps: one trigger and one action. New Payment into a notification fits. As soon as you need Find Client to supply an ID, or a filter, the Zap becomes multi-step and needs a paid plan. Invoice Ninja's own pricing is a separate matter this page does not cover.
02How many tasks does an Invoice Ninja Zap use?
One per action that succeeds. The 12 triggers never cost a task, and an action that fails is not counted either. A Zap that creates a project and then a task spends two tasks per new client; with a filter in front, a client stopped by the filter costs nothing further. A few apps and actions take more than one task, so check what your first runs actually consume against the 100 of the free plan.
03Is the Invoice Ninja Zapier integration real time?
Yes, for every trigger. All 12 Invoice Ninja triggers are instant: the app tells Zapier the moment a client, quote, invoice, credit, project or payment is added, sent or updated, and the Zap starts right away whatever your plan. The plan interval grid, every 15 minutes on the free plan, 2 on Professional and 1 on Team and Enterprise, only applies to polling triggers from other apps you might combine with it.
04What does it take to connect Invoice Ninja to Zapier?
An Invoice Ninja account, and access to anything you do not own yourself but want the Zap to touch. In Zapier, open Apps, click + Add connection, search for Invoice Ninja, then sign in on the tab that opens and grant access. Then prepare for the main prerequisite of the actions: the client must already exist in Invoice Ninja, because most create actions ask for its ID. Find Client, or Find or Create Client, is how a Zap gets hold of it.
05Why does Create Invoice fail with a client name?
Because the Client ID field wants the client's ID, not its name or email address. The same goes for Create Quote, Create Credit and Create Project. The fix is to add Find Client before the action, search by email, and map what it returns into the field. If the client may not exist yet, Find or Create Client covers both cases in a single step, at the cost of making the Zap multi-step.
06What if the Invoice Ninja operation you need is not there?
Then Zapier cannot do it with this app today. The editor shows 12 triggers, 11 actions, mostly create steps plus Email Invoice and Email Quote, and 6 searches. There is no action to update or delete a record, or to email a credit. The usual way around it is to check whether another platform covers the missing operation, or to keep that part of the work inside Invoice Ninja and automate the rest.
07Zapier, Make or n8n for Invoice Ninja?
It depends on your criteria, not on a ranking. Zapier offers 12 instant triggers and ready find-or-create searches in a guided editor, and its free plan stops at two-step Zaps, which billing chains outgrow quickly because of the client ID. If your workflow needs updates or deletions, or many steps per invoice, compare what each platform exposes for Invoice Ninja and how it counts usage before choosing. The number of steps per invoice often decides it.
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