A Xero repeating-invoice template creates individual invoices on its schedule. The status you choose controls what happens to each new invoice.
Start with one question: what should happen before the customer receives each invoice? Your answer leads to one of three status choices.
Start with tracked inventory
Check whether the template includes tracked inventory. If it does, select Save as Draft.
Xero can still create repeating invoices with tracked inventory. Each generated draft stays available for review, edits, and approval before someone sends it.
Choose the level of review
If the template does not include tracked inventory, decide whether someone must check each invoice before it is sent.
Select Save as Draft when each occurrence needs review, edits, or approval. This status leaves each generated invoice ready for those steps.
For example, use it when an amount, item, or customer detail may change from one invoice to the next.
Choose individual sending
Select Approve when Xero can approve each generated invoice automatically, but staff should send each invoice individually.
The invoice is approved, but your team chooses when to send it to the customer.
Choose automatic approval and email
Select Approve for Sending when Xero should approve and email each generated invoice automatically. Choose this status only when the template does not include tracked inventory.
Check the first invoice date before relying on automatic email. If the first invoice is dated today or earlier, Xero approves it but does not email it automatically. Send that first invoice manually.
If the first invoice date is in the future, Xero can email it automatically.
Make the status match the work
Before saving the template, decide whether each invoice needs review, edits, or approval. Check whether the template uses tracked inventory. Then decide whether staff will send each invoice or Xero should email it automatically.
Choose the status that matches those choices: Save as Draft, Approve, or Approve for Sending.
With the right status, each new invoice will either remain a draft, be approved for your team to send, or be approved and emailed automatically.
Official source
Xero Central: Add or edit a repeating invoice template
Last verified: 2026-08-28