Default invoice settings can be accessed from Settings > Default invoice settings and apply to all invoices account-wide. Default invoice settings can be overridden on individual quotes, subscriptions, or invoices.
There are three tabs on the default invoice settings page: invoice and payment settings, invoice template numbering, and Turnstile email templates. This article covers all three tabs and the settings found under each one.
Default invoice and payment settings
Invoice workflow preview
The workflow preview shows each step in the invoice lifecycle and whether it is active or inactive based on your current settings. Steps update in real time as you adjust the settings.
The workflow steps are:
Create draft invoice: Always active. Turnstile creates a draft invoice based on the subscription billing schedule.
Approve invoice manually: Active when Require invoice approval is turned on.
Issue invoice on issue date: Active when Automatically issue invoices is turned on.
Email: Active when not using manual invoicing.
Collect payment: Active when Collect payments for me is selected. Within this step, the auto-charge badge and payment method icons reflect your auto-charge and accepted payment method settings.
Workflow automation
Workflow automation settings control the approval, issuance, and email steps of the invoice lifecycle.
Require invoice approval
When Require invoice approval is enabled, each invoice will require manual approval before it can be issued. Invoices will land in the ready for review step in the invoice workflow, where a team member must approve them.
Enabling Require invoice approval is recommended for usage-based billing or any workflow that requires a sign-off before invoices reach customers.
Automatically issue invoices
When Automatically issue invoices is turned on, Turnstile issues invoices to your customer automatically on the target issue date. When turned off, invoices must be issued manually.
Payment collection
Choose how payment is collected for invoices.
Collect payments for me
Turnstile and Stripe handle payment collection. When Collect payments for me is selected, you can configure the following:
Automatically charge: Stripe automatically charges your customer when an invoice is issued, if a payment method is on file. If turned off, the customer must initiate payment.
Accepted payment methods:
Credit or debit card (Stripe fee: 3.0%): Allow customers to pay invoices with a credit or debit card.
ACH direct debit (Stripe fee: 0.5%): Allow customers to pay invoices with ACH (US bank accounts only).
At least one payment method must be selected when Automatically charge is turned on.
Collect payments manually
Your team is responsible for collecting payment. Turnstile creates and sends invoices, but does not initiate payment collection. To enable manual payment collection you need to
Automated invoice collection
Automated invoice collection is an account-wide setting that automatically follows up with customers on unpaid invoices. To enable or disable it, go to Settings > Invoice workflow and toggle Automated invoice collection on or off. For full details on how automated invoice collection works, see our article on automated invoice collection.
Advanced options
Advanced options are available for teams with non-standard invoicing setups. Click the gear icon in the top right of the page to reveal them.
Note: Turnstile is the default invoicing system. Advanced options are intended for specific edge cases and are not recommended for most accounts.
Use Stripe Billing (legacy feature)
You'll only see settings for Stripe Billing as the invoice provider if you already have access to that feature. After April 2026 new accounts cannot enable invoicing via Stripe by default.
When Use Stripe Billing is turned on, Stripe manages and sends invoices on your behalf through your connected Stripe account. A +0.4% Stripe billing fee applies, and invoices are stored in both Turnstile and Stripe with the same invoice number.
Workflow automation and payment collection options work the same way as they do under the Turnstile default.
If you see a banner prompting you to switch to Turnstile billing, you can switch at any time from that banner or from Settings > Default invoice settings > Gear icon. Switching eliminates the Stripe billing fee (Stripe payment processing fees still apply).
Manual invoicing
When Manual invoicing is selected, Turnstile creates invoices, but your team is responsible for sending them to customers and collecting payment.
When manual invoicing is selected, you cannot select Collect payments for me.
Default invoice template and numbering settings
Invoice numbering
Invoice numbering can be set to increment sequentially across all customers, or separately within each customer's account. By default, Turnstile generates a unique prefix for each customer based on their name. You can manually override prefixes and numbering to match internal conventions or customer-specific requirements.
Sequentially for each customer: Invoice numbers increment within each customer's prefix. Each customer has their own numbering sequence that is easy to track and manage.
Example: If the customer's name is Acme Corp, the prefix might be
ACME-. Invoices for that customer are numbered sequentially, starting from 1 (for example,ACME-001,ACME-002).
Sequentially across my company: For businesses that require a unified numbering system — for example, to comply with UK or EU regulations — Turnstile supports a global prefix. All invoices across all customers share the same prefix and numbering increments across the entire system.
Example: A global prefix of
INV-results in invoice numbers likeINV-001,INV-002, regardless of the customer.
Invoice send time window
This setting controls when Turnstile emails invoices to your customers. There are two options:
No time restriction: Automated invoices may be sent at any time during the day.
During local daytime hours (10am–6pm): Automated invoices are sent during daytime hours in your organization's timezone.
Line item settings
Display overage line items without "Additional" prefix: When turned on, Turnstile removes the word "Additional" from the beginning of usage-based line item descriptions on invoices. This applies to usage-only products. Committed usage line items are not affected.
Turnstile email templates
In the Turnstile email templates tab from Settings > Default invoice settings, you can customize the invoice emails Turnstile sends to your customers. This feature only works when you're using Turnstile as the invoice provider. If you are sending invoices manually or using Stripe as the invoice provider (only available under special circumstances), configuring the Turnstile email templates will not be applied to invoice emails sent to your customer.
There are three invoice email types tabs that can be customized: Invoice issued, Payment successful, and Payment failed.
Available customizations:
Subject
Add an attachment
Email body: header and message
Add ACH instructions (invoice issued emails only)
Include invoice details: adds the invoice issue date, due date, billing period, and amount
Include invoice line items: adds products or services being billed and their quantity
Email template variables
Use these variables in your invoice emails for further personalization:
{vendorName}: the name of your company{vendorContactEmail}: your company's contact email{customerEmail}: the customer's email address{customerContactPerson}: the customer's contact person{invoiceNumber}: the invoice number{invoiceAmount}: the invoice amount due
Use Reset default in the top right of the template section to clear your customizations, or Send test email to preview the email that will be sent to your customers.