How do I read the dashboard figures?

Four indicators are shown at the top. Revenue collected groups all invoices paid this year. The pending amount shows invoices sent but not yet settled. The overdue amount groups those past their due date. The Quotes widget shows how many are awaiting a response and how many have been accepted.

My figures look wrong, what should I do?

Check that your invoices are in the correct status. An invoice stays "pending" until you manually mark it as "paid". Partial credit notes also reduce the balance shown.

Why don't some invoices appear in the statistics?

Quotes and draft invoices are not included in the financial statistics. Only invoices with the statuses sent, paid, overdue or credited are counted.

How do I create an invoice?

Click "New invoice" from the dashboard or the Invoices menu. Select your client, add your line items, check the VAT rate and save. The invoice is created as a draft first — you can edit it freely before sending.

How do I send an invoice by email?

From the invoice detail page, click "Send by email". The email goes to your client's address with the PDF attached. The status automatically changes to "Sent".

How do I mark an invoice as paid?

On the detail page, click "Mark as paid". A read-only transaction is automatically created in your financial register, linked to this invoice.

Can I edit an invoice that has already been sent?

Technically yes, but if the invoice was already sent to the client, it is better to issue a credit note and create a corrected invoice. Editing a sent invoice without notifying the client creates accounting inconsistencies.

How do I add a discount?

On the invoice form, click "Add a discount" below the line items. A line with a negative amount is added — enter the discount amount and it will be automatically subtracted from the total.

What is a credit note?

A credit note is a document that partially or fully cancels an invoice. It is the only legal way to correct or refund an invoice that has already been issued — you cannot simply delete it.

How do I create a credit note?

From the relevant invoice page, click "Credit note". A form opens — add only the lines to be credited. The credited amount then appears on the original invoice as a deduction.

Can I create multiple credit notes on the same invoice?

Yes. The remaining balance due is recalculated each time by subtracting the total of all linked credit notes. You can therefore credit an invoice in several instalments.

How do I create a quote?

Go to the Quotes menu > New quote. The form is identical to an invoice, with an extra "Valid until" field. The quote gets a separate number based on the prefix configured in your settings.

How do I convert a quote to an invoice?

When the client accepts, mark the quote as "Accepted" then click "Convert to invoice". All lines are copied into a new invoice with a sequential number. The quote moves to "Converted" status and remains accessible.

What happens when a quote expires?

A quote whose validity date has passed moves to "Expired" status and a warning banner appears on its page. You can still convert it to an invoice if the client eventually accepts after the expiry date.

Is the quote email different from an invoice email?

Yes. The quote email does not include your banking details — this is intentional, as a quote is not a payment request. The subject line and email body are also adapted accordingly.

How can my client sign a quote online?

From the quote detail page, click the link icon to generate a unique signature link. Send this link to your client by email or messaging. They access a secure page where they can read the quote, tick the "I declare I accept the terms" checkbox, add an optional handwritten signature, then click Sign and accept. The eIDAS SES (Simple Electronic Signature) is legally valid across Europe — the client's IP address and timestamp are recorded as proof. The quote automatically moves to Accepted status and you can immediately convert it to an invoice.

How do I add a client?

Go to the Clients menu > New client. The name is the minimum required. An email address is needed to send documents by email. The VAT number is optional but recommended for business clients.

Why should I verify the VAT number?

The "Verify" button queries the European VIES service to confirm the number is valid and active. This is useful for your VAT obligations (reverse charge) and to make sure you are invoicing a business client correctly.

What is Peppol?

Peppol is a European electronic invoicing network that allows you to send and receive invoices directly within accounting systems, without manual emails or PDFs. Ledgerly is connected to Peppol via B2Brouter. If a client is registered on the Peppol network, enter their Peppol ID on their client profile to send invoices through this channel.

What is the service catalogue for?

It lets you pre-register your usual services with their label, unit price and VAT rate. When creating an invoice, start typing in the description field to see suggestions from your catalogue.

Autocomplete is not working in invoices, why?

Autocomplete from the catalogue is reserved for premium accounts. You can still manage your catalogue and use it as a reference when entering lines manually.

Can I change the VAT rate of a service?

Yes, edit the service and select the rate from the dropdown (0%, 6%, 12% or 21%). This rate will be used by default each time you add the service to an invoice, but you can change it line by line.

What is the difference between an automatic and a manual transaction?

Automatic transactions are created by Ledgerly when you mark an invoice as paid — they are read-only and faithfully reflect the linked invoice. Manual transactions are entered by you for expenses and income outside of invoices (rent, equipment, subscriptions...).

How does the VAT listing work?

The listing groups all your transactions for the selected quarter and breaks them down according to Belgian VAT grids. You can export it as Intervat XML for your return on eservices.minfin.fgov.be, or as Excel for your accountant.

How do I export transactions for my accountant?

From the VAT listing page, two exports are available. The Excel file has three sheets: income, expenses and a VAT summary by rate. The Intervat XML export is in the official VATSENDING format, directly importable on the SPF Finances portal.

Why depreciate equipment rather than deduct it all at once?

Equipment used over several years generates value throughout its useful life, not only in the year of purchase. Depreciation spreads the tax deduction proportionally over that period — each year you deduct the portion corresponding to actual wear. Without depreciation, deducting 3 000 € in a single year would artificially inflate your expenses and distort your accounting result. As a rule, any asset intended to be used for more than one fiscal year must be depreciated, unless it qualifies as low-value.

What is the legal basis for depreciation in Belgium?

Article 62 of the Income Tax Code 1992 (CIR 92) sets the legal framework. It requires the straight-line method as the standard: the same amount is deducted every fiscal year over the asset's useful life. The Belgian tax authority publishes normally accepted depreciation rates by category: 33.33% per year (3 years) for IT and electronic equipment, 20% per year (5 years) for tools and vehicles, 10% per year (10 years) for furniture and fittings. Different rates are allowed but must be justified by the economic reality of the asset.

How is the annual depreciation allowance calculated?

The annual allowance equals the purchase price excl. VAT divided by the number of years. Example: a laptop bought for 1 200 € excl. VAT depreciated over 3 years gives 1 200 ÷ 3 = 400 €/year. This amount reduces your taxable profit each year. The sum of all annual allowances must equal the purchase price at the end of the plan. In Ledgerly, the i button next to the Duration field calculates and shows this allowance in real time, along with a full year-by-year breakdown.

What is pro rata temporis and how does Ledgerly apply it?

Pro rata temporis reduces the first (and possibly the last) year's allowance to the proportion of months actually elapsed. Ledgerly uses the full-month rule: depreciation starts on the 1st of the purchase month. Example: an asset bought in April (month 4) generates 9 months of depreciation in year one (April to December: 13 − 4 = 9 months), giving 400 × 9/12 = 300 €. Subsequent years receive the full 400 € allowance. If the purchase month is not January, a final partial year closes the plan and its amount is adjusted to the nearest cent so that the total equals exactly the purchase price.

Which depreciation period applies to which type of asset?

The Belgian tax authority recognises three standard periods for self-employed individuals. 3 years for IT and electronic equipment: computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, software — rapid technological obsolescence justifies a short life. 5 years for professional tools, machinery, measuring equipment and utility vehicles — mechanical wear is regular and predictable. 10 years for office furniture, fittings, and durable equipment. These periods are generally accepted without further justification. Other periods are possible if they better reflect economic reality, but must be defensible in the event of a tax audit.

What is an immediate deduction and when does it apply?

When no duration is selected in Ledgerly, the asset is treated as immediately deductible: its cost excl. VAT is deducted in full in the year of purchase, with no spreading. The Belgian tax authority accepts this for low-value assets whose unit price does not exceed 1 000 € excl. VAT, such as a mouse, a cable, a small accessory, or an annual software subscription. Above 1 000 € excl. VAT, a multi-year depreciation plan is mandatory even if the asset seems minor. When in doubt, opt for depreciation — it is the safer position with the tax authority.

What is net book value and how do I read the depreciation table in Ledgerly?

Net book value (NBV) is the undepreciated portion of the asset — its accounting value after subtracting all accumulated depreciation. Formula: NBV = Purchase price − Total cumulative allowances. Over time, the NBV decreases steadily until it reaches zero at the end of the plan. In Ledgerly, the detail page of each piece of equipment shows the current NBV prominently, along with a full year-by-year table: for each fiscal year you can see the months depreciated, the year's allowance, the cumulative total and the remaining NBV. Past years are shown in grey, the current year is highlighted in indigo with an EN COURS badge, and the NBV turns green when it reaches zero. A fully depreciated asset can still be used — it simply no longer generates a tax-deductible charge.

What is the Deadlines page for?

The Deadlines page lists all your sent or overdue invoices whose due date is approaching or has already passed. It gives you a clear view of what needs to be collected, with three summary cards at the top: total deadlines, upcoming amount (invoices not yet due) and overdue amount (invoices past their due date). You can filter the view to show only Upcoming, only Overdue, or all deadlines together.

How do I set up automatic reminders?

Go to Settings → Company, in the Payment reminders section. Enable the checkbox "Automatic reminders enabled", then enter the delays you want: Reminder 1 (e.g. 3 days before the due date), Reminder 2 (e.g. on the due date), and the overdue follow-up delay (e.g. 7 days after the due date). These reminders are sent automatically every night — no further action is required once the settings are saved.

How do I send a reminder manually?

On the Deadlines page, each row has a "Send reminder" button. Clicking it opens a confirmation dialog with the client's name, then the email is sent immediately to the client's address. The date of the last reminder is shown in the dedicated table column, so you can see at a glance whether a client has already been contacted.

Can the same reminder be sent twice for the same invoice?

Not for automatic reminders. Ledgerly records every reminder sent (automatic or manual) with its date and delay. Before each automatic send, the system checks whether that exact reminder (same type, same delay) has already been sent for that invoice — if so, it is skipped. This ensures a client never receives the same email twice. However, if you click the manual "Send reminder" button, a new reminder is created each time regardless of history.

What happens when an invoice is marked as paid?

As soon as an invoice is set to Paid, it disappears from the Deadlines page — it is no longer awaiting payment. Automatic reminders also stop for that invoice since Ledgerly only processes invoices with the status Sent or Overdue. The history of reminders already sent remains accessible from the invoice detail page.

How do I connect my bank account?

Go to the Bank menu and click Connect a bank. Select your institution from the list of available Belgian banks, then log in on your bank's website. You are redirected back to Ledgerly once access is granted. Your accounts and their balances appear immediately.

How does automatic reconciliation work?

Every night, Ledgerly synchronises your new bank transactions. For each incoming transfer, it first looks for an invoice whose structured communication (+++xxx/xxxx/xxxxx+++) matches exactly — the most reliable method. If no reference is found but a single amount matches a pending invoice, the reconciliation is also performed automatically. In both cases the invoice is set to Paid and you receive a notification.

What is the structured communication and why does it matter?

The structured communication is a reference in the format +++xxx/xxxx/xxxxx+++ calculated from your invoice number. It appears on your PDF and in the email sent to the client. When your client includes it in their bank transfer, Ledgerly immediately identifies the invoice and reconciles it automatically — without any action on your part.

What happens if the transfer does not contain the structured communication?

If the structured communication is missing, Ledgerly tries to reconcile by exact amount: if only one pending invoice matches the transfer amount, the reconciliation is still automatic. If several invoices share the same amount, no automatic reconciliation is performed — the transaction appears in the To reconcile list and you can manually select the correct invoice.

How do I remove a bank connection?

From the Bank page, click the Delete button next to the connection. Access is revoked at the bank and all imported transactions linked to that connection are deleted. This action is irreversible — transactions already reconciled to invoices are not affected.

What is Peppol and why use it?

Peppol (Pan-European Public Procurement On-Line) is a standardised electronic invoicing network used across Europe. It allows invoices to be sent and received directly within accounting software, with no paper or email involved. In Belgium, businesses are identified by the prefix 0208 followed by the VAT number without the BE prefix (example: 0208:0123456789). Ledgerly is connected to Peppol via the B2Brouter provider.

How do I send an invoice via Peppol?

From the invoice detail page (draft or sent status), click "Send via Peppol". The invoice is transmitted to the recipient identified by their Peppol ID, which is entered on the client profile. A status badge appears on the invoice once the recipient acknowledges, accepts or refuses the document. Sending via Peppol does not replace email if the client also requests it.

How do I receive supplier invoices via Peppol?

Suppliers registered on Peppol can send invoices directly to your Ledgerly Peppol ID. From the Invoices menu, click "Peppol inbox" then "Synchronise" to import the latest received invoices. Each received invoice appears in the list with the supplier name, amount and status. You can accept or refuse them from this interface.

What do the Peppol statuses mean on a sent invoice?

Three statuses reflect the recipient's response. "Acknowledged" means the invoice was successfully received in the client's system. "Accepted" means the client confirmed the invoice is correct and commits to paying it. "Refused" means the client flagged a problem with the invoice (incorrect amount, disputed service, etc.). In case of refusal, contact your client to correct the document and resend it.

How do I configure my Peppol ID?

Your Peppol ID is entered in Settings > Company, in the Peppol section. For Belgian businesses, it follows the format 0208:XXXXXXXXXX where XXXXXXXXXX is your 10-digit VAT number without the BE prefix. Also enter the Peppol ID of each client on their profile to be able to send them invoices via the network. If a client does not have a Peppol ID, use the standard email sending method.

How do I configure my invoice numbering?

In Settings > Company, under "Invoicing settings". Set a prefix (e.g. INV-) and choose between sequential (INV-0001) or year+month (INV-2026040001). The same setting is available separately for credit notes and quotes.

How do I add my logo?

In the Logo section of the company settings. The logo appears in the header of all your PDF documents. Accepted formats: PNG, JPG or SVG, maximum 2 MB. For best results, use a file with a transparent background.

Can I change the colour of my PDF invoices?

Yes, in the "PDF invoice colour" section. Six themes are available: Midnight, Slate, Ocean, Forest, Crimson and Graphite. The theme applies to the header and totals of your documents.

My banking details are not showing on invoices, what should I do?

Check that your IBAN is filled in under Settings > Company > Banking details. If the field is empty, the wire transfer section will not appear on the PDF.

Why am I redirected to settings when I try to create an invoice?

To create an invoice, three pieces of information are required: your company name, your VAT number and your IBAN. If any of these fields is missing, Ledgerly automatically redirects you to Settings > Company to fill them in before continuing. For quotes, the IBAN is not required since a quote is not a payment request.

How do I enable two-factor authentication?

In your profile, open the "Security" tab. Three methods are available: Google Authenticator via a mobile app (recommended), email code at each login, or SMS code (requires a verified phone number).

How do I change my email address?

In your profile, click "Change my email". A verification link is sent to the new address — the change only takes effect after clicking that link. Your old address remains active until the change is confirmed.

How do I download my personal data?

In your profile > Data & Privacy tab, click "Download" in the Personal data section. A JSON file containing your profile and login history is generated immediately. This is your right to data portability under the GDPR.

How do I delete my account?

In your profile > Data & Privacy tab, use the Delete my account section. A confirmation code is sent to your email. Your personal data is anonymised but your invoices remain archived in line with accounting legal requirements.

Do I need a VAT number to sign up?

Yes, a VAT number is required to use Ledgerly, as the service is for registered businesses only. If your number is already active, enter it during registration — it is verified in real time against the EU VIES database. If you have just set up your company and your number has not yet been assigned, tick the "VAT number pending" box: you then have 30 days to provide it.

What is the 30-day trial period?

Every new account gets 30 days of full access to Ledgerly automatically. After that period, if no subscription has been taken out, the account is suspended. Your data remains accessible once a subscription is activated.

How do I change the interface language?

On the login and registration pages, a FR / EN / NL / DE selector is shown in the top right corner. Once logged in, the language is the one chosen at registration. You can change it from your profile.

How do I manage my email notification preferences?

In your profile, open the Notifications tab. Two options are available. "Ledgerly news and tips" lets you receive product updates and advice by email. "Alert on each login" sends you a confirmation email every time a new login to your account is detected, useful for spotting unauthorised access. Enable or disable each option individually, then click "Save preferences".