Finalising, invoices and ABA payments

After an engagement has happened, Finalise it. In one step, ShowTix invoices the client in Xero, issues an invoice for each performer, creates an ABA bank file to pay them, and emails everyone. Before that, you can raise deposit and balance invoices whenever you like.

Before you start#

• Connect Xero. Go to Settings → Integrations → Connect Xero. All invoices are raised in your Xero organisation. Without Xero, invoicing fails with "Xero request failed" or "Finalise failed — check Xero".

• Set a client. The engagement needs a Client / billing contact (see Contacts).

• Add your settlement details. See Settlement details below. Without them, finalising stops with "Add your settlement details … before finalising."

• Check performer bank details. Performers are paid into the bank account on their ShowTix account (account name, BSB and account number). Performers can't update these in the web app yet. If details are missing or out of date, contact support@showtix.com.au before you finalise.

Settlement details#

Your settlement details say which bank account the ABA file pays performers from, and who their invoices are addressed to. Set them once; every engagement you finalise uses them.

1. Open Payouts

   Go to Payouts, then Settlement details. (If finalising was stopped, the Add settlement details link takes you straight there.)

2. Add the account the bank file pays from

   • Use one of my payout bank accounts fills in the account name, BSB and account number from a bank account you already added under Bank Accounts. Or type them in.

   • Bank — choose your bank, or Other and enter its 3-letter code.

   • APCA user ID — the 6-digit number from your bank's direct entry facility. Ask your bank if you don't have one; the ABA file won't upload without it.

   • Remitter (up to 16 characters) is the name performers see on their bank statement. Statement description (up to 12) is optional and defaults to "Payments".

3. Add who invoices are addressed to

   Enter the business name, address and accounts email. The Preview shows the INVOICE TO block exactly as it appears on performer invoices.

4. Save

   Click Save.

Organisations: details are saved for the organisation you've selected in the organisation switcher, and apply to that organisation's engagements. Owners and admins can change them; other members can see them (with the account number hidden). If you're not in an organisation, they're saved to your own account.

The bank file has fixed-width fields, so the form holds you to its limits:

Deposit and balance invoices#

Use the Invoicing & payment card on the engagement to bill in stages:

1. Under Details, turn on Charge a deposit and enter the Deposit amount.

2. Click Issue deposit invoice. The invoice is raised in Xero and linked on the Deposit invoice row.

3. When you're ready, click Issue balance invoice. It's linked on the Balance invoice row.

Both buttons need a billing contact. Issue deposit invoice also needs Charge a deposit on with an amount. Rows show Not issued until there's an invoice. Price includes GST decides whether Xero treats the amount as GST-inclusive.

Finalise an engagement#

1. Mark it complete

   Once the performance is over, click Mark complete in the header.

2. Check the list

   The Finalise panel shows what's left to do. Every item needs a tick:

   • Engagement marked complete

   • Client / billing contact set

   • Every performer has pay set (or At least one performer added)

3. Finalise

   Click Finalise engagement, read the summary, then click Finalise.

Every performer on the engagement needs pay set, including anyone who declined. Remove declined performers first (see Remove a performer).

What finalising does#

In order:

1. Client invoice. If you're not charging a deposit, the client is invoiced in Xero for the Client fee. If you are charging a deposit, no further client invoice is raised — use Issue deposit invoice and Issue balance invoice.

2. Performer invoices in Xero. Each performer who has Accepted and has pay above $0 gets a bill in Xero ("Performance for engagement #…"), due 5 days after the engagement ends. GST is added for GST-registered performers.

3. ABA bank file. A bank payment file (<engagement number>.aba) is created for those performers, paid from the account in your settlement details, with GST included for GST-registered performers.

4. The ABA file is emailed to you ("ABA file for …"). Upload it to your bank to make the payments.

5. Each paid performer is emailed ("Payment processing: …") with their invoice attached as a PDF, addressed to the INVOICE TO details you set.

6. The engagement moves to Finalised.

Performers who declined, are still Awaiting reply, or have $0 pay are not invoiced or paid.

After finalising#

The Finalise panel shows Finalised — client invoiced, performers paid via ABA. You can:

• Download the ABA file again

• Refresh to regenerate it, e.g. after a performer's bank details are fixed

• open each performer's Invoice

Performer invoice links also appear on each performer's row. In the Engagements list, a finalised engagement has a tick next to its fee, and one with an invoice has a receipt icon.

Troubleshooting#