How to Auto-Generate Invoices from Signed Documents in Sparkforge

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

Sparkforge can collect payment in the same flow as a signed document. Add a product list to the document, switch on Direct Payment, and the primary signer gets redirected to pay an invoice immediately after signing.

Sparkforge documents can collect a signature and a payment in the same step. Add a product list to the document, switch Direct Payment on, and the primary signer is redirected to an invoice the moment they finish signing. This article walks through the setup, the configuration toggles, and what changes when products are recurring.

Send a document that collects payment at signing

Go to Payments › Documents & Contracts › New Document.
Add the primary signer.
Add a Product List. Item types decide whether the invoice is one-time or recurring; tags appear automatically.
Use the right-side properties panel to mark items optional or make their quantities editable.
Open the Payments section on the left to configure Direct Payment, Send Invoice, and Auto-Payment.
Send the document.

Configuration toggles

Direct Payment

On: If an invoice exists at signing, the primary signer is redirected to pay immediately and the invoice email also goes out. Off: The signer pays from the emailed invoice, or you send it later from drafts.

Send Invoice

On: The invoice is emailed automatically when generated. Off: The invoice stays as a draft for manual review.

Auto-Payment

On: The card is saved on supported gateways and future recurring invoices are auto-charged. Off: The payer pays each issued invoice manually. Auto-Payment only affects recurring schedules — one-time items are paid at the immediate checkout.

What happens at signing

One-time items: Primary signer is redirected to pay immediately.
Recurring, start = at signing: Primary signer is redirected to pay the first invoice.
Recurring, start = later: No redirect. The first invoice is created and sent on the schedule.

Only the primary signer is redirected. Co-signers just sign. An invoice email goes out when Send Invoice is on.

Save as a template and trigger from a workflow

Go to Payments › Documents & Contracts › Templates › New Template.
Add signature fields and a product list.
For recurring, choose whether the schedule starts at signing or on a future date.
Set Direct Payment, Send Invoice, and Auto-Payment.
Save the template.
In Workflows, add the action Send Documents & Contracts and pick your template. When the workflow fires, the signer receives the document; signing redirects them to pay if Direct Payment is on.

Where to track status

Payments › Documents & Contracts: document, signing, and payment status side by side.
Payments › Invoices: each invoice record, recurring schedule progress, and Auto-Payment results.

Edge cases

Weekly schedule, signing falls on the schedule day: The first invoice is generated immediately and the redirect applies. Otherwise the first invoice waits for the next scheduled day.
Setup fees: Show as a one-time line on the first invoice; only the recurring line continues.
Mixed items: One-time items bill on the first invoice; recurring items follow the schedule.
Test mode: Documents & Contracts templates have no Live Mode toggle. To test, use payment links or your gateway's test configuration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why didn't my client get redirected after signing?

Either Direct Payment is off, or no invoice existed at signing (common when a recurring schedule starts later). Turn Direct Payment on and, for recurring, set the schedule to start at signing.

Can I mix one-time and recurring items in the same document?

Yes. The product list tags show item types. One-time items bill on the first invoice and recurring items continue per the schedule.

I had a payment schedule but no invoice was generated. What went wrong?

This usually means a payment schedule date fell past the invoice due date, often when the first payment used a custom date. Set the first payment to "Upon primary signature" so the schedule aligns with the document.

Can I send invoices in test mode from a Documents and Contracts template?

Documents and Contracts templates have no Live Mode toggle. Run test payments through Payment Links or your gateway's test configuration instead.

Where can I see the status of each document and its invoices?

Payments › Documents and Contracts shows document, signing, and payment status together. Payments › Invoices shows each invoice and the recurring schedule progress.