We've got perhaps the most powerful invoice template and quote template system available, completely within your control. The key lies in the fact that the sale is not connected to a template, so for one sale you can "wrap it" in a quote template, a proforma invoice, perhaps a "work request" or "application for payment". It's up to your ingenuity!
Editing Standard Templates
All the standard system templates are accessible at Setup > Templates > System Templates. Your account comes with these set up by default. Click a template name to edit.
You can type text directly into the template, or you can use "widgets" like _date_ which will be replaced by the date when the sale is displayed within the template. The default templates use fields like _myCompanyName_ so that they display your details without needing you to type them in, but there's no reason why you can't enter your company name, bank details and other information directly.
What is a widget?
A widget is a merge field. If you insert this text into templates, when you generate a document using the template the widget will pull in the relevant data from the system, such as the customer name, or today's date.
Adding a Logo & Images
If you use the %LOGO% widget, Brightpearl will show your standard 200x120 pixel logo, as uploaded at Setup > Company > My Logo.
You can also insert any other image that is already hosted on the internet. Use the add image icon 
, and paste the URL in.
Reverting to Defaults
If you make a mistake, you can revert the template to one of the Brightpearl defaults using the drop-down menu above the main edit window "Choose a pre-designed template". When creating new templates, it's a good idea to use these as a starting point.
Creating & Using Extra Templates
You might want to create a suite of extra document templates. These are called "email/print templates" since they can also be used in the CRM system for mail merges.
- Go to Setup > Templates > Email/Print templates.
- Click Add new.
- Enter a name for your template.
- Design your template. Start from a blank canvas, or select a pre-designed default template (Brightpearl templates only, see below for copying your personal designs) to save time. You can use Visual mode or HTML mode to alter your template.
- Insert merge fields by selecting them from the list.
- Click Save changes to finish.
Your template will be active by default, and if you need to you can deactivate old templates that you want to keep, but not get in the way.
Using Your New Template for a Sale
Let's say you've create a "Request for payment" template. This is how to send a request out to a client.
- Search for and open the sale/quote.
- Click the Email/print button.
- Click the Change template link at the top of the screen.
- Select your new template. You'll be returned to the previous screen using your new template.
- Use the links to email or print as appropriate.
Copy One of Your Own Templates
When you create new templates you are able to use pre-designed defaults provided by Brightpearl. If you want to copy one of your own designs you need to copy and paste the HTML text into a new template. You might want to use this for variations on a quote template; perhaps one with Terms and Conditions and one without, or even use it to create a Proforma template using your Invoice template as a base.
- Go to Setup > Templates > Email/Print Templates.
- Open your personalised template. Click to view in HTML mode.
- Highlight and copy all the HTML text displayed.
- Use the Extra templates link at the top of the screen to go back to your list of templates.
- Click Add a template.
- Enter a name for your template.
- Click to view in HTML mode and then paste the HTML text into the new template.
- Save your changes.
Tips for Design
- Don't get too clever - Your templates need to be reliable and robust, not graphic design projects.
- Always keep a backup copy of the HTML somewhere on your local hard drive to restore if you really get in a mess.
- Stick with standard inline CSS and don't set any fixed widths if you can avoid it. For example, 1000px fixed width may work in a web browser window but when the PDF is generated, the text will be shrunk to fit everything in.
- Use tables for layout - Trust us, it's way more reliable. There is no external style sheet that's pulled in to the template, and the PDF engine doesn't support fancy CSS.
Choosing Columns on Templates
Using Pre-defined Columns
Brightpearl lets you choose the columns you want to show on your sales quotes and invoices. Go to Setup > Sales settings and use the "Columns on Quotes & Invoices" field to select which columns are displayed. There are similar settings for Purchases and Delivery notes.
Defining Your Own Custom Columns
Set your own column names and ordering on a per-template basis, this also allows you to set your own language. At the bottom of the template edit screen is a field into which you put a configuration code similar to:
qty,Qty|name,Item name|sku,SKU|item_net,Item net|row_net,Total net|item_gross,Item gross|row_gross,Total gross
Each column is separated with the pipe character (|). You need to tell Brightpearl what data to display and what the column heading is, for example, the text "row_net,Total net" will display the net amount for the line item (row) with a column heading of "Total net".
Standard columns available are:
qty, name, sku, barcode, ISBN, EAN, UPC, weight, item_net, item_tax, row_net, price, discount, item_gross, row_gross, picked, packed, box
You can also include any of your product custom fields. Set up custom fields at Setup > Custom fields > Products. Each custom field is given a unique code which you can use, prefixed with PCF_, to include that information as a column on your template, for example "PCF_YOURCODE".
Quote and Invoice language
If you sell to customers in a different language, you can use the custom columns to define the headers in their language. You could create a copy of your default Quote and Invoice templates as "Quote - Espanol" and "Invoice - Espanol" for example. You can choose which template you want to use when you send them by email.
Read about defining your own custom columns above.
Adding custom fields to templates
You can add custom fields to sales and purchases, and then display this information on Quotes, Invoices, Job sheets and so on. When you create a custom field, you're given a code that starts with PCF_. Use the select-menu on the template edit screen to insert a custom field at the cursor, or manually type the widget code _PCF_MYCODE_.
A simple quote:
The minimum set of columns, should you want something really simple.
Trade / B2B / Wholesale quote:
This has the items at net price, with no need to show the gross amount.
Retail / B2C quote / order:
This template uses the _productTable_ widget with the columns set to show the gross (including tax) amount as well as the item SKU.
Columns for a service-based company:
An extension of the simple quote at the top, with quantity and SKU.
