Lock docs to invoices

Lock a document to an invoice so that the client sees it is available, but can’t view or download it until the work has been paid for. Once the client pays, the document automatically unlocks for them.

Lock documents to invoices, explained

When the work is done, and only the delivery stage remains, you can lock critical documents (such as tax returns or Form 8879) to invoices. This ensures clients pay before accessing these documents. It helps with:

• Workflow control: Prevent clients from completing processes (e.g., e-signing forms) until payment is received.
• Business protection: Reduce the risk of unpaid work.

After locking the document, it remains editable even after being made public.

Document locked with an invoice can be part of your automated process inside a pipeline: this way, jobs will move to the next stage once the document unlocks.

Client view

If the document is locked, the client will see the notification on awaiting payment in their To-do list on the home page.

The document linked to the invoice will be available in the Docs section of the client’s portal, however, it will be marked as Pending Payment.

If the client clicks on the document, they will be asked to pay the linked invoice first.

Once payment is made, the document unlocks and is available to view and download.

Configure document unlock for ACH payments

When clients pay invoices by bank debit, payments typically take 3–5 business days to clear. You can choose when documents locked to those invoices become available to clients: after payments clear or immediately.

To configure when documents unlock:

1. Go to Settings > Billing > General from the left menu bar.

2. In the Locked documents section, choose one of the options:

• After payments clear: Documents remain locked until the invoice status changes to Paid. This ensures funds are received before clients can access documents.

• Immediately after payments: Documents unlock as soon as clients submit payment details. This provides faster turnaround but unlocks documents before payment confirmation.

things to consider before turning on Immediately after payments:

• All invoices with In Progress status will instantly unlock their related documents.
• If the locked document was linked to a job , then automove will immediately advance it to the next stage.
• If a payment status changes to Failed, the document will not be re-locked. However, the client will still be expected to pay the associated invoice. Refund after a successful payment also doesn’t re-lock the document.

Lock documents

You can lock documents when uploading them , when creating invoices , or during tax return delivery creation. Note that:

• You need to set up payments and enable credit card payment processing to lock documents to invoices.
• Multiple documents can be locked to the same invoice, but each document can be locked to only one invoice.

While uploading

Lock documents when uploading them to prevent clients from viewing files before payment is received.

After document is uploaded

You can lock documents to an invoice after uploading them. However, to prevent clients from viewing a document before payment, always upload it to a Private folder first. While your document is in this folder, it is unaccessible to clients, but your team members can access it and edit it.

When the document is finalized, and you are ready to send it to your client, move it to the top-level folder with Client can view access and do the following:

1. Click on the three dots to the far right of the document, then click Edit info.

2. Click Link Invoice, then select the invoice you want to lock the document to or click Create invoice to add a new one.

3. Click Save to keep your changes.

   

Lock tax return delivery

When using tax return delivery , you can attach an invoice directly to the delivery package. This automatically locks the entire tax return delivery until the client pays the invoice.

To lock a tax return delivery to an invoice:

1. Create your tax return delivery .

2. In the Invoice section, attach an existing invoice or create a new one.

3. Send the delivery package to the client.

The client will see the delivery is available, but won’t be able to view or download the tax return documents until they pay the attached invoice. Once payment is complete, the entire delivery automatically unlocks.

View invoice linked to document

Once an invoice is linked to the document, you can quickly access it from the client’s documents.

Go to Client docs or open docs of a particular client, click three dots to the far right of the document being locked by the invoice and click Go to invoice. The invoice will be opened in a new tab. 

Change invoices locking documents

If the situation changes and you need to link the document to a different invoice:

1. Go to Client docs or open the documents of a particular client.

2. Click the three dots to the far right of the document.

3. Select Edit info.

4. Click Link Invoice and select the invoice.

5. Click Save.

   

Unlock documents from invoices

Sometimes, clients may want to pay an invoice outside TaxDome. Or, you may need to temporarily unlock your invoice to request a signature.

In this case, you’ll have to unlock the invoice manually to give them access to the document. To do this, click the three dots to the far right of the document, then click Unlock Invoice Pending and confirm by clicking Yes, unlock.

It is also possible to unlock the invoice from the Edit Document screen. Click the three dots to the far right of the document’s name, select Edit info, then click on the cross on the far right of the invoice and Save the document.

After that, you can mark the invoice as paid (as described in the article ) or delete it (as described in Deleting an Invoice ).