Invoices (Basic): Lock docs to invoices
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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.
Locking documents to invoices, explained
After you prep a document, the next step is uploading it to the client’s TaxDome account. Uploaded files become visible to the client only once you make them public. If you don’t lock a document to an invoice, the client can immediately download it. However, if you lock the document to an unpaid invoice, it becomes available for download only once the client pays for the work.
We recommend locking documents to invoices when uploading them to a top-level folder with Client can view 
access; it helps the billing process. You can lock a doc to an existing invoice or create a new one for it.
How you do it is flexible: Upload a document to a top-level folder with Client can view access first, then lock it to an invoice later when you create the invoice. You can still edit a public document at any point.
The Lock document to unpaid invoice feature is also available in our desktop apps.
Note that:
- The document can be locked to several invoices at once.
- There's no validation for ACH payments. Thus, we recommend using only the credit card payment option for invoices locking a document.
- The client must pay the full invoice amount to unlock the document.
- Credit card payment processing must be enabled to lock documents to invoices. Even if you do not use Stripe or CPACharge, connect it and lock the required documents. Then, you can either disconnect the payment service provider immediately or leave it on and explicitly discuss with your client how you want to get paid.
Lock documents while uploading
To lock a document to an invoice as you upload it to a top-level folder with Client can view access, follow these steps:
1. Select the top-level folder with Client can view access when uploading the document.
2. Click Link invoice, then select the invoice you want to lock the document to or click Create invoice to create a new one.
3. Click Upload to upload the document you are locking to the invoice.
Lock documents in the desktop app
If you’re using the TaxDome Windows app to upload a file, you can also lock it to an invoice:
1. Select the top-level folder with Client can view access.
2. Toggle on Lock document to an unpaid invoice, then select the invoice you want to lock the document to, or click CREATE INVOICE to create a new one, then сlick CHOOSE.
3. Click UPLOAD FILES to upload the document you are locking to the invoice.
Lock existing documents to invoices
access to an invoice:
1. Make sure the document is inside the top-level folder with Client can view access (if not, move it there).
2. Click on the three dots to the far right of the document, then click Edit.
3. Click Link Invoice, then select the invoice you want to lock the document to or click Create invoice to add a new one. Multiple documents can be locked to the same invoice.
4. Click Save to keep your changes.
Go to invoices locking documents
Once an invoice is locked 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
To change the invoice a document is locked to, click on Link Invoice in the Edit Document pop-up, select the new invoice you want to lock the document to, then 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 pop-up. Click the three dots to the far right of the document’s name, select Edit, 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).