From Timer to Paid: The Complete Payment Flow — Paythread Learn

Paythread is built around one core flow: you do work, you track it, you invoice it, you get paid. This guide walks through every step of that lifecycle so you can see how the pieces fit together.

Step 1: Start the Timer

When you sit down to work, open Paythread and start the timer. Give the entry a description and select the client. The timer runs in the background while you work, so you can switch tabs or close the app and it keeps counting.

Timer widget running with an active session — Start the timer when you begin working and let it run in the background

If you're doing fixed-price or quantity-based work instead of hourly, you can create a fixed or multiplier work item directly. But for most freelancers, the timer is where the flow begins.

Step 2: Stop and Save

When you finish the task, click Pause, then Finish & Save. Paythread saves the work item with the elapsed time, your hourly rate, and the calculated amount. Review the description to make sure it clearly communicates what you did. Your client will see this text on their invoice, so "Website updates" is better than "misc work."

You can edit the duration if the timer ran during a break, or adjust the description before moving on. Once saved, the work item moves into your Unbilled queue. If you need to backdate the entry, click it in the Unbilled queue and change the date.

Step 3: Review the Unbilled Queue

The Unbilled queue is your staging area. All completed work items that haven't been invoiced land here, organized by client. At the end of the day or week, review the queue to make sure everything looks accurate.

Unbilled queue showing work items grouped and ready for invoicing — The unbilled queue collects all your tracked work until you're ready to invoice

This is your last chance to fix descriptions, adjust amounts, or add work items you forgot to track in the moment. Take a few minutes to get it right, because once items are on an invoice, changes get more complicated.

Step 4: Create the Invoice

Select the unbilled items you want to include and click to create an invoice. Paythread pulls the items into the invoice builder where you can:

Choose from six professional templates (Classic, Modern, Elegant, Bold, Fresh, or Sunset)
Add or adjust line items
Set a due date
Include notes for your client
Select which payment methods to display

Invoice builder with template selection and line items — The invoice builder lets you customize every detail before sending

Step 5: Send to Your Client

Once the invoice looks right, send it via email. Your client receives an email with the invoice PDF attached. If you connected Stripe, choose Send with Payment Link — the email includes a "Pay Now" button for instant online payment. Otherwise, the PDF shows your payment instructions (bank transfer, PayPal, Venmo, etc.).

Invoice detail page with actions — Send your invoice via email with an optional Stripe payment link

Step 6: Get Paid

When your client pays, mark the invoice as paid in Paythread. This updates your records, moves the invoice out of your outstanding list, and reflects the payment in your reports and tax summaries.

Dashboard with stats cards and earnings overview — Paid invoices are reflected on your dashboard, giving you a real-time view of your earnings

Step 7: Track and Repeat

Your Invoices list shows the status of every invoice you've sent. At a glance, you can see what's been paid, what's still outstanding, and what's past due.

Invoices list showing statuses across all clients — The invoices list gives you a real-time view of your billing status

This is where the weekly rhythm kicks in. Each week you track work, review unbilled items, send invoices, and follow up on outstanding payments. The flow stays the same whether you have one client or twenty.

The Full Lifecycle at a Glance

Start timer (or create Fixed/Multiplier item)
Pause timer, click Finish & Save to log the work item
Review Unbilled queue, clean up descriptions
Select items, create invoice, choose template
Send invoice via email (with optional Stripe payment link)
Client pays — Mark as Paid manually, or it updates automatically via Stripe
Check Invoices list, follow up on outstanding as needed

Every feature in Paythread exists to support this flow. Once you've run through it a few times, it becomes second nature.

What's Next?

If you haven't customized your invoices yet, start with Invoice Templates & Customization. To set up your payment options, see Managing Payment Methods. And when tax season arrives, Preparing for Tax Season with Paythread shows you how all this tracked data turns into tax-ready reports.