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There are so many reasons why autonumbering at draft is a poor way to do it! It takes time to sort out the numbering if you do drafts or placemarker relating bills and it is so easy to get it wrong!

The auto invoice sequencing is causing many headaches and often overrides invoice numbers.

Auto invoice number keeps glitching over manual invoice number

I have the same problem. New invoicing insists that there is a default invoice number sequence, but my sales invoice numbers vary. When opening a new invoice, the auto generated invoice number appears. When I delete it to type in the correct invoice number, the default often overrides it. Sometimes I can type the correct invoice number in the box 5 or 6 times, and each time I get half way through before the system overrides it and replaces it with the default number. It's incredibly frustrating.

I got this response , a very quick one but its not what i want to hear. This solution is generating more work and not streamlining. Really why is this even a thing? This is insane, no logic. Its a DRAFT invoice?! It's been too long PLEASE FIX .

Reply below :

Hope you're well & thanks for getting in touch along with the invite.

Thank you for letting us know your feedback on this.

Please note that once the draft invoice has been saved with an invoice number, Xero will then automatically switches to the next number in the sequence when creating the next invoice.

This is working as design, and it's currently not possible for Xero to pick up if the invoice number is edited or deleted and go back to the previous invoice number sequence.

If this is something that you'd like to see in Xero, we'd suggest visiting our Xero Product Ideas website, where you can view and support current ideas or create a new one to share your thoughts. We’re unable to provide a timeframe as to when any changes may be made, however it will be taken into consideration for future developments in Xero.

In the meantime, to avoid the problem with invoice number being missed, we'd suggest using temporary invoice numbers while creating an invoice, or entering a custom invoice number at the start of the invoices creation process. You may also want to audit your invoices on occasion to check if the sequence has been missed anywhere.

Xero Product Ideas: Invoices - automatically use previous invoice number sequence if it's been removed from draft invoice

I can't understand how this issue has been raised in June 2023 and it has not been fixed already.
I support this issue and hope that Xero can act quickly to resolve.

more of a fault - when creating a sales invoice and editing the invoice number - it keeps going back to a system default invoice number, even when that has been deleted/erased.

We run a 2 year deferred scheme for some of our clients and our draft invoices are where we store the proforma until it is issued as a full invoice. So on the new system, by the time the invoice is issued the invoice number is either 2 years old, or we have to cancel the proforma and reissue it with extra work and a missing number in in our invoice record.
We can get around this, but it triples the work of issuing an invoice and adds risk of error. As our client has accepted the figures 2 years previously an error at this point is completely unacceptable.

I cannot understand how you can consider this acceptable. As this isn't even on your list of planned changes, my advice to management is to find an accounts package with better fit to our needs.

I would like to add a vote for this. We already had an invoicing system when we started using Xero and want to keep the number sequence for various reasons. At least twice each monthly invoicing session, the invoice number I have entered switches back to the auto-sequenced one and sometimes it does it just as I save so I then have to go back in and edit the number. Personally I would like it to remember the last number I entered and offer me the next sequential number. A blank field would be better than the current system however.

We would also like to see this. Our invoicing is based upon externally generated work order numbers. The jobs do not completed in chronological order, so our invoice numbers jump all over the place. Sometimes when I backspace to remove the auto-generated number they pop back up again, appended by our work order number. Our productivity would be enhanced with the ability to turn off automatically sequenced numbering.

I also fully support this issue. The work around if a draft invoice is deleted which is not super uncommon is very annoying and not straight forward. I hope this will be implemented.

I can see that this is still an issue. Invoices saved as drafts are being allocated invoice numbers and if deleted, that number is no longer available. Why assign an invoice number to a draft invoice? By it's nature it is not part of the company record until approved. Consecutive invoice numbering is a legal requirement in the UK.

Yes completely agree with this point. It so unhelpful - if you start typing up an invoice, then discover you don't have all the right information or are told to leave it for now, you only have to type in a company name and it's automatically given a number.
Why can't the number only be assigned when the invoice is approved.

I support this fully, it is critical actually. And not only the invoice number, but also the invoice date. These 2 stamps should only be granted after approval. Otherwise, if a draft is left unapproved pending for more information, then the number and date serie increments with other new invoices, making this draft already official and unremovable from the number and date serie ! I am actually very surprised this topic is not yet seriously addressed. Thank you in advance Xero for considering this seriously.

Invoice Settings - be able to turn off the Auto Sequencing Invoice Number.
I need to input a specific, externally generated invoice number when invoicing.
It would be nice to have the invoice number field blank, ready for me to input it.
Currently there is no option other than to have an auto sequenced number in the field.
Yes, I can delete it and then input my number but would be great if I could have a blank field.

Totally Agree to Angela Pons. We face similar situation here also in Maldives.
Especially when Sales Invoices Sequence changes that creates a different picture altogether.
So please see while approving a new number is created for Invoice sequence. Till then let it be in Proforma Mode with Prefix of our choice we set like PI or QU

I totally agree, we also need to have sequential numbers in the UK. Often i want to issue a few ad-hoc invoices but find that there are draft repeated invoices waiting so it is a right pain to try to change numbers resulting in gaps for me. Surely drafts are just that until approved?