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.

How locking works

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.

What your client sees

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.

Before you start

Three things to have in place before you lock anything:

• Payments must be set up. Locking requires setting up payments and enabling credit card payment processing .
• The document must be in a folder your client can see. The option to link an invoice only appears for documents in folders with Client can view access. Documents in Private folders don’t show it.
• Uploading doesn’t notify your client. Nothing reaches them until you notify them or send a delivery, so you have time to set the invoice up first.

Lock a document while uploading

Lock a document as you upload it, so your client never sees it unpaid.

On the web

On the upload screen:

1. Choose the top-level folder with Client can view access.

2. Click Link invoice, then select an existing invoice, or click Create invoice to make a new one.

3. Click Upload.

The document appears in your client’s portal marked Pending payment.

In the desktop app

The desktop app doesn’t lock a document while it’s uploading. Upload it first, then lock it as described in Lock a document after uploading below.

Lock a document after uploading

You can link an invoice to a document you’ve already uploaded, as long as it’s in a folder with Client can view access.

On the web

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

2. Click Link invoice, then select an existing invoice, or click Create invoice to make a new one.

3. Click Save.

   

In the desktop app

After uploading a document via the Windows app , you can lock it to an invoice in two ways from the file actions menu :

• Click Config & Send to set up the invoice lock together with a signature request and job link, then notify the client with one confirmation.

• Click Link to invoice to lock the document to an invoice on its own. This opens the invoice editing page in your browser, where you can select or create an invoice.

Lock several documents to one invoice

You can lock more than one document to the same invoice—a tax return and Form 8879, for example. You can do it in one go or one document at a time.

• Multiple documents locked one at a time: You can lock documents to the same invoice individually, one after another.
• Multiple documents locked together: You can upload several documents at once and lock them all to the same invoice.
• One document locked to multiple invoices: Not supported—each document can be locked to only one invoice.

Lock a 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.

On the web

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.

In the desktop app

From the desktop app, click Delivery in the file actions menu on the document you’ve uploaded. The delivery flow opens in your browser, where you attach the invoice the same way as on the web .

View the linked invoice

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 the 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.

Link a different invoice

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 a document

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 ).

For ACH/bank debit payments, when a locked document unlocks depends on a firm-level setting—see Configure ACH payment timing .

Troubleshooting