Every invoice in Lupa starts empty. Whether you've just created a walk-in invoice or opened an appointment's Plan & Invoicing tab, the line item table is blank until you add what was provided or dispensed during the consultation. This article covers everything between an empty invoice and one ready to complete: searching the service and product library, selecting services, products, and bundles, editing line item details, working with bundle groups, and linking prescriptions to dispensed products.
💡 In short: Click + Add Item on any open invoice to search your practice's item library and select what was provided. Stock is not deducted and charges do not appear on a client's account until the invoice is Completed.
Why Using the Item Library Matters
⚠️ Search, don't type. Never enter a service name or price from memory. The item library ensures the correct price, VAT rate, and stock tracking configuration are applied automatically — bypassing it is a common source of billing errors and stock discrepancies.
Benefit | What it means for your practice |
Accurate pricing | Unit prices, VAT rates, and bundled item prices are pulled from the configured library — no manual entry errors |
Automatic stock reservation | Adding a stocked product to a draft invoice flags the batch for reservation; stock levels are adjusted when the invoice completes |
Prescription tracking | Product line items can be linked to the pet's prescription certificate directly from the invoice |
Bundle consistency | Bundles expand into the correct components every time — no risk of forgetting a vaccine, a product, or a follow-up service |
Audit trail | Every item is timestamped against the invoice, supporting end-of-day reconciliation and compliance checks |
Item Types at a Glance
Type | Description |
Service | A billable procedure or consultation with no stock tracking. Examples: blood pressure consult, microchip insertion, nurse appointment |
Product | A stocked item dispensed from inventory. Batch numbers, expiry dates, and storage locations are tracked, and stock levels update when the invoice completes. Examples: flea treatment, antibiotic tablets |
Bundle | A pre-configured group of services and/or products that expand into individual line items. Examples: Kitten 1st Vaccination (service + vaccines), castration package |
Prescribed-only product | A product dispensed against a written prescription with no corresponding stock record in Lupa — entered manually with name, strength, and dosage. Requires the Update Prescriptions permission |
How to Add Items — Step by Step
Step 1: Open the invoice
Items can only be added to invoices in Estimate or Draft status. Navigate to the invoice in one of two ways:
From an appointment: Open the appointment and click the Plan & Invoicing tab
Directly: Go to Billing, expand a client row, and click the invoice number For a full guide on creating and finding invoices, see Creating and managing invoices.
The Plan & Invoicing tab showing an empty invoice with a total of £0.00 and the + Add Item button in the centre
Step 2: Open the item search window
Click + Add Item. A search window opens showing your full service and product library. If the invoice is linked to a pet, the window shows the pet's breed, species, and weight above the search box — useful for checking you're selecting the right dose or product at a glance.
You can also open the search window with Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux) when the invoice is in focus. Once line items are on the invoice, use ↑ and ↓ to move between rows without reaching for the mouse — press Enter on a row to open its first editable field, and Escape to step back out.
💡 The window opens showing all item types by default. Click Services, Products, or Bundles at the top to filter the list. In the full search dialog, each category shows an initial set of results — if there are more to load, a +{n} more button appears at the bottom of that category. Click it to load the next page; already-loaded results stay on screen.
The Add Item search palette showing the full item library with Services, Products, and Bundles filter tabs and a Scan barcode button
Step 3: Search and select
Start typing any part of the service, product, or bundle name. The list filters in real time. Each product shows its price per pack unit — for example, a bottle of tablets priced per bottle shows "£120.00 / Bottle", not a per-tablet figure.
Searching for "vaccination" returns matching bundles — Kitten 1st Vaccination, Puppy 1st Vaccination, and Puppy 2nd Vaccination — each showing its bundle price Click any result to add it. For services and products the palette closes immediately and the item appears as a line item. For bundles, see the next step.
Step 4: For bundles — review child items and confirm
When you select a bundle, an Add Bundle dialog opens listing every component included in that bundle with its unit price, quantity, and discount.
💡 Each item in the dialog starts checked or unchecked based on its Default setting, configured by your practice manager in Settings → Bundles. You can change any checkbox before adding — for example, uncheck a product that was already dispensed at a previous visit. The bundle total updates as you change your selection. Unchecking a linked service (such as a dispensing fee) attached to a product does not uncheck the product itself — the product remains selected and only the linked service is removed.
If your role does not have the Override Linked Fees permission, the checkboxes for any linked fees in the dialog will be ticked and cannot be cleared independently — you cannot remove a linked fee on its own. You can still deselect the parent item (the product or service the fee is attached to), and the linked fee will be deselected along with it. If you need to remove a linked fee independently, contact your practice manager to request the Override Linked Fees permission.
If a line item has been locked by your practice manager, its checkbox is ticked and cannot be cleared — locked items are always included when the bundle is added to an invoice and cannot be deselected. If this needs to change, ask your practice manager to update the bundle's lock settings in Settings → Bundles.
Some bundles are configured with Attach linked services turned off. When this is the case, fees that are linked to the bundle's services (such as interpretation fees on a lab test) will not appear in the dialog or on the invoice. Your practice manager controls this setting in Settings → Bundles.
The Add Bundle dialog for Kitten 1st Vaccination showing three child items: two stock products at 100% discount and a service at £120.00, with an Add to Invoice button Click Add to Invoice to add the selected items as a grouped bundle on the invoice.
Understanding Line Item Fields
Each item on the invoice has the following fields. Most are set automatically from the item library but can be edited while the invoice remains in Estimate or Draft status.
💡 Prices follow the client's payment term. If the client's payment term is set to display prices excluding VAT, unit prices, line amounts, fixed discounts, and dispensing fees all show as net (excl. VAT) figures — both when viewing and when editing the invoice. Values you type while editing are treated as net and converted to gross automatically on save. The Amount column header changes to reflect which basis is in use: Amount incl. VAT or Amount excl. VAT. This setting is configured on the client's payment term; contact your practice manager if you need to change it.
If a bundle has been configured as Is Locked, all of its items are read-only on the invoice — quantity, discount, and price cannot be changed, and no new items can be added to the bundle. A lock icon appears on the bundle header row; hover over it to see the message "This bundle is locked - its items can't be edited and new items can't be added". Individual items within an unlocked bundle can also be locked independently — a lock icon on the item row indicates it cannot be edited. Hover over it to see "This item is locked by its bundle and can't be edited".
Field | What it means |
Name | The service or product name from the library. Can be overridden if needed |
Unit Price | Price per unit before discount. Pulled from the item library; editable inline if your permissions allow. Shows including or excluding VAT depending on the client's payment term |
Quantity | How many units were dispensed or performed. For products, the unit is shown alongside the number (e.g. "2 Vials", "1 Box"). If the product has a subunit (for example, a Box that breaks down into Tablets), you can switch between the pack unit and the subunit using the unit switcher on the line. Your practice manager can restrict this switcher to allow only one unit to be sold — if you do not see both options, the product has been configured to sell in one unit only. Some products are also configured to sell in whole units only — if that applies, the quantity field will not accept decimal values, and entering a fraction will show the error "This product cannot be sold in partial units — enter a whole number". Contact your practice manager if the product's unit settings need to change. |
Discount | A percentage (%) or fixed pound amount (£) off the unit price. Leave empty for no discount. Fixed pound discounts show in the same basis as the rest of the invoice (incl. or excl. VAT) depending on the client's payment term. If you cannot see this column, your role does not have the View Invoice Discount Column permission — contact your practice manager |
VAT | The VAT rate applied to this line. Set from the item library; editable if your pricing rules allow |
Amount (incl. VAT / excl. VAT) | Calculated total for this line — read-only. The column header shows Amount incl. VAT or Amount excl. VAT depending on the client's payment term. Updates automatically when you change other fields. If a product has linked services (such as a dispensing or lab fee), the amount is shown with a dashed underline — hover over it to see a Combined Total breakdown listing the product and each linked service with a rolled-up Total. The breakdown also reflects the client's payment term basis. Editing or removing a linked fee (without also removing the parent product) requires the Override Linked Fees permission — contact your practice manager if those fields are not editable for you |
Employee | The staff member credited with this item. Defaults to the invoice's assigned vet or nurse; change it if someone else performed the service. Changing the assigned clinician requires the Assign Line Item Performing Clinician permission — without it, you can see who is assigned but the selector is disabled. Contact your practice manager if you need this access |
Stock Products and Batch Tracking
When you add a stocked product to a Draft invoice, Lupa records which batch(es) of stock are being allocated. Each product line item can capture:
Batch number — the identifier on the product packaging
Expiry date — used to prioritise first-expiry-first-out (FEFO) dispensing
Quantity per batch — how much of each batch was used, in whichever unit the line is billed in (pack unit or subunit)
Storage location — which shelf, fridge, or dispensary the stock came from
Batch fields do not appear on Estimate-status invoices — they are only shown once the invoice is in Draft status. If you convert an estimate to a draft, you will be prompted to select batches at that point.
When is stock actually deducted? Stock levels are not reduced when you add a product to an invoice. They are only updated when the invoice status changes to Completed. This means you can freely add, adjust, or remove product items on a draft invoice without affecting your live stock counts. Once an invoice is completed, the batch quantities are decremented permanently.
Prescribed-Only Products
There are two ways to add a prescribed-only entry to an invoice.
Option 1: Add a new prescribed-only product directly
The Add a non-billed, prescribed-only product option is available from the dropdown arrow next to + Add Item. Use this for products dispensed against a written prescription that are not tracked as stock in Lupa — for example, medications sourced externally or from a specialist supplier. You can select this option even before switching the invoice into edit mode — Lupa will open the invoice for editing automatically.
🔒 Adding a prescribed-only product requires the Update Prescriptions permission. If this option is not visible in your dropdown, contact your practice manager.
Option 2: Convert a billed product to a written prescription
If a product is already on the invoice as a billed line item, you can convert it to a written prescription without removing and re-adding it manually.
Click the prescription icon on the product's line item to open the prescription pop-up.
Switch the Written Prescription toggle on. An inline warning appears: the client will not be billed for this product, and saving will replace it on the invoice with a prescribed-only entry.
Complete the prescription details and save.
Lupa removes the billed product (and any linked services) from the invoice and adds it to the prescribed-only section instead. The client's total updates to exclude that product.
To undo the conversion before saving the invoice, reopen the prescription pop-up and switch the Written Prescription toggle off — the product returns to the billed section.
💡 This option is only available for regular billed products. If the line item is already a prescribed-only product, the Written Prescription toggle is locked on and cannot be changed.
Copying Items from Another Estimate
If the appointment already has a related estimate with relevant items, click the dropdown arrow next to + Add Item and select Add from other estimate.... Choose the source estimate, select the items you want to copy, and they are added as individual line items on the current invoice. You can select this option even before switching the invoice into edit mode — Lupa will open the invoice for editing automatically.
Removing Items
To remove a line item, hover over the row and click the Delete icon on the right-hand side. The billing summary updates immediately. To remove a bundle, delete the bundle header row — all component items are removed together.
After Adding Items
Once items are added, the Billing Summary at the bottom of the invoice shows the running total including VAT. You can continue editing — adjusting quantities, changing discounts, adding more items — until you are ready to complete the invoice.
To record payment, complete the invoice, or process an insurance claim, see Creating and managing invoices.
Tips for Accurate, Efficient Invoicing
✅ Best practices from practices that run Lupa:
Use bundles for standard appointment types — they ensure nothing gets missed and pricing stays consistent across the team
Check expiry dates when batch-tracking products — prioritise shorter-dated stock to reduce waste
Always assign the correct employee to each line item so revenue reports and performance data stay accurate
Search the Bundles tab first for routine visits — bundles are faster to add and include every component in one click
Use Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows) to open the Add Item palette without taking your hands off the keyboard
Use ↑ and ↓ to move between line items on the invoice, Enter to open a row for editing, and Escape to step back — faster than clicking between rows during a busy consult
Troubleshooting
Problem | Solution |
The + Add Item button is not visible | The invoice may be in Completed or Archived status — items can only be added to Estimate and Draft invoices. Check the status badge in the top-right corner. A completed invoice must be unlocked before items can be changed (see Creating and managing invoices) |
A product I dispensed is not in the search results | The product may be inactive or not configured for your store. Check in Settings → Products, or ask your practice manager to verify the product is active and assigned to your location |
A bundle is missing fees I expected to see | The bundle may have Attach linked services turned off, which prevents fees linked to the bundle's services (such as interpretation or lab fees) from appearing in the dialog or on the invoice. Ask your practice manager to check the bundle's settings in Settings → Bundles and turn Attach linked services on if those fees should be included. |
I selected a bundle but the Add Bundle dialog did not appear | The bundle may have no active child items. Ask your practice manager to check the bundle configuration in Settings → Bundles and ensure all components are active |
A checkbox in the Add Bundle dialog is ticked and cannot be cleared | Either the line item has been locked by your practice manager, or it is a linked fee and your role does not have the Override Linked Fees permission. Locked items are always included when the bundle is added to an invoice. For linked fees, you can still remove the fee by deselecting its parent item. If you need to remove a linked fee independently, contact your practice manager to request the Override Linked Fees permission. To change a locked item, ask your practice manager to update the bundle's lock settings in Settings → Bundles |
I cannot apply a partial discount (e.g. 50%) to a bundle item | Bundle components only support 0% or 100% discount. Apply the discount at the bundle header level instead, or add the item separately outside of the bundle |
The Discount column is not visible when I edit an invoice | Your role does not have the View Invoice Discount Column permission. Contact your practice manager to request access if you need to view or apply discounts |
I can see who is assigned to a line item but cannot change it | Changing the performing clinician requires the Assign Line Item Performing Clinician permission. You can see the current assignment but the selector is disabled. Contact your practice manager to request this permission |
A bundle item's quantity, discount, or price fields are greyed out and cannot be edited | The item or its bundle has been locked by your practice manager. Locked items are read-only on invoices — quantity, discount, and price cannot be changed. If this needs to change, ask your practice manager to update the bundle's lock settings in Settings → Bundles |
I cannot add a new item to a bundle on the invoice | The bundle has been locked. Locked bundles do not allow new items to be added. Ask your practice manager to unlock the bundle in Settings → Bundles if you need to add items |
A product row shows no batch assigned | Batch fields only appear on Draft invoices, not Estimates. If the invoice is a Draft and no batch is assigned, click the batch field on the product row and select the correct batch. If no batches appear, the product may be out of stock — check levels in Inventory |
A batch row shows the error "This batch and location is already used on another row" | Each batch and storage location combination can only appear once per product line. Remove the duplicate batch row, or select a different batch or location for one of the rows |
I need to add a medication that is not in our stock system | Use Add a non-billed, prescribed-only product from the dropdown next to + Add Item. This requires the Update Prescriptions permission. Alternatively, if the medication is already on the invoice as a billed product, open its prescription pop-up and switch the Written Prescription toggle on — Lupa will move it to the prescribed-only section on save |
An item was added at the wrong price | Click the unit price field on the line item to edit it while the invoice is in Estimate or Draft status. If the library price itself is wrong, update it in Settings → Services or Settings → Products |
The unit switcher on a product line only shows one option | Your practice manager has restricted this product to sell in one unit only. If this needs to change, ask your practice manager to update the product's settings in Settings → Products |
The quantity field on a product line will not accept a decimal value | The product has been configured to sell in whole units only. Enter a whole number instead. If this needs to change, ask your practice manager to update the product's selling settings in Settings → Products |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are prices on this invoice showing excluding VAT? The client's payment term is configured to display prices excluding VAT. When this is set, unit prices, line amounts, fixed discounts, and dispensing fees all show as net figures, and the Amount column header reads Amount excl. VAT. If you edit a line item, enter the net (excl. VAT) value — Lupa converts it to the gross amount automatically when you save. Invoice totals always show the net amount, VAT, and gross breakdown regardless of this setting. To change the display basis, ask your practice manager to update the client's payment term.
Can I change the price of an item after adding it? Yes — unit prices on individual line items can be edited while the invoice is in Estimate or Draft status. Click the price field and type the new amount. If the client's payment term shows prices excluding VAT, enter the net value and Lupa will convert it to gross on save. If the item is part of a bundle, changing its price also updates the bundle total. Prices cannot be edited on a Completed invoice without unlocking it first.
What happens to stock when I add a product to a draft invoice? Adding a product to a draft invoice does not reduce stock counts. Stock is only deducted when the invoice is Completed. This means you can adjust product quantities freely on a draft without affecting your live stock levels.
Can I reorder line items on an invoice? Yes — drag the handle on the left of any line item row to reorder it. The order you set is reflected on the printed or downloaded invoice PDF.
Why is there a price factor field on some services? A price factor is a multiplier applied to a service's base price — used by practices operating under fee-scaling regulations such as the German AMPreisV. If this field is visible on your invoice, the feature has been enabled for your practice. Contact your practice manager to adjust any price factor settings. When this feature is on, the GOT fee-schedule code (e.g. "GOT 123") also appears beneath the service name both when editing the invoice and when viewing it in read-only mode.
Can I add the same service or product more than once? Yes — you can add the same item multiple times. This is useful when two team members each performed the same procedure and you need to assign a different employee to each line item.
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