Billed & locked
Once an expense is on an invoice it shows as invoiced and locks. Editing or deleting it errors until the invoice is rebuilt, cancelled, or deleted.
After you bill an expense to an invoice, Hoursmith protects it so the invoice and the underlying cost stay consistent.
- Role
- OwnerAdminManager
Expenses are a manager-tier feature. Members never see expenses.
What "billed" looks like
A billed expense shows "Invoiced (number)" — the invoice it's on — together with a "Locked" indicator on the expense list. You can filter for these with the Billed (yes) filter.
What locked means
While an expense is billed it's locked:
- You can't edit it.
- You can't delete it.
- Trying either returns "Invoiced expenses are locked".
Locking is automatic and applies to everyone with expense access, including Owners and Admins. It's a safeguard on a cost that's already been billed, not a permission setting.
How to release a billed expense
An expense is released back to unbilled when its invoice is rebuilt, cancelled, or deleted. Once released, it returns to the list as a normal billable expense you can edit or re-bill.
Find the invoice
Open the invoice referenced by the expense's "Invoiced (number)" label.
Rebuild, cancel, or delete it
Cancel or delete the invoice, or rebuild it so the expense is no longer included. The expense is released.
Edit the expense
Back on the expense list, the expense is unbilled and editable again.
Troubleshooting
- "Invoiced expenses are locked". The expense is on an invoice. Rebuild, cancel, or delete that invoice to release it.
- It still shows Locked after cancelling. Confirm the expense isn't billed on another invoice, and refresh the list.
Add expenses to an invoice
Put billable expenses on a draft invoice from the invoice builder, or bill a single expense to a draft as one line.
Invoices overview
Turn billable time and expenses into a polished invoice, send it with a pay link, and track it from Draft to Paid. Everything invoicing, in one place.