In this article, I will tell you how to automate the creation and sending of invoices from a CRM based on Notion. The system numbers the documents itself, fills in the Google Docs template with data from the transaction, converts it to PDF and sends it to the client via email via Zapier.

The result is time savings (imagine how much you could save), minimizing errors, and improving the quality of customer service.

Instead of an invoice, there may be KP, Contracts, Specifications, instead of Notion there may be another system (which can be connected to Zapier).

If you like watching more than reading, here is the link to the video: 

• The basis of the system is an edited version of our free CRM template on Notion.
• Google Docs is used to create documents based on a template: special tags allow you to automatically insert the necessary information from Notion.
• Zapier connects applications to each other by monitoring changes in Notion CRM (transferring a transaction to the "Invoice" status) and launching a chain of actions.
• Google Drive acts as a storage location for ready-made PDF versions of invoices and editable DOCS files. The link to each document is automatically added to the card of the desired transaction in Notion.
• Zoho Mail (or another service that can be connected to Zapier) is used to automatically send a letter with a ready-made invoice (in the form of a link and PDF attachment) to the client's email.
• Ghat GPT (and where to now without AI): converts the transaction amount from a numeric format to a text format (in words).

• We are adding 2 new databases to the existing CRM system: Documents (and linking it to the database of Leads and Transactions) and Technical (and linking it to the documents database). The technical one will contain only one record to attach all the invoices to it and "return" the last number to the document database.
• We add the necessary "columns" and automation to the Documents database to automatically attach each created invoice (if a new record and account type are created) to an entry in the Technical Database and fill out invoices (name, date, number...).

• We add "columns" to the Clients database for the details that will need to be filled in for invoicing.
• We "pull up" all the information necessary to fill out the Invoice through the rolls and formulas into the Documents database: details from Customers, the invoice amount and the name of the service from the Services\Goods, invoice number and contract number (basis) from the Documents. To make it "convenient" for automation to take everything it needs from one place.

• We take a ready-made invoice (or another document that you want to automate the creation of), copy and paste the places that we want to auto-fill in/replace with data from Notion, put curly quotation marks and paste the name of the variable in Latin, so that it will be clear to us later, for example: instead of "05/21/2025" - .
• We name the Template so that it is clear to us later and put it in the right folder, for order. 

  In order for everything to work, it is necessary that all the necessary data for creating a document be filled in the transaction card in Notion.To do this, you can create visual indicators that will show that something is missing or provide a system for automatically adding them.  

• We create a new Zap, and use the trigger to change the database entry of the Lead and the Notion Transaction.
• We are only interested in specific changes, so in step 2 we add a Filter by Zapier, which controls that only those records where all the necessary data is available and the transaction status is "Invoice" go further.
• We add the ChatGPT module, with the Conversation type (or another AI module, if desired), which we "ask" to convert the numerical amount of the order into the amount in words using something like this prompt:

Take this number: [Order Amount Number] and spell it in the Russian language without capitalization.
--
Example:
Input - "2750"
Output - "two thousand seven hundred and fifty"
--
Include only the spelling in your response.

• Next, we make an invoice in Google Docs - Create a Document From Template. Select the account, folder, and desired template.
• Filling in all with values from the Notion transaction (tracker) and the amount in words is the output of the AI module.
• Specify the folder where to "put" the finished documents and select the export formats: DOCS and PDF.
• We connect and configure the mail (we have Zoho Mail, but any other one that can be connected to Zapier will do) with the send email action.
• The recipient is the client's Email from the Notion transaction (tracker).
• The subject of the letter and the Text of the letter are what you need, you can include dynamic data from the Client Transaction there.
• We add to the Text a link to the invoice in PDF format (Export Links Application Pdf) from the Google Docs module.
• We add the PDF file (Public Links Application Pdf) from the Google Docs module as an attached file.
• The last step is to Update the Database Record in Notion, adding a link to the document in an editable format (Alternative Link) to the Notion Transaction.

• Significant time savings: You no longer need to spend hours manually creating and sending documents.
• Error reduction: Automation minimizes the human factor, ensuring the accuracy of data in documents.
• Standardization and professionalism: All documents are created according to a single template.
• Customer service improvement: Clients receive documents quickly.
• Flexibility and scalability: The system can be easily adapted to create other types of documents (contracts, commercial proposals, technical specifications) and become more complex as needs grow.
• Centralized storage: All documents are stored in an orderly manner on Google Drive, and information about them is stored in CRM, providing easy access and control.

This example clearly demonstrates how modern tools such as Notion and Zapier can dramatically transform routine business processes, freeing up time and resources for what is really important.

More real-world examples of control systems and process automation are HERE.

Thanks for attention.