PHP Invoice Generator (No Database)

A simple, modern, and self-hosted invoice generator web app built with PHP and Tailwind CSS. No database required—data is stored in JSON files for easy setup and portability.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Requirements
• Installation
• Usage
• Advanced Features
• File Structure
• Setting Up Automated Backups
• Troubleshooting
• Security Best Practices
• Development
• Contributors
• License
• Credits

Features

Core Invoice Management

• Create, edit, and delete invoices with ease
• Add multiple items per invoice (description, quantity, price)
• Option to include or exclude tax (18%)
• Export invoices as professional PDF documents (using dompdf)
• Currency displayed as Rs. (Indian Rupees) throughout the app and PDFs
• Add and display company banking details on invoices and PDFs

Company & Product Management

• Manage multiple company profiles ("Invoice From")
• Product & Service Catalog with autocomplete selection
• Client data reuse for quick invoice creation with returning clients
• AJAX-powered product search and autocomplete

Search & Organization

• Advanced Search & Filtering with custom saved filters
• Column sorting for invoice management
• Export filtered invoice lists to CSV
• Pagination for better performance with many invoices
• List and manage all invoices from the dashboard

Data Management & Backup

• All data stored in JSON files (no SQL or DB setup needed)
• Comprehensive data management with backups, import/export, and MySQL migration
• Cloud backup integration with Dropbox and Google Drive
• Scheduled automatic backups with configurable retention policies
• No database required—just PHP and file permissions

User Experience

• Responsive UI with Tailwind CSS
• Edit invoices at any time
• Built-in troubleshooting tools for logo and GD extension issues
• Utility tools for testing and diagnostics

Requirements

• PHP 7.4 or higher
• Composer (for PDF export)
• Web server (Apache, Nginx, XAMPP, etc.)
• PHP GD Extension (optional but recommended for logo display in PDFs)

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/amigodheena/php-invoice-generator.git
   cd php-invoice-generator
   

2. Install dependencies:

   composer install
   

3. Set permissions: Ensure the data/ and uploads/ directories are writable by the web server:

   chmod 755 data
   mkdir -p uploads/logos
   chmod 755 uploads uploads/logos
   

4. Access the app: Open your browser and go to http://localhost/path-to/php-invoice-generator

Usage

• Create Invoice: Click "Create New Invoice", fill in details, add items, and save.
• Reuse Client Data: Select existing clients from the dropdown to quickly fill client details.
• Manage Products: Click "Products" in the navigation to add, edit, and organize your product catalog.
• Select Products: When creating invoices, search for products using the autocomplete field to quickly add them.
• Edit Invoice: Click the edit icon next to any invoice in the dashboard.
• Export PDF: Click the PDF icon to download a PDF version of any invoice.
• Search & Filter: Click "Search & Filter" to open the advanced search panel with multiple filtering options.
• Sort Invoices: Click on column headers in the invoice list to sort by that column.
• Save Filters: Apply filters and click "Save Filter" to save your filter combinations for future use.
• Export CSV: Apply filters and click "Export CSV" to download filtered invoice data as a CSV file.
• Manage Saved Filters: Click "Saved Filters" to view, apply, or delete your saved filter combinations.
• Manage Companies: Add or edit your own company profiles under "Manage Companies". You can now add banking details for payment info.
• Navigate Pages: Use pagination controls to browse through invoices when you have many.
• No Database: All data is stored in /data as JSON files. You can back up or move your data easily.
• Manage Data: Click "Data Management" to access backup, import/export, and MySQL migration features.
• Create Backups: Click "Create Backup" to manually create a backup of all your data.
• Configure Cloud Backups: Connect to Dropbox or Google Drive for automated cloud backups.
• Import/Export Data: Use the import/export tools for data portability and migration.
• MySQL Migration: Generate MySQL schema and migrate your data to a MySQL database when needed.
• Troubleshoot Logo Issues: Use logo_test.php to diagnose logo display problems in PDF invoices.
• Enable GD Extension: Use enable_gd.php for step-by-step instructions to enable PHP GD extension for logo support.

Advanced Features

Pagination

• The dashboard (index.php) now supports pagination for the invoices list. By default the dashboard shows 10 invoices per page to keep the list fast and easy to navigate.
• Use the page query parameter to navigate pages.
• The pagination control shows previous/next, first/last buttons and a range of page numbers (up to 5 visible at once). The current page is highlighted.
• If you want to change the number of invoices per page, edit the $perPage variable in index.php (search for $perPage = 10;). You can also update the getInvoices() call signature in includes/functions.php if you need more advanced control.

Client Data Reuse

• When creating or editing invoices, you can now select from previously used clients to quickly fill in client details.
• The system automatically extracts unique clients from your existing invoices based on email address.
• Select a client from the dropdown at the top of the client information section to auto-populate the client name, email, and address.
• You can still manually enter client details for new clients or to modify existing information.

Product & Service Catalog

• Maintain a catalog of products and services that you frequently include in invoices
• Organize products by categories to find them easily
• Set default prices for each product to ensure consistent pricing
• When creating or editing invoices, use the autocomplete search to quickly find and add products
• Product details (description and price) are auto-filled when selected
• Add SKUs/product codes for better inventory tracking

Advanced Search & Filtering

• Comprehensive Filters: Filter invoices by client name/email, invoice number, status, document type, date range, and amount range
• Column Sorting: Sort your invoice list by any column (date, client name, amount, status, etc.) in ascending or descending order
• Filter Combinations: Apply multiple filters simultaneously for precise invoice searching
• Saved Filters: Save your commonly used filter combinations with custom names for quick access
• Filter Management: View, apply, and delete your saved filters from the dedicated Saved Filters page
• CSV Export: Export filtered invoice lists to CSV format with all relevant invoice data
• Visual Indicators: Active filters and sort options are clearly displayed with visual indicators
• Responsive Design: All filtering options work seamlessly on mobile and desktop devices

Data Management

• Automated Backups: Schedule regular backups to keep your data safe
• Cloud Integration: Connect to Dropbox or Google Drive for cloud storage backups
• Backup History: View and manage your backup history with detailed information
• Data Export: Export all your data in a ZIP archive for portability
• Data Import: Import data from a ZIP archive for easy migration or restoration
• MySQL Migration: Generate MySQL schema and migrate your data to a MySQL database
• Storage Statistics: Get insights into your data storage usage and growth

Notes:

• Pagination is implemented server-side by slicing the JSON invoice array. For very large datasets you may want to switch to a database-backed approach for better performance.
• Client data reuse is based on unique email addresses across all invoices.
• Product catalog supports unlimited number of products and categories.
• Saved filters are stored in the data/saved_filters.json file.
• Cloud backup settings are stored in the data/cloud_backup_settings.json file.
• Automatic backups require setting up a cron job to call auto_backup.php at your desired frequency.

File Structure

Main Application Files

• /index.php — Dashboard (list invoices)
• /create_invoice.php — Create new invoice
• /edit_invoice.php — Edit existing invoice
• /view_invoice.php — View invoice details
• /download_pdf.php — Export invoice as PDF (with banking details and Rs. currency)
• /delete_invoice.php — Delete invoice

Product & Filter Management

• /manage_products.php — Manage products/services catalog
• /saved_filters.php — Manage saved filter combinations
• /export_csv.php — Export invoice list to CSV based on filters

Company Management

• /manage_companies.php — Manage company profiles and banking details

Data Management

• /manage_data.php — Data management features (backup, import/export, MySQL migration)
• /download_backup.php — Download backup files securely
• /import_data.php — Import data from uploaded ZIP archives
• /auto_backup.php — Automated backup endpoint (for cron jobs)
• /purge_old_backups.php — Clean up old backup files (for cron jobs)

Cloud & Database Features

• /save_cloud_settings.php — Save cloud backup configuration
• /migrate_to_mysql.php — Generate schema and migrate data to MySQL

Helper & Diagnostic Tools

• /logo_test.php — Logo troubleshooting tool for PDF invoice issues
• /enable_gd.php — PHP GD Extension helper and installation guide
• /test_data_functions.php — Data functions testing utility

Core Directories

• /includes/functions.php — Core PHP logic
• /includes/cloud/ — Cloud storage provider integrations
• /data/ — JSON data storage (invoices, companies, products, saved filters)
• /data/backups/ — Stored backup archives
• /data/exports/ — Stored export archives
• /data/schemas/ — Generated MySQL schemas
• /uploads/logos/ — Company logo storage
• /vendor/ — Composer dependencies (dompdf, etc.)
• /assets/ — CSS, JS, and static files
  • /assets/css/ — Custom stylesheets
  • /assets/js/ — JavaScript files (product selection, main logic)
  • /assets/img/ — Images and logo
• /ajax/ — AJAX endpoints for dynamic data loading

Setting Up Automated Backups

To set up automated backups:

1. Edit Security Token: Open auto_backup.php and replace YOUR_SECURE_TOKEN_HERE with a secure random string of your choice.

2. Set Up Cron Job (Linux/Unix):

   # Daily backup at 3:00 AM
   0 3 * * * curl https://your-domain.com/path-to/auto_backup.php?token=YOUR_SECURE_TOKEN_HERE > /dev/null 2>&1
   

3. Set Up Task Scheduler (Windows): Create a scheduled task that runs a command like:

   curl http://localhost/path-to/auto_backup.php?token=YOUR_SECURE_TOKEN_HERE
   

4. Configure Cloud Backups:

   • Go to "Data Management" in the application
   • Click on the "Backup" tab
   • Enter your cloud service API key and settings
   • Enable automatic backups
   • Select your desired backup frequency

5. Set Up Automatic Backup Cleanup (Optional): To prevent excessive storage usage, set up a cron job to purge old backups:

   # Weekly cleanup on Sunday at 2:00 AM
   0 2 * * 0 curl http://localhost/path-to/purge_old_backups.php?token=YOUR_SECURE_TOKEN_HERE > /dev/null 2>&1
   

   Note: Edit purge_old_backups.php to set your secure token and configure retention settings.

Troubleshooting

Logo Issues in PDF Invoices

If company logos are not appearing in your PDF invoices, you can use the built-in troubleshooting tools:

1. Logo Test Tool (logo_test.php):

   • Navigate to http://localhost/path-to/php-invoice-generator/logo_test.php
   • This tool diagnoses logo display issues and checks:
     • GD extension status
     • Logo directory permissions
     • Company logo file paths and accessibility
   • Follow the on-screen troubleshooting steps

2. GD Extension Helper (enable_gd.php):

   • Navigate to http://localhost/path-to/php-invoice-generator/enable_gd.php
   • Provides step-by-step instructions for enabling PHP GD extension
   • Platform-specific instructions for:
     • XAMPP on Windows
     • Linux/Unix systems
     • General Windows installations

Common Issues

GD Extension Not Installed:

• XAMPP (Windows): Edit C:\xampp\php\php.ini, find ;extension=gd, remove the semicolon, and restart Apache
• Linux/Ubuntu: Run sudo apt-get install php-gd and restart your web server
• CentOS/RHEL: Run sudo yum install php-gd and restart your web server

Logo Upload Issues:

• Ensure the uploads/logos/ directory exists and has proper permissions (755)
• Verify uploaded logo files have read permissions (644)
• Supported formats: JPG, PNG, GIF

PDF Generation Issues:

• Make sure Composer dependencies are installed: composer install
• Check if dompdf library is available in /vendor/ directory

Data File Permissions:

• The data/ directory must be writable by the web server (755)
• All JSON files in data/ should be readable/writable (644)

Security Best Practices

• Secure Tokens: Always replace YOUR_SECURE_TOKEN_HERE with a strong, random string in auto_backup.php and purge_old_backups.php
• File Permissions: Ensure proper file permissions (755 for directories, 644 for files)
• Access Control: Consider adding authentication for production deployments
• Data Protection: The /data/ directory contains sensitive information—ensure it's not publicly accessible via web server configuration
• HTTPS: Use HTTPS in production to protect data in transit
• Regular Backups: Set up automated backups and test restoration procedures regularly

Development

• All business logic is in includes/functions.php.
• UI is styled with Tailwind CSS.
• PDF export uses dompdf.
• No database required—just PHP and file permissions.
• Currency is consistently shown as Rs. for Indian Rupees in all views and PDFs.
• Cloud storage integration uses custom API libraries (implement in includes/cloud/ for your chosen provider).
• For custom development, see the helper tools (test_data_functions.php) for testing data operations.

.gitignore

The following directories are ignored by default (see .gitignore):

• /data/ — All invoice and company data (prevents accidental data commits)
• /vendor/ — Composer dependencies (should be installed locally via composer install)
• /uploads/ — User-uploaded logos and assets

Note: These directories are automatically created during installation and should not be committed to version control for security and portability reasons.

Contributors

• Lead Developer: AmigoDheena

License

MIT License. Free for personal and commercial use.

Contribute

If you find this project useful, please consider starring the repository on GitHub or contributing to its development.