1. Overview
1.1 What is PayDrop PDF Invoices?
PayDrop PDF Invoices — Dashboard showing KPI cards, Document Generations Trend chart, and Recent Invoices list
PayDrop PDF Invoices is a Shopify-embedded app built by The Shop Ninjas that automatically generates professional PDF invoices for every order placed in your store. It supports multiple document types, including standard invoices, packing slips, and refund credit notes, and delivers them directly to customers by email immediately after their order is processed.
The app comes with ready-to-use default templates that you can activate right away, and also provides a powerful template designer for merchants who want to create fully custom branded invoice layouts either through a no-code visual builder or a direct HTML editor using Liquid syntax.
PayDrop PDF Invoices is capable of the following:
- Automatically generating PDF invoices triggered by Shopify order events such as Order Paid, Fulfillment, or Return
- Delivering invoice PDFs to customers as email attachments immediately after each trigger event
- Providing ready-made templates for standard invoices, packing slips, and refund credit notes
- Allowing full template customization through a no-code visual builder or a Developer HTML editor with Liquid templating
- Mapping custom Shopify metafields into invoice templates using the Metafields module
- Automatically backing up all generated PDFs to Google Drive
- Sending invoices via your own custom SMTP email server for full white-label delivery
- Tracking document generation performance through a built-in analytics dashboard
1.2 Navigation Overview
PayDrop PDF Invoices appears in your Shopify Admin under Apps then PayDrop PDFInvoices. Once inside the app, you will find the following pages in the left sidebar:
Invoices: View and manage all PDF invoices that have been generated, with options to download, regenerate, send, or delete individual invoices.
Templates: Create and manage your document templates. Activate, deactivate, edit the layout, and configure automation triggers for each template.
Metafields: Map custom Shopify metafields to placeholder variables that can be used inside your invoice templates.
Settings: Configure invoice numbering, your merchant company profile, SMTP email delivery, cloud storage backup, and manage your billing plan.
Documentation: Access the app’s help documentation directly from within Shopify Admin.
Support: Reach out to The Shop Ninjas support team for assistance.
2. Dashboard
The Dashboard is the first screen you see when you open PayDrop PDF Invoices. It gives you a real-time summary of your invoice generation activity and performance.
2.1 KPI Cards
Dashboard KPI cards showing Total Document Revenue, Documents Generated, Delivery Success Rate, and Average Invoice Value
At the top of the Dashboard, four summary cards display your most important metrics for the selected time period.
Total Document Revenue: The cumulative revenue value across all invoices that have been generated.
Documents Generated: The total number of PDF documents that have been created by the app.
Delivery Success Rate: The percentage of generated invoices that were successfully delivered to customers by email.
Average Invoice Value: The average monetary value per generated invoice, calculated from total revenue divided by documents generated.
2.2 Document Generations Trend Chart
Below the KPI cards, the Document Generations Trend chart shows the volume of invoice generation activity over time as a line graph. You can change the date range using the dropdown in the top right corner of the chart; for example, Last 7 Days shows a daily breakdown of how many documents were generated each day. This chart helps you monitor invoice output and identify any gaps in delivery caused by automation settings or order volume changes.
2.3 Recent Invoices
At the bottom of the Dashboard, the Recent Invoices section shows a list of the most recently generated invoices. Each row displays the invoice number, the linked order number, the template used to generate it, the date, the invoice amount, and the current status. You can click Refresh Log to manually update the list, or click View all to navigate to the full Invoices page.
3. Invoices
3.1 Generated Invoices List
Generated Invoices page showing all created invoices with invoice number, order, template, date, amount, status, and action buttons
The Invoices page shows a complete list of every PDF document that has been generated by PayDrop PDF Invoices. To access it, click Invoices in the sidebar. You can search for a specific invoice by Invoice Number or Order Number using the search bar, and filter by template using the All Templates dropdown. Click Refresh Log to pull the latest invoice data.
Each row in the list displays the invoice number (for example INV-001009), the Shopify order number it was generated for, the template that was used, the date the invoice was created, the total amount, and the current status. A status of completed in green indicates the invoice was successfully generated and delivered.
3.2 Invoice Actions
Each invoice row has three action buttons and a delete option on the right side.
Download (arrow icon): Downloads the generated PDF invoice directly to your computer.
Regenerate (refresh icon): Regenerates the PDF invoice for that order, useful if you have updated the template or corrected order details after the original invoice was created.
Send (send icon): Manually resends the invoice email with the PDF attachment to the customer. This is useful if the customer did not receive the original email or requests a copy.
Delete (trash icon): Permanently removes the invoice record. This does not affect the original Shopify order.
4. Templates
4.1 Document Templates List
Document Templates page showing the three default templates — Refund Credit Note (Inactive), Standard Packing Slip (Inactive), and Classic PDF Invoice (Active) with Edit Layout, Activate/Deactivate, and Delete actions
The Templates page is where you manage all your PDF document layouts. To access it, click Templates in the sidebar. PayDrop PDF Invoices comes with three default templates out of the box that cover the most common business document needs.
Classic PDF Invoice: A standard invoice template suitable for most stores. This template is Active by default and will be used to generate invoices for paid orders.
Standard Packing Slip: A packing slip template designed to be included with physical shipments. This template is Inactive by default and must be activated before it will generate documents.
Refund Credit Note: A credit note template generated when a refund is processed on an order. This template is Inactive by default.
Each template row shows its title, current status (Active in green or Inactive in yellow), and action buttons. An active template will automatically generate documents when its configured trigger event occurs. Only one template of each document type should be active at a time to avoid duplicate document generation.
4.2 Creating a New Template
Create New Document Template modal — entering a template name before clicking Create & Customize
To create a custom template, click the Create new template button in the top right corner of the Templates page. A modal appears asking you to enter a Template Name. Give your template a descriptive name such as Premium B2B Invoice or Wholesale Packing Slip. The document type this template produces is determined by the trigger event you assign later on the template’s Settings tab, not by the name. Once you have entered the name, click Create & Customize to open the Template Designer.
4.3 Template Designer – Builder Tab
Template Designer — No-Code Visual Builder showing the visual layout editor on the left with section blocks, and the Live Interactive Render showing a real-time invoice preview on the right
The Template Designer is the full-screen editor where you build and customize the visual layout of your invoice. It opens when you click Edit Layout on any template, and contains two main tabs at the top: Builder and Settings.
The Builder tab is where you design the visual appearance of the document. It is split into two halves. The left side contains the editing tools, and the right side displays a Live Interactive Render showing a real-time preview of exactly how the invoice will look as a PDF. You can also click Storefront Preview in the top right of the preview panel to see how the document renders in a browser.
4.4 No-Code Visual Builder
By default, the Template Designer opens in No-Code Visual Builder mode. This mode allows you to build and customize your invoice layout entirely without writing any code, making it accessible for merchants of all technical levels.
At the top of the Visual Builder you can configure the overall branding parameters. Business Brand Logo URL lets you paste a URL to your store logo image. Primary Color sets the main accent color used for headings and table headers. Secondary Accent Color sets the supporting color used for borders and background elements.
Below the branding settings, the Section Blocks Layout section shows the structural rows that make up your invoice. Each row represents a section of the document, for example Row: Store Header, Row: Document Details, Row: Billing & Shipping Address, Row: Line Items Table, and Row: Totals & Summary Block. For each row you can adjust the padding, margin, background color, and column layout. You can also add, remove, clone, reorder (using the Up and Down buttons), or delete individual section rows using the action buttons on the right of each row.
Within each row, individual content elements can be shown or hidden using the Hide toggle. You can also add new elements to a row using the Add Element button. Once you have finished making changes, click Save layout changes at the bottom of the builder to apply them. The Live Interactive Render on the right updates in real time as you make changes.
4.5 Developer HTML Editor
Template Designer — Developer HTML Editor mode showing the Layout Name field, HTML Layout Markup (Liquid) code editor, CSS Stylesheet field, and Live Interactive Render on the right
For merchants with HTML and CSS experience, the Developer HTML Editor provides full control over the invoice markup. Click the Developer HTML Editor tab at the top of the Builder section to switch modes.
In this mode, you can edit the Layout Name, write the full HTML Layout Markup using Liquid templating syntax, and add custom CSS rules in the CSS Stylesheet field. The Liquid templating language allows you to insert dynamic data from the order, such as customer name, line items, totals, and custom metafields, directly into the invoice HTML. The Live Interactive Render on the right updates as you type so you can see the result immediately.
4.6 Liquid Variables Reference
Liquid Variables Reference panel showing expandable categories: Shop Variables, Customer Variables, Order Variables, Address Variables, Line Items Loop, and Custom Metafields
At the bottom of the Template Designer (available in both Visual Builder and Developer HTML Editor modes), the Liquid Variables Reference panel lists all the dynamic data tags you can use in your invoice templates. Click any category to expand it and see the available tags. Click any tag to copy it to your clipboard so you can paste it directly into your template markup.
The available variable categories are Shop Variables (your store name, URL, and contact details), Customer Variables (buyer name and email), Order Variables (order number, date, payment status, and totals), Address Variables (billing and shipping address fields), Line Items Loop (product name, SKU, quantity, unit price, and line total for each item in the order), and Custom Metafields (any custom metafield mappings you have created in the Metafields section).
4.7 Template Settings Tab (Automation & Delivery)
Template Settings tab showing the Automation & Delivery settings with an Enable automated triggers checkbox and Save automation settings button
The Settings tab inside the Template Designer controls when this template automatically generates a document. Click the Settings tab at the top of the Template Designer to access it.
The Automation & Delivery settings section contains an Enable automated triggers checkbox for the current template. When this checkbox is enabled, the template will automatically generate and send a PDF document every time the assigned trigger event fires in your Shopify store, for example whenever an order is paid, a fulfillment is created, or a refund is processed. When the checkbox is disabled, the template will only generate documents when you manually trigger them from the Invoices page. Click Save automation settings to apply your changes.
5. Metafields
Metafields Mappings page showing the Active Variable Mappings list on the left and the Create Variable Link panel on the right
The Metafields page allows you to connect Shopify metafields to custom placeholder variables that can be used inside your invoice templates. This is useful for including business-specific data on your invoices such as a VAT registration number stored on the order, a custom customer field, or a product-level attribute that is not available through the standard Liquid variables. To access it, click Metafields in the sidebar.
5.1 Metafields Mappings List
The left side of the Metafields page shows the Active Variable Mappings list. Each mapping entry shows the Alias / Placeholder (the variable name you will use in the template, for example {{ shop_alpine_sports }}), the Source Resource (the Shopify object the metafield belongs to, such as SHOP, ORDER, or PRODUCT), the Shopify Namespace (the metafield’s namespace in Shopify), the Shopify Key (the metafield key), and a Delete link to remove the mapping if no longer needed.
5.2 Creating a Variable Link
Create Variable Link panel showing the Shopify Resource Type dropdown with options: Order, Product, Customer, Shop, Line Item Property, and Order Note Attribute
The right side of the Metafields page contains the Create Variable Link panel where you register a new metafield mapping. Fill in the following fields to create a new variable.
Shopify Resource Type: Select the Shopify object that the metafield belongs to. The options are Order, Product, Customer, Shop, Line Item Property, and Order Note Attribute.
Select Existing Metafield Definition: Optionally pick from your store’s existing metafield definitions to auto-populate the namespace and key fields below. Alternatively, you can enter the values manually.
Placeholder Alias: The name of the variable as it will appear in your template. For example entering customer_vat_number means you can use {{ customer_vat_number }} in your invoice HTML or visual builder.
Shopify Metafield Namespace: The namespace of the metafield as defined in your Shopify store (for example custom or my_app).
Shopify Metafield Key: The key of the metafield (for example vat_number or tax_id).
Once all fields are filled in, click Register Mapping to save the variable link. It will immediately appear in the Active Variable Mappings list on the left and become available to use inside any of your templates via the Liquid Variables Reference panel in the Template Designer.
6. Settings
Settings page showing Subscription & Billing, Sequence Numbering Settings, Merchant Company Profile, SMTP Outgoing Email Configurations, and Cloud Storage Integrations sections
The Settings page is where you configure the core operational settings for PayDrop PDF Invoices. To access it, click Settings in the sidebar.
6.1 Subscription & Billing
The Subscription & Billing section at the top of the Settings page shows your current billing plan. You can manage your subscription, switch between monthly and yearly billing, or cancel your plan directly through Shopify by interacting with this section. Click Upgrade to Pro to view available plan options and unlock higher document generation limits and additional features.
6.2 Sequence Numbering Settings
The Sequence Numbering Settings section controls how invoice numbers are formatted and sequenced.
Invoice Prefix: The text that appears at the beginning of every invoice number. The default value is INV- which produces invoice numbers like INV-001006. You can change this to match your business naming convention, for example ACME- or 2026-INV-.
Starting Sequence Number: The number from which the invoice counter will begin. For example entering 1010 means the next invoice generated will be numbered INV-001010. This is useful when migrating from another invoicing system and you want to continue from your existing numbering sequence.
6.3 Merchant Company Profile
The Merchant Company Profile section stores your business information that appears on generated invoices. Fill in your Business Name, Business Address, and VAT / TAX Registration Number. These details are pulled into your invoice templates via the Shop Variables in the Liquid Variables Reference. Ensure these are filled in correctly before activating any templates so that your business details appear accurately on all documents sent to customers.
6.4 SMTP Outgoing Email Configuration
By default, PayDrop PDF Invoices sends invoice emails using the app’s built-in mail delivery system. The SMTP Outgoing Email Configuration section allows you to override this and send invoice emails from your own email domain instead, giving your email delivery a fully white-label, professional appearance.
SMTP Relay Hostname: The hostname of your SMTP server (for example smtp.gmail.com for Gmail or smtp.sendgrid.net for SendGrid).
Relay Port: The port number your SMTP server uses (587 is the standard TLS port for most providers).
SMTP Username: Your SMTP login email address or username.
SMTP Password: Your SMTP account password or app-specific password.
Once configured, click Save configuration at the bottom of the page. All future invoice emails will be dispatched through your custom SMTP server.
6.5 Cloud Storage Integrations (Google Drive)
Google Sign-in screen for authorizing PayDrop PDF Invoices to connect to Google Drive for automatic PDF backups
Google Drive Backup section showing Connected status with a Disconnect button after successful authorization
The Cloud Storage Integrations section allows you to automatically back up every generated PDF invoice to your Google Drive account. This ensures you always have an off-site archive of all your invoice documents without any manual effort.
To connect Google Drive, click the Connect Google Drive button. A Google Sign-in popup appears asking you to choose the Google account you want to use for the backup. Select your account and grant the requested permissions. Once authorization is complete, the button will change to show a Connected status with a Disconnect option next to it, confirming that all future generated PDFs will be automatically saved to your Google Drive.
To disconnect Google Drive at any time, click Disconnect. Existing files already saved to Google Drive will not be deleted, but future invoices will no longer be backed up automatically.
7. Customer-Facing Experience
This section describes what your customers receive after placing an order when PayDrop PDF Invoices is active and a template with automated triggers is enabled.
7.1 Invoice Email Delivery
Invoice delivery email received in Gmail — showing the invoice number in the subject line, a brief message body, and the PDF invoice attached as Invoice_INV-001009.pdf
Immediately after a trigger event fires, for example when an order is paid, PayDrop PDF Invoices automatically generates the PDF and sends it to the customer’s email address as an attachment. The email is sent on behalf of your store name and arrives with a subject line such as Your Invoice INV-001009 for Order #1008.
The email body thanks the customer for their purchase, references the order number, and invites them to reply if they have any questions about their billing details. The PDF invoice is attached directly to the email and is clearly labelled with the invoice number for easy identification. A footer note informs the customer that the email was dispatched automatically on behalf of your store.
7.2 PDF Invoice Preview
Sample generated PDF invoice showing the store name and address in the header, invoice number, order number, payment status, billing and shipping address, line items table with product descriptions and prices, subtotal, and Total Due
The generated PDF invoice is a professionally formatted document that reflects the layout defined in your active template. It includes your store branding and logo at the top, the invoice number and date of issue, the linked Shopify order number and payment status, the customer’s billing address and shipping address side by side, a line items table listing each product with its unit price, quantity, and line total, the order subtotal, and the Total Due in a highlighted accent color.
The exact visual design colors, fonts, layout sections, and which fields appear are fully controlled by the template you have configured in the Template Designer. Customers can open, save, and print the PDF directly from their email client.
8. Support & Resources
If you need help with PayDrop PDF Invoices, the following resources are available to you.
Documentation: Click Documentation in the PayDrop PDFInvoices sidebar inside Shopify Admin, or visit https://theshopninjas.com/docs
Plans & Pricing: Navigate to Apps then PayDrop PDFInvoices and click Settings, then click Upgrade to Pro to view available plans.
Support: Click Support in the PayDrop PDFInvoices sidebar, or visit https://theshopninjas.com/contact-us
Website: https://theshopninjas.com
PayDrop PDF Invoices is a product of The Shop Ninjas — helping Shopify merchants deliver professional invoicing at every order.
