# Send invoice email from the AR workflow

Send branded receivable invoice emails from the AR workflow.

Use the **Send email** workflow node on receivable invoices to deliver a **branded** message to the customer. Cortena resolves the recipient from the customer record, supports template **variations**, always attaches the invoice **PDF**, and lets you **edit and preview** the message in a lightbox before send.

**Who this is for:** AR admins wiring post-issue customer communication and ops who send invoices from Cortena instead of a separate mail tool.

## 1. Add Send email after Mark as issued

1. Open **Settings → Workflow Configuration** → entity **Receivable invoice**.
2. After **Mark as issued**, add **Send email** (default pattern in many templates).
3. Configure:
   - **To**: **Customer** (billing contact on the receivable customer master).
   - **Subject / body**: template with variations if you use A/B or locale-specific copy.
   - **Attach PDF**: always on for AR send (invoice PDF included).

Requires **Email Outbound** domains verified if you send from your own domain. See [Email Outbound](https://help.cortena.ai/guides/integrations/email-outbound).

## 2. Edit and preview before send

When the workflow reaches **Send email**:

1. Cortena opens the **Edit and preview** lightbox (subject, body, recipient).
2. Review branding and placeholders; adjust text if needed.
3. Confirm send. The PDF attachment matches the issued invoice file.

Operators with permission to complete the step can edit; read-only viewers see preview only.

## 3. Customer recipient and variations

| Setting | Behavior |
| --- | --- |
| **To: Customer** | Uses primary billing email from **Receivables → Customers** |
| **Variations** | Pick a template variant on the node or at send time when multiple are defined |
| **PDF** | Issued receivable PDF attached automatically |

If no billing email exists, the step surfaces a blocking reason. Fix the customer contact before retrying the workflow step.

## Tips and limitations

- Node applies to **Receivable invoice** workflows only.
- PDF reflects **issued** state; draft watermarks are not sent.
- Pair with [Outbound ZUGFeRD](https://help.cortena.ai/guides/advanced/outbound-zugferd) when you issue hybrid e-invoices. The attachment is the stored issued PDF.
- Workflow must reach **Send email** after issue; skipped steps do not send mail.

## Quick reference

| Task | Where |
| --- | --- |
| Wire send after issue | Workflow → **Mark as issued** → **Send email** |
| Verify domain | **Settings → Integrations → Email → Email Outbound** |
| Fix recipient | **Receivables → Customers** → billing contact |
| Preview at runtime | Workflow step → **Edit and preview** lightbox |