> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.zerabooks.com/help/llms.txt).
# Create a bill by hand
Enter a bill without a document: pick the vendor, add each line with its price and category, and add a holdback or reverse charge when you need one.
## Start a new bill
1. In the left navigation, click **Bills & Invoices** › **Bills**.
2. Click **Create Bill**. A blank **New Bill** opens. Nothing is saved until you save or approve it.
3. Under **Pay To**, click **Add Vendor Info** and pick a saved vendor, or type a new name.
4. Fill in **Invoice Number** (the vendor's bill number), an optional **Reference Number** such as a PO, the **Invoice Date** and the **Due Date**. The due date starts 30 days after the invoice date; change it or choose **No due date**.
5. Add a **Memo** if you want a note on the bill.
## Add the lines
1. On the first line, search for a saved item under **Item**, or type a description.
2. Enter the **Qty** and **Price**. The **Total** fills in.
3. Choose a **Category** for the line. Picking a saved item fills in its buy price and expense category. See [Create a product or service](https://www.zerabooks.com/help/vendors-customers-and-products/create-a-product-or-service).
4. Click **Add Line Item** for each extra line. Use **Add Description** for a longer note on a line, and **Remove Item** to delete one.
The **Bill Total** at the bottom is the sum of your lines. (On an uploaded bill, the footer instead compares the **Bill Amount** printed on the document with the **Items Amount** of its lines, and shows any **Difference**. It can't be approved until they agree.)
{% hint style="info" %}
**Tip:** For a credit from a vendor, keep the quantity positive and enter a negative price. Negative quantities are refused.
{% endhint %}
## Add a holdback
A holdback (also called retainage) is part of a bill you're allowed to hold back and pay later, common with subcontractors.
1. Click **Add a holdback** under the dates.
2. Enter the amount held back.
The holdback is kept apart from what you owe now and is settled on its own later. **Add a holdback** only appears once you've chosen a holdback account in **Bill accounting settings…** (the **⋮** menu on the Bills board).
## Mark a reverse-charge purchase
For a purchase from a business in another EU country where the supplier charged no VAT, tick **Reverse charge**. ZeraBooks then records the VAT on those lines as both reclaimed and owed, and the bill still owes the supplier the amount before tax.
**Reverse charge** only appears when your books have an account for tax charged on sales.
## Finish the bill
- Click **Approve Bill** to post it to Accounts Payable. See [Approve or reject a bill](https://www.zerabooks.com/help/bills/approve-or-reject-a-bill).
- Or click the arrow beside it and choose **Save Draft & Close** to keep it in **In Review**.
- **Cancel** leaves without saving. If you have unsaved changes, ZeraBooks asks whether to **Discard Changes** or **Save & Continue**.
## Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a bill without uploading a document?
Yes. Click **Create Bill** on the Bills board and enter the vendor, dates and lines yourself. You can attach a document later with **Add document…** in the **⋮** menu.
Why won't my bill approve? It says the lines are off.
On an uploaded bill, the lines must add up to the printed total. Fix a line's quantity or price, or add the missing line, until the **Difference** disappears. A bill with no lines, or lines that total zero, can't be approved either.
What does "Vendor is required" mean?
The bill has no vendor. Click **Add Vendor Info** under **Pay To** and choose or create one, then approve again.
Why don't I see "Add a holdback"?
No holdback account is set yet. On the Bills board, open the **⋮** menu, choose **Bill accounting settings…**, and pick an account under **Holdback (retainage)**.
Can I enter a bill in another currency?
A bill you create by hand is in your books currency. Bills in another currency come from uploaded documents: ZeraBooks reads the currency and posts the bill at its date's exchange rate once you confirm it.
Why isn't my product offered on a bill line?
Only items marked **I purchase this** appear on bill lines. Open the item in **Products & Services** and turn that on.
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