Recurring Bills

Recurring bills let you automate vendor payments that happen on a predictable schedule — such as monthly pool service, weekly landscaping, or annual software subscriptions. Instead of creating the same bill from scratch each time, you configure a template once and Topkey generates new bills automatically based on your chosen frequency.

Setting Up a Recurring Bill

You enable recurring billing from within an existing bill's edit view. If you haven't created the bill yet, start by creating it as you normally would, then follow the steps below.

1. Open the bill you want to make recurring.
2. In the details panel on the right side of the screen, locate the Edit details section.
3. Enable the Recurring toggle. Additional scheduling options will appear below it.
4. Configure the following settings:

Frequency

Choose how often a new bill should be generated:

• Weekly — generates a new bill every week
• Monthly — generates a new bill every month
• Annually — generates a new bill every year

You can also set a frequency value (for example, every 2 months) if your payment cycle doesn't align with a single unit.

Days Before Due Date to Create

Enter the number of days before the due date that Topkey should create each new bill. For example, entering 5 means a bill will appear in your queue five days before it's due, giving you time to review it before payment.

Auto-Approve

Enable Auto-approve to skip the approval workflow for bills generated by this template. When turned on, each new bill is automatically approved and moves directly to the ready-to-pay stage.

Automatic Payment

To have each generated bill paid automatically, enable the payment option and select a payment account from your connected bank accounts. If no payment account is selected, generated bills will still require manual payment.

5. Once all settings are configured, save the bill. It is now a Recurring Template.

The Recurring Templates Tab

All active recurring bill templates are listed under the Recurring Templates tab in Bill Pay.

To access it:

1. Navigate to Bill Pay → Bills.
2. Select the Recurring Templates tab at the top of the bill list.

Each row displays the template's creation date, bill date, due date, ID, vendor name, and type (shown as Recurring Template). From here you can see all templates at a glance and take action on any of them.

Managing Recurring Templates

Editing a Template

To change the frequency, timing, auto-approve setting, or payment account for a recurring template:

1. Go to Bill Pay → Bills → Recurring Templates.
2. Click the edit icon on the template row.
3. Update the desired settings in the Edit details section.
4. Save your changes. Updates apply to future generated bills only — bills already created from the template are not affected.

Viewing Bills Generated from a Template

Bills generated by a recurring template are linked back to the original template. You can view all bills produced by a template by opening the template itself. Generated bills appear in the standard bill list tabs (Draft, Needs Approval, Ready To Pay, etc.) based on their current status.

Deleting a Template

Deleting a recurring template stops all future bill generation. Bills that have already been created from the template are not deleted — they continue through their normal workflow.

To delete a template:

1. Go to Bill Pay → Bills → Recurring Templates.
2. Open the template you want to stop.
3. Select Delete from the action menu.

How Generated Bills Work

When Topkey creates a bill from a recurring template, it follows these rules:

• The new bill is created the number of days before the due date that you specified in the template.
• If Auto-approve is disabled, the bill enters the normal approval workflow (Draft → Needs Approval → Approved) before it can be paid.
• If Auto-approve is enabled, the bill skips the approval workflow and moves directly to the ready-to-pay stage.
• Each generated bill is independent — you can edit its amount, line items, or other details without affecting the template or future bills.

Best Practices

• Build in review time. Set the days-before value to at least 5 so there's a window to catch any discrepancies before the due date.
• Reserve Auto-approve for predictable bills. Fixed monthly retainers or subscriptions with a consistent amount are good candidates. Variable invoices — such as utility bills or bills based on hours worked — should go through manual review.
• Check in periodically. Visit the Recurring Templates tab monthly to confirm your templates are still accurate and that vendor amounts haven't changed.
• Use descriptive bill notes. Adding a clear description to the template (e.g., "Monthly pool service — recurring") makes it easy to identify generated bills in the list view.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the amount on a generated bill without affecting the template? Yes. Each bill generated from a template is independent. Editing the amount, line items, or any other detail on a generated bill has no effect on the template or on future bills.

What happens to already-generated bills if I delete the recurring template? Deleting a template only stops future bill generation. Any bills already created from that template remain in your bill list and continue through their normal approval and payment workflow.

Can I set up a recurring bill to pay from a specific bank account automatically? Yes. When configuring the recurring template, enable the automatic payment option and select the bank account you want to use. Each generated bill will be queued for payment from that account, provided it has been approved (or auto-approved).

Questions? Contact Support