Resend an invoice email that was not sent
Updated
The task "Invoice email not sent" is only about delivery. The invoice itself has been created, but the email did not go out. Your customer has received nothing, not even a faulty email. If the cause is your own mail server, the task is called "Invoice email not sent: check mail server" under Invoices. The task reminder by email, which is in German, lists it as "Rechnungs-E-Mail nicht zustellbar".
- TriggerSending failedthe reason is in the task text
- YouFix the cause, send againin the invoice "Send invoice" or "Send again", then "Yes, send again"
- ThenThe task closesthe invoice shows "Sent on … to …"
What happened
Something went wrong when the invoice was sent. The reason is in the task text:
| Message | Meaning | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| "no recipient email on file" | There is no email address for the order. | Download the PDF and send it to the customer another way |
| "mandatory business identification details (imprint) are missing" | Your legal details are incomplete. Without them Rechnungskit does not send business email on your behalf. | Complete the legal details under Settings, then send again |
| "invoice is not archived" | The invoice had not finished archiving when it was sent. | Send again |
| "Your mail server rejected the login", "… could not be reached", "… doesn't allow sending from this sender address", "The encrypted connection to your mail server failed" or "… refused to send" | Sending runs through your own mail server, and it did not cooperate. This is down to your mail server settings, not your customer. | Correct the credentials under Settings → Email delivery, step by step in the guide (Setting up your own mail server (SMTP)) |
| "… rejected the recipient address …" or "The recipient's mail server rejected the address …" | The customer's email address is wrong. | Clarify the address with the customer |
| "Sending through Rechnungskit failed temporarily" | A brief error when sending through Rechnungskit | Simply send again |
The first three reasons only become a task when sending automatically. The text then starts with "Invoice … could not be sent by email automatically". If you send it yourself from the invoice view, it shows the error right there and no task is created. Errors from your mail server become a task in both cases.
In test mode this task never appears. Test documents are never sent; sending is locked there.
Why Rechnungskit stops here
Every failed automatic send becomes a task; nothing is swallowed. Otherwise you might only notice when a payment fails to come in that your customer never received an invoice.
Without complete legal details, no email goes out at all, on purpose. It would be a business email from your company without the mandatory business identification details. For merchants and companies, German law requires these details on all business letters in any form, including email (for example § 37a HGB, § 35a GmbHG).
How to resolve it
- Read the reason in the task text, on the dashboard or under Invoices.
- If your mail server is the cause, click "Check mail server". Correct the credentials under Settings → Email delivery and check them with "Test connection" before you send again.
- If legal details are missing, complete them under Settings. If a send from the invoice view fails because of this, it links straight to "Complete company details".
- If the customer's email address is missing, Rechnungskit cannot deliver the invoice itself. Use "Download PDF" in the invoice view and send it to the customer another way.
- Open the invoice, quickest via "Resend" on the task on the dashboard. Click "Send invoice" or "Send again" and confirm with "Yes, send again". The view then shows "Sent on … to …".
- If you delivered the invoice another way, mark the task as done under Invoices in the "To review" tab with "Mark as done".
When the task closes on its own
As soon as the same invoice has been sent successfully, Rechnungskit closes the task itself. A later document for the same order is not enough. The question was never whether the invoice exists, but whether it went out.
If you use your own mail server (for example Gmail), you can check this in the "Sent" folder. What Rechnungskit sent is there. If the invoice is missing there, it did not go out. If it is there, do not send it again, or your customer gets it twice.
Related settings
- Settings → Email delivery: automatic invoice sending, sender and own mail server
- Settings: legal details (address, VAT ID, register, imprint, terms, privacy policy)
Where to find it in the app
Rechnungskit is not a tax advisory or law firm. This article explains general principles and does not replace advice from a tax advisor (Steuerberater, § 5 StBerG) or a lawyer (§ 3 RDG). Rechnungskit is built for businesses based in Germany and prepares documents, tax rates and bookings automatically. How your specific case is treated remains your decision, ideally together with your tax advisor or a lawyer.