Should I Invoice Out of My CRM or Accounting Software | SaaS Metrics School | SaaS Invoice

Welcome back to another edition of SaaS Metrics School! Today, we're diving into an important question: Where should you be invoicing from? Should you rely on your CRM system (which is a newer trend), your accounting software, or even a point solution dedicated to billing? With the rise of new invoicing and billing solutions in the SaaS world, this debate is heating up fast.

A few days ago, I made a LinkedIn post discussing this very topic, and it sparked a ton of engagement—comments, likes, and a lively debate. There's no doubt that billing and invoicing solutions are becoming a hot space in the Office of the CFO, just like FP&A tools were (and still are) a critical software category. However, what's interesting is that I’m seeing more and more billing solutions emerging, with some companies now looking to invoice directly from their CRM platforms like HubSpot or Salesforce.

As a CFO, this shift is mind-blowing to me. Traditionally, invoicing has been a function of accounting software or a dedicated billing system, but now we're seeing that process move upstream into the CRM, which has traditionally been the domain of the VP of Sales, VP of Marketing, and CRO—not the CFO. So, this raises some critical questions:

✅ Who owns invoicing now?
✅ Is the CFO losing control over the billing process?
✅ Should accounting teams be working inside the CRM to manage invoices?
✅ How does this impact the entire quote-to-cash process?

The Shifting Landscape of SaaS Invoicing

In a typical SaaS company, the quote-to-cash process starts in Sales and then pushes data to Accounting so that invoices can be generated and customers can be billed accurately. This process ensures proper subscription management, renewals, and revenue tracking. However, with new billing and invoicing solutions emerging, who handles what?

Traditionally, accounting and finance teams have been responsible for invoicing, leveraging platforms like QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, or Sage Intacct. Now, we’re seeing some companies move towards CRM-driven invoicing, integrating tools that allow invoices to be sent directly from Salesforce or HubSpot. While this might seem convenient for sales teams, it creates potential challenges:

❌ Does the CRM have the right accounting controls?
❌ Will this complicate revenue recognition (RevRec)?
❌ How does this impact integrations with ERP systems?
❌ Who is ultimately responsible for invoice accuracy?

These are just a few of the questions that SaaS CFOs and finance leaders are debating. Is CRM invoicing a smart move, or are we making things harder for finance teams?

The SaaS Tech Stack: The Need for a CFO Roadmap

As I always say, just like a dev team has a product roadmap, the CFO needs a tech roadmap too. The landscape is evolving rapidly, and the number of overlapping categories in finance and accounting software is growing. My 5th Annual SaaS Tech Stack Report highlighted just how many new solutions are emerging that impact billing, invoicing, RevRec, and subscription management. If you're a CFO or finance leader, you need to stay on top of this shift.

So, where are you invoicing from? Is your company using CRM-based invoicing, sticking with accounting software, or leveraging a dedicated billing solution? Let me know in the comments!

📌 More Resources from Ben Murray – The SaaS CFO: