How Otis works. 26 things you can ask, in the order a month of client work goes.

“Help me set up my consulting business. I trade as Northstar Studio and bill in USD.”

nothing saved

I have the trading name and currency. What legal business name and billing address should I use?

“Use NS- as my invoice prefix and start at 1001. Add this payment instruction: Please include the invoice number as your payment reference.”

name, currency, invoice_preferences

Saved. Your first issued invoice will be NS-1001.

“Help me set up my tax profile. What information do you need?”

nothing saved

Which country and region is your business based in, and are you registered to collect a sales tax, VAT or GST?

“Record 3 hours of strategy work for Fernhill Coffee today at $120 an hour.”

name, client_id, kind, description, quantity, unit, rate_minor, amount_minor, item_id

Recorded 3 hours of strategy work for Fernhill Coffee at $120/hour: $360 available to invoice.

“Record today’s AI research for Fernhill Coffee: 2 million tokens, an estimated cost of $12, and a client charge of $20.”

client_id, kind, description, quantity, unit, cost_minor, measurement, amount_minor

Recorded 2 million tokens for Fernhill Coffee’s AI research.

“Correct Fernhill Coffee’s strategy session from 3 hours to 3.5 hours. Keep the same rate.”

client_id, item_id, kind, description, quantity, unit, rate_minor, amount_minor

Updated the session to 3.5 hours at $120/hour.

“Help me record the billable work from these notes: 2 hours reviewing Fernhill Coffee’s launch plan, then a 45-minute client call, both today.”

name

I found two possible entries: a 2-hour launch-plan review and a 45-minute client call.

“Record a $75 stock-image purchase today for Fernhill Coffee. Charge the full $75 back to them.”

vendor, category, description, incurred_on, cost_minor, client_id, billable_amount_minor

Recorded the $75 expense and linked a $75 client charge to Fernhill Coffee.

“Record today’s $19 design-software subscription as a business expense. Don’t bill it to a client.”

vendor, category, description, incurred_on, cost_minor

Recorded a $19 business expense for design software.

“Check: what can I invoice Fernhill Coffee for?”

client_id

Fernhill Coffee has $687 available to invoice: $600 in consulting work, a $75 reimbursable expense and $12 in AI usage charges.

“Use Otis to show me which clients have work ready to invoice.”

name, client_id, remaining_minor

Fernhill Coffee has $687 available and Orbit has $480.

“Check how much of Fernhill Coffee’s $1,000 research project is still available to invoice.”

client_id, status

You have already invoiced $400 of the $1,000 project.

“Explain why only $600 of Fernhill Coffee’s $1,000 project is available to invoice.”

client_id, status

An existing draft reserves $400 of the project, leaving $600 available.

“Use Otis to prepare an invoice for all of Fernhill Coffee’s available work.”

client_id

I found $687 in available work and charges.

“Prepare a draft for $400 of Fernhill Coffee’s research project. Leave the rest for later.”

client_id, lines, supply_date, due_date

Prepared a draft that allocates $400 from the project.

“Apply a 10% discount to Fernhill Coffee’s draft, then tell me how the amount changes.”

invoice_id, reason, client_id, lines, discount, supply_date, due_date

I rebuilt the draft with the discount. It comes to $100, bringing the amount before exclusive tax from $1,000 to $900.

“Check Fernhill Coffee’s draft. Is anything missing before I can issue it?”

invoice_id

One thing is missing: is Fernhill Coffee a business or a consumer?

“Get invoice NS-1001 from Otis and help me prepare the document for Fernhill Coffee.”

invoice_id

I retrieved the issued invoice. It is addressed to Fernhill Coffee for $1,000, due 1 October 2026.

“Record a $400 payment from Fernhill Coffee against NS-1001, received on 15 October 2026. Reference: ACME-1510.”

invoice_id, amount_minor, received_on, reference

Recorded the $400 payment against NS-1001, dated 15 October 2026, with reference ACME-1510.

“Check how much Fernhill Coffee still owes on NS-1001.”

invoice_id

NS-1001 was issued for $1,000. You have recorded a $400 payment, leaving $600 outstanding.

“Use Otis to check which invoices still have money outstanding.”

status

Two invoices have a recorded balance: Fernhill Coffee’s NS-1001 has $600 remaining, and Orbit’s NS-1002 has $480.

“Use Otis to give me a short billing update for Fernhill Coffee.”

client_id, status

Fernhill Coffee has $687 in work and charges available to invoice.

“Use Otis to get my expense records for September 2026 and help me prepare a CSV for my accountant.”

kind

I can retrieve your expense records and select the entries dated in September.

“Use Otis to check the audit history for the changes to Fernhill Coffee’s strategy session.”

kind

The audit history includes the session’s creation and a later update.

“Check where things stand with Fernhill Coffee. What can I invoice, and what is still unpaid?”

client_id, status

Fernhill Coffee has $687 available to invoice.

“Check NS-1001 and draft a short, friendly payment reminder for Fernhill Coffee.”

invoice_id

Hi Fernhill Coffee, a quick follow-up on invoice NS-1001, which was due on 1 October.