Problems with character limits in item descriptions

[ESL-Mark]

Each item on an invoice has a 1,000 character limit for the description. In the lower right of the description box, it shows the character count. Sometimes it will be around 970 characters, but when I attempt to save the draft, I get an error message that the description exceeds 1,000 characters. I cannot figure out how to know what magic number is the limit because it doesn't seem to be the 1,000 that appears in the error message.

My descriptions sometimes includes special characters, so I thought maybe they are counted as more than one character. However, today my text had nothing beyond what is entered from the standard keyboard yet I still had the problem. I hate to think of how many hours have been wasted over the years trying to abbreviate words and weaken the description to get down to some number that Paypal considers below 1,000.

[WarGamePainting]

I have the same exact problems now, I is not near enough put down the list that my client is ordering and to write down everything that it's clear. Now I don't know how to send a normal invoice anymore since I can't really type in much for 400 letters, what a joke. We are already overpaying for the services and they make them worse and worse. Love the widows size also they locked now. I can't resize it and make it bigger so that I can write down easier and more clear but a small windows and it's like **bleep** user...

What is up with all of this brainless changes?!

[MTS_Chiranjeevi]

Hi @ESL-Mark / @WarGamePainting  / @VCGUK ,

Thank you for the confirmation. 

Yes, we understand that you're having trouble creating Invoice via PayPal account, instead of API. I know how frustrating that can be. 

Could you please try again and if your still facing the issue, I would suggest to please contact our PayPal Customer service via link - https://www.paypal.com/smarthelp/contact-us (then choose at the bottom one of the contact methods - email or phone) who should be able to help you regarding the request.

They will be able to assist you further as they are specially trained to address this type of account inquiry.

[VCGUK]

Thanks for your reply. Contacted CS and effectively wasted my time as they could not help at all Perhaps as a PayPal employee you might have access to other avenues of enquiry?

[MTS_Chiranjeevi]

@VCGUK 

We can understand the trouble.

If your still facing the issue, could you please create a MTS ticket via - https://www.paypal-support.com/s/?language=en_US with detailed error information.

[VCGUK]

Your response is correct for users integrating invoicing to sites, but the problem is related to invoicing from within PayPal itself where users cannot change the limitation on characters. 400 characters is clearly not enough and logic defies why it has been set to that by PayPal themselves with no notice The company encourages users to use the native invoicing, but then makes it virtually useless.

[TISIAS]

I hate this new character limits on invoice...seriously! I don't see why they made this change for. And now it's affecting my speed of making and issuing the invoices. When there was no character limit, I could make so many more invoices, but now with this stupid character limit, it takes so much more time, and sometimes (or many times), I can't put all the info required. I found out there are character limits in ALL FIELDS OF INPUT on the invoice, which is really dumb. Some of us need to write 1-2 paragraphed information for the recipients. But the current character limit is really too small. Again, I don't see the reason why they made this change...

To PayPal: I want to inquire about removing the character limits when making the invoice on PayPal. This unexpected change without notice is seriously affecting my business and slowing down many processes for issuing a lot of invoices for my customers. It's not good for the both of us. I have already inquired 2-3 times in April, and they said they will remove it, but nothing happened. Please take the responsibility to fix this problem. Thank you.

Certain character limits have been applied to the invoicing system in all fields of input (address, item details, note to recipient, etc. EVERY blank spaces and the characters are NOT ENOUGH to place all required details and information for our clients. I see there is really NO POINT in doing this...! Please change it soon. Now it takes way more time to issue invoices and also our customers don't get the fuller information and guidance to pay via PayPal. WHICH IS ALSO BAD FOR YOU as you will get less commission of the transfers. I am sure that many PayPal users are complaining about the same thing. Or at least make character limits like 2000-3000 characters then it will be no problem.

[VCGUK]

It really does slow workflow down. Even the 'reference' field is limited to 16 characters now. Very unhelpful. I too have reached out to CS and have seen nothing change.

[RB209]

This is permanent and intentionally done. Probably done to save money.  I am going to look for alternatives, as this is severely restrictive for us.   

[TISIAS]

Yes, I've also been continuously poking PayPal, but they only return theoretical answers, and not really helping me out for chage. I also have a negative feeling that PayPal won't be changing anything back or restoring it back to normal. To be honest I also don't like the new invoice template of PayPal that they changed a couple of years ago. Template change, that's okay. But this character limit, it's now become a huge technical issue for us. If you are going to use an alternative, please share it with me what it will be... Thanks mate.

[RB209]

This is permanent, and intentionally done, probably to save money on storage servers.