How to make an invoice
The template above has a place for each step. Select any text in the invoice to change it.
- Add your business details and logo. Put your business name, address, phone, and email at the top. Add your tax or VAT number if your country asks for it. A logo makes the invoice look like it came from a real business.
- Add the customer. Write the name of the person or company that pays, and their billing address. If the customer gave you a purchase order (PO) number, add it. Their accounts team needs it to approve the payment.
- Give the invoice a number and the dates. Use a unique number for each invoice, such as INV-0001. Set the invoice date and the payment terms. The template sets the due date from the terms.
- List the work, one line at a time. Write each product or service on its own line with the quantity and the unit price. The template multiplies each line and adds the subtotal.
- Add tax, discounts, and deposits. Set the tax name and rate (sales tax, VAT, GST, or HST), and any discount. If the customer paid a deposit, enter it as the amount paid, so the invoice shows the balance due.
- Say how to pay, then send it. Give your bank details or a payment link, and your late-payment terms. Download the PDF and email it the day you finish the work.
What to include on an invoice
A complete invoice gets paid faster, because the customer's accounts team has nothing to ask. Include these:
- The word “Invoice”, so nobody reads it as a quote
- A unique invoice number
- Your business name, address, and contact details
- Your tax ID or VAT number, where the law asks for it
- The customer's name and billing address
- The invoice date and the due date
- One line for each product or service, with quantity, unit price, and amount
- The subtotal, any discount, the tax with its rate, and the total
- Any deposit already paid, and the balance due
- How to pay: bank details, a payment link, or an address
- Payment terms and any late fee
The rules differ by country. For example, a VAT invoice in the UK or the EU must show your VAT number and the VAT for each rate. If you are not sure, ask your accountant.
Invoice payment terms: Net 30 and others
Payment terms tell the customer when to pay. Choose them in the builder, and the due date changes to match.
| Terms | It means | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Due on receipt | Pay as soon as the invoice arrives. | One-off jobs, new customers, and small amounts. |
| Net 7 / Net 15 | Pay within 7 or 15 days of the invoice date. | Freelancers and trades that need cash quickly. |
| Net 30 | Pay within 30 days of the invoice date. | The usual terms for business customers. |
| Net 60 | Pay within 60 days of the invoice date. | Large companies that pay on a fixed cycle. |
| 2/10 Net 30 | Take 2% off if paid within 10 days; otherwise pay in 30. | When fast payment is worth a small discount. Put it in the terms. |
Shorter terms bring the money in sooner. Agree the terms before you start the work, and write them on the quote too, so the invoice holds no surprise.
How to number your invoices
Give every invoice a unique number, and do not skip or reuse a number. Tax offices and accountants use the series to check that no invoice is missing.
- A simple series: INV-0001, INV-0002, INV-0003.
- The year first: 2026-001, 2026-002. The series starts again each year.
- A customer code: LUM-014 for the fourteenth invoice to Lumen Coffee.
The builder keeps your last number. When you select New invoice, it adds one to the number.
Invoice, quote, or receipt?
The three documents look alike, but each has its own job.
| Document | You send it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Quote or estimate | Before the work | Offers a price. The customer can accept it or not. |
| Invoice | After the work, or when a deposit is due | Asks for payment of a fixed amount by a due date. |
| Receipt | After the payment | Confirms that the customer paid. |
Need to price the work first? Use our free quote and estimate template. When the customer pays, turn on Mark as paid here, and the invoice prints with a PAID stamp that works as a receipt.
How to get paid faster
Send the invoice the same day. Every day you wait adds a day to the payment.
Make it easy to pay. Put the bank details or a payment link on the invoice, and write the invoice number in the payment reference.
Take a deposit on large jobs. Ask for part of the price before you start, and show it as the amount paid on the final invoice.
Follow up before the due date. A short, polite reminder a few days before the due date works better than a demand after it. Our follow-up email templates help you write it.