Guide
How to write an invoice
Everything an invoice needs, in the order you fill it in, and how to send it so it gets paid on time. Eight steps, one example, no jargon.
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1. Put your details at the top
Your name or business name, an address, and how to reach you (email or phone). If you're registered for VAT or sales tax, add your tax number. A logo is nice but optional.
2. Add who you're billing
The client's name and address. For a company, add the person or department that approves invoices (“Attn: Accounts payable”). It gets your invoice to the right desk.
3. Give it a unique number
Every invoice needs its own number, and most tax authorities expect them in sequence. Pick a format and keep counting: 0001, 2026-001 or your initials plus the year. Never reuse one, even for a cancelled invoice.
4. Date it, and set a due date
The invoice date is the day you issue it. The due date tells the client when to pay: 14 or 30 days later are the usual terms. Write the actual date rather than just “Net 30”.
5. List what you're charging for
One line per product, service or block of work, with a quantity and a price. Use words the client will recognise from the quote. Hours go in as the quantity with your hourly rate as the price; a deposit already paid goes in as a negative line.
6. Add tax if you charge it
If you're registered for VAT, GST or sales tax, add the rate; the tax and total are calculated for you. VAT invoices need a few more details, covered in the UK VAT and EU VAT templates. Not registered? Leave tax out.
7. Say how to pay
Bank details, a check payee, or a payment link. The easier paying is, the sooner you're paid: a payment link with a QR code lets clients pay from their phone.
8. Check it and send it
Read it once as the client would: are the amounts right, the name spelled correctly, the due date clear? Then send the PDF by email with the invoice number in the subject line, or send a link. Keep a copy for your records.
Starting from a template
A template saves you from starting blank. Pick the one closest to your work from the invoice templates (freelance, consulting, contractor, photography, VAT) and it opens with the right lines already set up.
Questions
What makes an invoice legally valid?
Rules differ by country, but almost everywhere an invoice needs a unique number, the date, who it's from and to, what was supplied, the amount, and any tax. If you charge VAT, there are extra details: see the UK and EU VAT templates.
Do invoice numbers have to be sequential?
In most countries, yes, and many tax authorities require it. Pick a format (0001, 2026-001, ML-2026-018) and keep counting; never reuse a number.
What's the difference between an invoice and a receipt?
An invoice asks for payment; a receipt confirms you were paid. You send the invoice first, and a receipt if the client asks for one after paying.
How do I send an invoice?
Email the PDF, or send a link the client can open on their phone and pay from. Put the invoice number in the subject line.