15+ Free Invoice Templates in PDF
If you’ve ever been in a position where you’re in charge of handling a transaction, then there may have come a time where you were required to provide a document which details said transaction, a document that provides sound evidence that certain parties have come to an agreement involving a particular transaction. You may also see microsoft invoice templates.
So, what kind of document could possibly do that? Well, this is what one would call an invoice and just about every business owner and company is required to learn its creation method. This article is going to teach you all that you need to know about simple invoices and will give you what you need in order to make proper ones.
Invoice Template Bundle
Construction Invoice Template Bundle
Sample Business Invoice
Sales Invoice Example
invoicingtemplate.comRepair Invoice Sample
onlineinvoices.comWhat Is an Invoice?
Remember that the entire point of making this type of document is to prove that parties involved in a particular transaction have come to a written agreement. Not only does it do that, but it also provides both the buyer and the seller all the details about the transaction that has taken or has yet to take place. It’s a very handy tool in the event that one party wishes to learn about a certain aspect of a transaction. For example, if either the buyer or the seller wishes to go through the list of materials that have been provided, then all one has to do is go through the invoice to determine whether everything has been delivered or if there’s anything lacking. You may also see invoice templates.
The seller in the transaction can also benefit greatly from providing an invoice before the transaction takes place. The reason why is because it acts as a form of security measure, letting the buyer know just how much he or she will need to compensate the seller for any product or service can be provided. So long as all of the information one needs is in the invoice, then neither will have to worry about figuring out or guessing what has already or what has yet to transpire. You may also see estimate invoice templates.
Carpenter Invoice Template
printableinvoicetemplates.netArtist Service Invoice Template
ciu10.orgSample Artist Invoice Template
sama-art.orgPersonal Service Invoice Template
dep.ky.govDifference Between an Invoice and a Bill
There’s one major difference between the two and that would be the focus of standpoint. When it comes to an invoice, you’ll be viewed at from the supplier’s standpoint as he or she is tasked with making the document which contains the statement of or products produced and delivered to the customer. This also includes the amount in which the customer will have to compensate the supplier for everything has provided or has yet to be. It’s common for an invoice to be included with products being delivered as this gives the buyer the opportunity to determine whether the supplier or seller has managed to provide everything that was requested. You may also see delivery invoice templates.
As for the bill, this is where you’ll be focusing on the customer’s standpoint. It’s also a document where you’ll be requesting payment from the customer. It’s common to receive a bill without an invoice, a good example would be from either a restaurant or a retail store. One important thing that you should take note of is that once a customer has received a bill, he or she is expected to pay what is owed immediately. So if you were the customer in a situation and have just received a bill, the seller or the supplier will almost always require you to pay upfront. You may also see advertising invoice templates.
Mechanic Invoice Template
montgomerycountymd.govLabor Invoice Template
web.ornl.govInvoice Receipt Template
cie.columbusstate.eduWhat Is Included in an Invoice?
Now that you’ve learned the purpose of an invoice, as well as the differences between it and similar documents, you may now proceed to learn how you should go about in creating one. Much like any other business document, an invoice will require specific information in order to properly convey whatever is required – in this case, a transaction between certain parties.
So here is a list of things that you will have to include with every invoice that you decide to create:
1. The Title of the Document
If you want people to immediately understand the purpose of the document even though a simple glance, then you have to make sure that you provide it with a proper title. So long as you write down the word “invoice” along with an appropriate description as to what kind of transaction it is right beside it (i.e construction invoice, material invoice, etc.) then you can ensure that anyone going through the document will know what it’s for right away.
Place the title near the top so that it can easily be spotted by those that go through the invoice.
2. The Name of Your Business
If you’re the seller in the transaction, then always remember to provide information about your small business into the invoice. The reason as to why you would do so is to guarantee that the buyer knows exactly who he or she is dealing with. Also, it helps those understand who in the situation is the seller. Be sure that you write down the complete name of the business so that people who have to look it up will have an easier time doing so. Also, be sure that you provide a company logo so that anyone can easily identify which business was in charge of creating the invoice. This can be very helpful in the event that one of your clients wishes to recommend your business to a friend for certain services or products.
3. The Seller’s Contact Information
No matter what kind of invoice you decide to create, you have to make sure that the seller’s contact information is placed on the invoice. This can be very helpful in the event that a customer wishes to reach the seller if he or she has any questions or has encountered any problems regarding a transaction. Another reason as to why this piece of information can come in very handy is because there’s always the possibility that a customer would like to do business with the seller again; so if ever the customer wishes to get a hold of the seller, then all he or she has to do is go through the invoice and find the contact information.
There’s always that chance where a specific customer of yours recommends your business to a friend and what better way for them to contact you than by giving them your contact details? You may also see cash invoice templates.
4. The Invoice Number
If you want to ensure that you are able to keep track of every single transaction that you manage to complete or are currently undergoing, then you will need to provide every invoice with their own unique personal invoice number. The point of the invoice number is to differentiate each and every invoice that has already been made, allowing the seller to know which invoice belongs to which transaction.
This can be very helpful if you suddenly have multiple customers asking you questions about a transaction and you have to look up each information individually. So long as you give them their own unique numbers, then you shouldn’t have to worry about pulling up the wrong document with every customer that you have to deal with. This is all assuming that the customer manages to provide you with the proper invoice number that’s based on his or her transaction with your simple business.
5. The Invoice Date
This is information as to when the seller has issued the invoice. There are many reasons as to why you would want to place this in the invoice, but one of the main reasons for doing so is to use it as proof to show when the invoice was made in the event that there’s a legal dispute regarding the matter. Another important reason as to why you would want to place this within the document is so that you can easily find the right invoice for a transaction. While the invoice number already does this, knowing when it was made can speed up the search process. You may also see general invoice templates.
A good tip for you to know is that you should issue every invoices in a timely manner as that alone can help improve the cash flow as well as ensuring that the customer who receives it pays you much sooner. So once you finish the job or if you decide to make it before the job even starts, be sure that you are able to provide the invoice immediately. You may also see carpenter invoice templates.
6. The Terms of Payment
The terms of payment is exactly as it sounds, the terms that will explain how the buyer will have to compensate the seller with whatever has been provided. This is very important as the information will ensure that both have an understanding as to how the transaction will take place. Take note that every business has their own terms of payment so you’ll have to work out what will work best for you and your customers. Just make sure that you provide ample information so that both sides will know how the transaction should happen. You may also see self-employed invoice templates.
7. The Due Date
If you were to combine the terms of payment and the invoice date, then you would get the due date. To keep things simple, this is basically the date in which the customer is expected to pay the seller for whatever product or service has yet to be or already provided. Having a due date on the invoice is a tactful and professional way of telling your customer when he or she will be required to pay you what is owed. Be sure that you write down the month, day, and year so that the customer will know exactly when the payment has to be made. You may also see commercial invoice templates.
8. Buyer Information
As you’re making the invoice, you have to remember that you must include information on the person that you’re selling your products and/or services to. Remember that this piece of information will definitely be useful in the event that one has to identify which is the buyer in a transaction. The only thing that you have to do on your end is to write down the complete name of the customer as well as his or her contact information in the event that he or she needs to be contacted. You may also see professional invoice templates.
9. Details of the Products and/or Services
This is something that one should always place in whatever invoice has to be made. You have to guarantee that you place all the details regarding whatever product and/or service you have sold or about to sell to a customer. What you will have to write down the are things like the description of the product or service, the quantity that you will be providing them in, the price of each, and the total amount of payment for everything provided. The more details that you are able to provide, the better. This way, your customer will know exactly what is being paid for and he or she can easily identify if everything has been provided or if there are certain things that have yet to be. You may also see business service invoice samples.
The seller can also benefit from knowing if everything has already been provided as that can help avoid issues such as the customer contacting to ask questions regarding what has yet to be delivered by the seller. Just make sure that you provide accurate information of whatever has been sold or is about to be sold to a customer so that you won’t have to deal with problems that could result in the delay of payment. You may also see plumbing invoice templates.
10. Sales Tax
Depending on your jurisdiction and type of business, the tax requirement can get complicated. So what you will need to do is follow whatever your local tax bureau has set and include the appropriate tax amount into the document. You may also see deposit invoice templates.
11. Discounts
While you don’t necessarily have to include discounts in your invoice, it’s certainly something that will get your customers to continue doing business with you. Always make sure that you put in the exact percentage of the discount into the document. A customer who knows is receiving a discount greatly appreciate it and that can help build customer loyalty as well as the possibility of you gaining more customers. Just make sure that whatever discounts your provide is one that still allows your business to gain profit rather than lose any. You may also see DJ invoice templates.
12. Notes
A lot of businesses tend to overlook writing down notes, but this is something that should never be taken for granted. Even the simplest of phrases such as “thank you for for your business” can greatly affect how a customer perceives a company that he or she has done business with. The more you show that you want to connect with your customer, then the better your business’s image. It may even result in the customer paying for the product or service faster than if you didn’t put in a note. If you want, you include additional information such as instructions how the payment should go or a personalized message that you would like to share with a customer. You may also see purchase invoice templates.
Independent Contract Service Invoice Form
unh.eduSample Contractor Invoice
smartenergy-zone.comProfessional Services Invoice
m.bart.govDifference Between an Invoice and a Purchase Order
Many people often confuse both an invoice and a purchase order thinking that they were similar. The easiest way for you to differentiate the two is that an invoice is a document you can make before or after a transaction, while a purchase order is something that you always provide before it takes place. You may also see rent invoice templates.
Another major difference between the two is that a purchase order records an order by a customer to a vendor or supplier while an invoice records the receipt of the product or service and the terms of payment. If you’ve ever worked in a company that handles sales or work orders, then you should have noticed that every purchase order made was used for the approval process of any order that was made by a client.
There are some companies which require purchase orders for products or services over a specific amount while an invoice is made for any amount that a client would have to compensate. Although the differences between the two are minimal, you’ll have to take note of them as learning to differentiate one from the other will show just how professional you and your business are.
Sample Invoice Template
nrc.govWeb Design Invoice Template
dpwebdesign.com.auContractor Invoice Template
dnr.wi.govTips for Making Your Invoice
Now that you’ve learned what should be on the document, the next step is for you to make it in a way that will ensure you get paid. One of the main reasons as to why a business doesn’t get paid on time is because he or she has not been given enough information regarding how the payment should go. Something like this can easily be solved if the seller knows what to place and how to place it on the invoice. You may also see printable invoice templates.
So here are a couple of tips that will ensure that you get paid and that will help you make a proper invoice:
1. Be Sure that It’s Easy to Understand
If you want your customers to understand whatever it is that you’ve written down on an invoice, then you have to keep things as simple as possible. This means that you’re going to have to organize each and every piece of information that you will have to provide about a transaction. A good example of making sure that a customer can easily go through the invoice is to use terms that can easily be understood. Another is to arrange the list of products or services provided alphabetically or via their amount. You may also see simple proforma invoice templates.
Remember that one of the best ways to get people to learn about the purpose of the document right away is through its title. Just make sure that you are able to provide it and that it’s located in an area of the invoice where anyone who goes through it will easily be able to spot it. You may also see photography invoice templates.
2. Clarify the Terms of Payment
If you want to make sure that you won’t have any problems when it comes to payment, then you have to clarify how you expect the customer to pay you before or after you’ve provided what he or she needs. You basically have to point out how much you are owed, when the payment has to be made, and what items will have to be paid for. Also, provide all the details of the payment process to the customer so that you won’t have to deal with issues such as late payments or worse, not being paid at all. You may also see medical invoice templates.
3. Be Flexible With the Payment Method
The more comfortable the customer is with how he or she is going to pay you for what you’ve provided, then the faster you can expect to receive the payment. You have to give your customers different options on how they would like to pay you as that alone can help increase your customer base and customer loyalty. So long as you’re able to provide them with a payment option that they are comfortable with, then you can guarantee that you will be paid on time. You may also see handyman invoice templates.
4. Place Incentives for Early Payments
There are a lot of customers who have a bad habit of paying a day before or on the day of the due date, making a lot of businesses worry as to whether or not they will actually get paid. To prevent customers from doing this, you can opt to give them incentives that will make them pay earlier. You may also see health invoice templates.
A good example is by discounting their payment if they manage to pay within a certain period of time before the due date. This will make your customers want to pay early and it’s a chance for you to increase customer loyalty. You may also see small business invoices.
5. Place Fees for Late Payments
Putting incentives on early payments isn’t the only way to get people to pay early. By providing late fees with every invoice you make, it will get every customer who is used to paying late to pay within the due date. However, by doing this, you need to be prepared for vocal feedback from your customers, especially by those who are used to paying late. But this is to be expected as you should be paid on time for whatever you have provided, so remember to handle this in a professional manner. You may also see elegant invoice templates.
If you would like to learn more about invoices or if you want to learn about other documents related to business transactions, then all you have to do is go to our site. It has the many different articles that you need which should be able to help you during certain situations. Just make sure that you go through them thoroughly so that you won’t have to worry about using them effectively. You may also see bakery invoice templates.
More in Invoice Templates
