An invoice is an indispensible part of any business, regardless of the size of the company. Even if you are self employed or a freelancer, an invoice can make your payments from clients streamlined and uncluttered.
Most importantly, unless you are able to present the expenses incurred for your services in an accurate manner, you will not be able to stand the competition from rivals. Moreover, as a vendor you ought to be client-centric and see that your clients come first.
You will be your client’s favorite if you can steer clear of the complication that arises due to financial misappropriation. With the help of an invoice, you can keep these unforeseen incidents at bay and share a great rapport with your client.
If you don’t have the time to create your own invoice template, you can use the ready-made ones that are available online and you can select from a broad spectrum of the same.
In this article let us find out how you can create your own template if you don’t want to use the readymade ones.
How to create your own invoice template – Step-wise guide
Go through the following points to know more about the topic.
- More than payment request –First and foremost, you have to keep an important aspect in mind and that is an invoice is more than just a payment request.
- It is a kind of contract agreement -Make sure when you design an invoice, the terms and conditions of the contract (formal agreement) must also be included.
- Provide contact details – If you are just mentioning your name alongside the amount to be received it is alright till the time it is a small transaction. However, the moment the transaction involved is large, you will have to mention stuff like email ID, contact details, account number, customer ID and assignment ID, and so on. In fact, any number or ID that will distinguish you from other vendors needs to be included in the invoice.
- Type of task completed – When you fill in your invoice, make sure you describe the assignment for which you are sending the invoice. The product, services (project) has to be mentioned without fail. But try not to make it lengthy instead be to the point, specific, without including unnecessary details that clutter the invoice sheet.
- Breakdown bill amount – Invoice is basically a visual representation of the amount you are entitled to receive. To clarify things and make things cleared, you can provide itemized bill. If you are supposed to get a lump sum, make it clear to the client how you arrived at that figure (payable amount).
- Mention all dates – Ideally, every invoice will have 2/3 dates mentioned. The first one is the date the task was assigned to you, the second date reflects the date on which the assignment was completed and submitted and the last date (if there is a provision) is to mention the date in the event there was a delay and the work was delivered late.
- Late payment and penalty – Just as you have included an item that mentioned late submission of work, similarly, if the payment is delayed, the amount that has to be shelled out as penalty or late fee has to be included in the invoice sheet too.
- Mode of payment – The next and vital aspect that is required to be included in the sheet is mode of payment. If it is being made through check, the check number, date of payment, validity and such factors should be mentioned. Whether or not it will be an online transfer (online receipt can be provided)
- Company logo – Aside from your contact information which also includes your name, the logo of your company has to be included too.
- Invoice number – Last but not the least; do not forget to mention the invoice number.
