How to make an invoice, step by step
Updated · 3 min read
An invoice is a request for payment. It tells your client what they bought, how much they owe, when it is due and how to pay. A clear invoice gets paid faster, and a sloppy one gets queried, lost or forgotten.
Here is how to make one properly in about five minutes.
1. Add your business details
Start with who the invoice is from: your business name (or your own name if you are a sole trader), address, email and phone number. If you are registered for VAT, GST or sales tax, add the registration number here too.
Tip: in our invoice generator, save these under My business in the sidebar. They are filled in automatically on every new invoice.
2. Add your client’s details
Write the name of the person or company you are billing and their billing address. For larger companies, add the contact person or department (for example “Accounts Payable”) and any purchase order (PO) number they gave you. Many finance teams cannot pay an invoice without one.
3. Give it a unique invoice number and a date
Every invoice needs its own number that you never reuse. A simple sequence like INV-0001, INV-0002 works well. Read our guide to invoice numbering for other formats.
Add the invoice date (usually the day you send it) and the due date.
4. Set your payment terms
Payment terms tell the client how long they have to pay. Common ones:
- Due on receipt: pay now
- Net 15: within 15 days
- Net 30: within 30 days
Choose terms before you start work, and repeat them on the invoice. See payment terms explained.
5. List what you are charging for
Add a line for each product or service with:
- a short, specific description (“Homepage design, 2 concepts” beats “Design work”),
- the quantity (hours, units, days),
- the rate (price per unit),
- the amount (quantity × rate).
6. Add tax, discounts and shipping
If you charge tax, add it after any discount. Name it correctly (VAT, GST, sales tax) and show the rate. Shipping or delivery goes on its own line. Our guide to adding tax to an invoice walks through the details.
7. Check the total and balance due
The invoice should show the subtotal, any discount and tax, the total, anything already paid (such as a deposit) and the balance due. Double-check it matches what you quoted.
8. Explain how to pay
Say exactly how you want to be paid: bank transfer details, a payment link, or accepted cards. Add a short thank-you note. It costs nothing and it helps.
9. Send it as a PDF
Download the invoice as a PDF and email it to the right person, with the invoice number and amount in the subject line. For example: “Invoice INV-0042 from Acme Design, 1,250 due 30 Sept”.
Example invoice
| Item | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website design – 5 pages | 1 | 1,500.00 | 1,500.00 |
| Copywriting | 6 | 60.00 | 360.00 |
| Stock photos | 4 | 12.50 | 50.00 |
| Subtotal | 1,910.00 | ||
| Tax (10%) | 191.00 | ||
| Total | 2,101.00 | ||
| Deposit paid | −500.00 | ||
| Balance due | 1,601.00 |
After you send it
Keep a copy, note the due date, and follow up politely the day after it passes if you have not been paid. In our tool, every invoice is saved in your history in the sidebar, where you can mark it paid or duplicate it for next month.