What To Include In Business Invoice?

Finally! When you’ve successfully completed a service for one of our clients, it is time to be paid. But what happens next can feel like an administrative headache. This article will go over some tips regarding what you should include in your bill and how to avoid common mistakes and confusion to get paid quickly without any hiccups along the way.

What is an invoice?

An invoice can be defined as a document or piece of paper sent by a service provider to the purchaser or consumer. In other words, it’s a form through which you will be paid against your products or services rendered.

What should an invoice include?

An invoice contains various things, including the following information:

Names – You need to include your name, business name, and the client’s name.

Address – Your invoice should contain your business address along with your official email address.

Dates – Mention the date on the invoice. For services rendered, it is also advised to mention the date the service was rendered.

Price – List the costs of the services you provided or products you have sold to the client.

Quantity – Include the quantity of purchases if applicable. For example, if the client has ordered ten small cups, ensure to mention the same in the relevant area.

Hours – If you have delivered services at hourly rates, clients want to know how many hours it took for this job. For example, if you have completed the task in five hours at $70.00/hour, just mention that on the invoice. Here your total bill will be $350.00.

Terms of payment – You need to mention when the payment will be due. For example, net 20 means the payment will be due within 15 days.

Late payment charges – You must include your late payment charges in your invoice clearly if your customer fails to pay the amount at the given time.

How to send an invoice?

You can send the bill or invoice through post mail, fax, or email. The best practice is to discuss the matter with your client before signing the contract.

What else should you mention in an invoice?

Some other things that you can list in your invoice include:

Discounts – If you are offering any discounts, your invoice must reflect that.

Specific Conditions – You can also mention any specific terms regarding the job in your invoice if needed.

Payments options – You need to mention the payment options stating how your clients can pay you. You can mention we accept payments through cheque, credit/debit card, or cash, etc.

Keep In Mind…

If you have provided multiple services or products, mention the details in separate lines. For example, if a person has ordered three cups and five plates, you need to mention the details of the cup in one line and details of plates in another line.

Lastly, your company invoice must remain the same every time so that customers can recognize who it’s from. If one of your invoices is blue and the next time it’s red, this can confuse your clients. Similarly, this also shows that you are not consistent with your brand’s identity.