How to write an invoice

An invoice tells your client what they owe, for what, and how to pay. A clear one gets paid faster and saves back-and-forth emails. You can follow the steps below in any of our free invoice templates, which fill in the maths for you.

1. Your business details

Put your business name, address, phone and email at the top, plus your logo if you have one. Contractors should add a license number; businesses registered for VAT or sales tax should add their tax number.

2. Your client's details

Add the client's name, company and billing address. If the work happened somewhere else, such as a job site, list that too.

3. A unique invoice number

Number every invoice so you and your client can refer to it, for example INV-001, INV-002. Never reuse a number. QuoteToPaid numbers them for you.

4. The issue date and due date

Show when you sent the invoice and when payment is due. A due date of 14 or 30 days is common; see our payment terms guide for what to choose.

5. Line items

List each product or service on its own line with a short description, quantity, rate and amount. Be specific: “Kitchen faucet replacement, parts and labor” beats “Plumbing work”. Hourly work can show dates and hours, as in the Hourly Timesheet template.

6. Subtotal, tax, discounts and the total

Add up the lines, take off any discount, add tax at the right rate, and show the total clearly. If the client already paid a deposit, show it and the balance due.

7. How to pay

Tell the client exactly how to pay: bank details, Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, card or check, and the invoice number to use as a reference. The easier it is to pay, the sooner you are paid.

8. Payment terms and a thank-you

Add your terms, such as late fees, and a short thank-you note. Then download it as a PDF and send it by email or text.

Create your invoice now. It's free, and there's no sign-up.