Free Invoice Template

What is an Invoice

An invoice, sometimes also called a bill of sale, is a legal document concerning a transfer of goods or services in exchange for payment. The invoice should clearly state what has been sold, from whom and to whom, and request payment of the amount due. Other conditions of the transfer, such as when the payment is due, and in what form, should also be included in the invoice. The unique invoice number serves as the reference of the transaction.

What is an Invoice Template

An invoice template, also called an invoice form, or an invoice sample, is a fillable document you can use to generate an invoice. It contains blank fields for your company name, customer contact details, the invoice number, date and due date, as well as line items. You can fill the blanks with your own information and create professional invoices fast. An invoice template makes you look professional, saves your time and makes sure all important invoice information gets included.

Why Use an Online Invoice Template

There are several advantages to using an online invoice template:

• It's fast: you save time
• You look professional
• All the essentials are included. No worries about forgetting something important, like the due date.
• It calculates all the totals for you.
• Your documents are neatly organized for future reference
• You can see when your customer views the invoice

Who Needs an Invoice Template

If you sell a product or service, chances are you need an invoice template. Invoices aren't just for big companies — they're essential for freelancers, small business owners, and independent contractors who need a professional way to bill their clients. Here are just a few examples of who benefits from using an invoice template:

• Freelancers – Writers, designers, illustrators, and musicians who need to bill clients for their work.
• Service Providers – Cleaners, landscapers, HVAC specialists, electricians, and mechanics who provide hands-on services.
• Consultants & Contractors – Business consultants, independent contractors, and construction professionals who work on projects.
• Creative Professionals – Photographers, graphic designers, and artists who charge for creative work.
• Small Business Owners – From caterers to auto repair shops, having an invoice keeps transactions organized.
• Retail & Sales – Vendors, shipment providers, and anyone selling goods need invoices to track sales.

What Should I Include in an Invoice

There are some essential items every invoice should include. Your logo, your company name and the name and contact information of your customer are some of them. An invoice should also include an invoice number and date, as well as a due date, so that your customer can know when the payment is due. The invoice number is especially important because it is unique to that invoice and serves as a reference number, keeping different invoices apart even when they are made out to the same recipient.

Next come the line items with quantity, description, unit price and line total. This is also where the discounts and applicable taxes are added. All the line totals are added to calculate the invoice total. Finally, you can add your payment instructions, your terms and conditions and thank the customer for their business.

How do I Turn my Invoice into a PDF Document

Creating a PDF document from your invoice is really simple. All you have to do is click on the 'PDF' button and your invoice will be downloaded as a PDF file. You can then move it to a location of your choice or send it to your customer as an email attachment.

What are some Other Names for an Invoice Template

Another name for an invoice template is an invoice form or invoice sample. It is also sometimes called a standard invoice, a final sales invoice, a commercial invoice, final invoice, or official invoice. Some people also like to specify what the invoice is for and call it a service invoice, a contractor invoice, a landscaping invoice and so on. The actual differences between the different industry invoices are minor and are mostly the type of items sold, rather than a real difference in the invoice use or design. You can use the docmonkee free invoice template to create any of them.

What is a Proforma Invoice

The purpose of the proforma invoice is to show how much the goods or services will cost, should a customer go ahead and proceed with a purchase. As a document a proforma invoice is more similar to an estimate or a quote than an invoice. A proforma invoice is not a legally binding document and does not constitute an obligation by the customer or buyer to pay the invoice. That is why after the transaction is complete the seller should issue an official final invoice.

How do I Add a Discount to my Invoice

Adding a discount to your invoice is simple. You can add it in the same way you add any other line item. The only difference is that on the discount you include a minus (–) sign in front of the unit price, indicating that the discount should be subtracted from the total. If you have applied a sales tax to the item you are discounting, you should apply the same sales tax to the discount, in order for the calculation to be performed correctly. Remember to write a description for your discount so that your customer understands that this is a discount and exactly what is discounted.

How do I Include Sales Tax on my Invoice

In order to add sales tax you first need to specify the name of your tax as well as the tax percentage. Then you can choose whether or not the tax should be included in every line item on the invoice.