How to Write an Invoice to Get Paid Faster
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- How to Write an Invoice
Knowing how to make and send professional invoices to your clients is an important (and necessary) part of every service business.
Invoices tell clients how much they owe you, when to pay, and how to make a payment. And they keep you organized, help with cash flow, and boost your professionalism.
Follow these steps to learn how to write an invoice that benefits you and your clients, helping your service business run smoothly.
Here’s how to write an invoice the right way:
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Make an invoice template
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Add company and client details
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Individualize your invoice
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List products and services
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Determine the total due
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Put in payment terms
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Thank your customer for their business
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Send your invoice
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What does an invoice look like?
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Best practices for writing service invoices
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Write better invoices with software
1. Make an invoice template
Writing an invoice from scratch for each client wastes time and leaves room for error. A free invoice template with all the right elements helps speed up your invoicing process.
Your invoice template should include the following:
- An invoice number
- Your customer information, including name and address
- Your business name, logo, and address, as well as contact information
- The services provided
- The payment due date
- Any discounts, taxes, or fees
- The total amount due
- Payment terms and instructions
To draft your template, you can either make your own in Google Docs or Microsoft Word or use Jobber’s free invoice template, which automatically generates your invoice.
Simply fill in the information with your invoice details and upload your logo to generate a customized invoice for each job and client.
Below is an example of an invoice created with Jobber’s invoice generator.
2. Add your company and client details
Once you have a blank template to work with, it’s time to fill it in. Start with adding your company and client details, such as:
- Your business name and address
- Your phone number, email address, and website
- The client’s name and mailing address
- The service address
Pro Tip: Add your logo to the top left corner of the invoice if you have one. It’ll look professional and help you to build some brand recognition.
Pro Tip: With Jobber’s invoicing software, you can add your logo and brand colors to your invoice to make it more memorable to clients and to help establish your brand.
3. Add a unique invoice number and dates
Three of the most important parts of your invoice are:
- The invoice number
- The invoice date
- The payment due date
While your invoice number will be unique to each client, the invoice and payment due dates may be the same, depending on your billing cycle.
The invoice number and invoice date are for your records. They help keep you organized, making filing taxes, organizing recurring invoices, and tracking jobs easier.
The payment due date tells clients when to pay to avoid late fees or interest charges. You can also use it to determine when to send overdue payment reminders if a client hasn’t paid on time.
This information is usually provided at the top of your invoice so that it’s clear and easy to find. Most service providers put it in the top right corner.
READ MORE: When to send an invoice to get paid faster
4. List the products and services sold
Next come your goods and services details. This information tells clients what they’re paying for and provides you with a record of what you did for them.
Be sure to include:
- A description of the product or service
- The quantity of labor or materials (for example, 3 hours or two bags of fertilizer)
- The unit cost of each item
Provide enough detail in the description so the type of service or product you provided is clear to your client. For example, instead of writing “lawn treatment,” try “crabgrass control” or “grub prevention.”
In some cases, you may also want to include brand names or product descriptions, such as the make and model of laminate flooring you use in a client’s home. These details will provide both of you with a record of what was used in case of future repairs.
5. Determine the total due
The amount due on your invoice isn’t always the total of your products and services. It also needs to include:
- Deposits
- Taxes
- Fees
- Discounts
The total amount due is usually included at the bottom of an invoice, below the amounts for each line item. It’s a good idea to put this number in bold to make it stand out.
6. Put in payment details
Payment terms outline payment-specific information, such as:
- Which payment methods do you accept, and how to use them
- Whether you charge late fees or interest on overdue payments
- Any money-back guarantees or service warranties
Providing clear instructions helps your clients make a timely payment and makes the payment process as easy as possible. Plus, they’ll know the consequences upfront for late payments.
Include this information at the very bottom of your invoice, next to the total due for services rendered. If possible, add links to any relevant policies so clients can review them in more detail.
7. Show your gratitude
Invoices are the perfect place to express your appreciation. Leave a short thank-you note at the bottom of your invoice to make the client feel good about choosing to work with you.
This space is also a great place to mention other details, such as:
- Your referral program
- Any upcoming seasonal discounts
- A request for a review
Just make sure to stick to what’s relevant to the client so that the bottom of your invoice doesn’t get overloaded with too much information.
8. Send your invoice
After you write your invoice, it’s time to send it. While some clients may still prefer mailed invoices, most will expect to receive them via email or text.
First, save it as a PDF. This step will ensure it maintains its formatting and looks just as good to the client as it does to you. Then, email, text, or use Jobber’s invoicing software to send it on its way.
READ MORE: How to send an invoice that gets paid faster
What does an invoice look like?
When you combine all of the elements above into a single invoice, your final PDF should look something like this:
Best practices for writing service invoices
Now that you know the basics of writing invoices, here are some invoicing best practices to follow to up your game:
- Send digital invoices. When possible, send online invoices to clients. They’re easier to track, store, and resend and much harder to lose than a paper copy.
- Use 14-day payment terms. Prevent outstanding invoices by shortening the time between when you send an invoice and when payment is due to 14 days. This window still gives the client time to pay but prevents you from having a lengthy payment cycle.
- Offer a variety of payment methods. The more payment options you offer to clients, the easier it is for them to pay you by choosing their preferred method, like paying with a credit card or making an e-transfer.
- Be consistent. Use software or invoice templates to keep your invoices consistent between clients and jobs.
Write better invoices with software
While manually creating invoices works fine if you only have a handful of clients, it’ll become tedious as your client list grows.
It also leaves room for human error, making it more likely for you to accidentally use the wrong email address or client name, making you look disorganized.
Software is a good option for small businesses looking to take the next step in professional invoicing. Using software like Jobber to write and send invoices helps to:
- Instantly generate accurate and professional invoices
- Get automatic reminders to send invoices for jobs you’ve just finished
- Track received payments and invoice due dates
- Send multiple invoices at once with batch invoicing
- Automatically send invoice invoice follow-ups that remind clients to pay their overdue invoice
Home service pro Jessica Bannister of Cam Cool Refrigeration knows the power of using software for invoicing, “Jobber has freed up so much of my time because I can convert jobs into invoices while I’m still in my truck.”
And, since invoicing software ensures your invoices include everything they need to make it easy for clients to pay you, it’s a great way to get paid faster and improve cash flow.
Just be sure to track important job details as you go, like labor and materials, so the quantities, totals, and descriptions you include are accurate and up-to-date.
Originally published in April 2019. Last updated on September 10, 2024.
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