The essentials
Everything worth knowing about an invoice.
What is an invoice?
An invoice is a document a seller sends to a buyer asking for payment for goods delivered or services performed. It records what was sold, how much is owed, and when and how payment should be made. Invoices are also legal and tax records: they prove income for bookkeeping, support sales-tax or VAT filings, and give both parties a clear reference if a payment is ever disputed.
A professional invoice normally includes a unique invoice number, the issue date and due date, your business and contact details, the client’s details, an itemised list of products or services, subtotal, taxes, any discounts, and the total amount due. Our generator includes all of these fields - plus optional extras like a shipping address, PO number, signature, custom fields and payment instructions.
What to include on an invoice
- The word “Invoice” (or “Tax Invoice” where your tax authority requires it).
- A unique, sequential invoice number - e.g. INV-0001, INV-0002. Never reuse a number.
- Your business name, address and contact details, plus your tax registration number (GSTIN, VAT number, ABN, EIN) if you have one.
- Your client’s name and address.
- Issue date and due date, and the payment terms you agreed (e.g. Net 30).
- A clear description of each product or service, with quantity, unit price and line total.
- Subtotal, discounts, taxes and the total amount due, in the correct currency.
- How to pay you - bank transfer details, UPI ID, PayPal or a payment link.
Not sure about the details? Read our step-by-step guide on how to make an invoice, or learn what payment terms like Net 30 mean.