How to Create an Invoice

To create an invoice (or make an invoice from scratch), record who is billing whom, what was supplied, how the charge was calculated, when payment is due and how the customer can pay. Then check the totals, dates, currency and references against the agreement before sharing it.

Step-by-step: how to make an invoice

1. Add business details. Enter the seller’s business or trading name and useful contact details. Add registration identifiers only when relevant to your situation.
2. Add customer details. Use the customer name and contact or billing details they supplied. Confirm the correct legal or trading name for the transaction.
3. Choose a unique invoice number. Follow your numbering system and check that the number has not already been used. See invoice-number examples.
4. Add the invoice date. Use the date the invoice is issued. If the service or supply date differs and matters to the transaction, show it separately.
5. Set the due date. Match the date to your agreed terms. A due-date calculator can help with date arithmetic.
6. Describe each product or service. Use a description the customer can recognize and reconcile with the quote, order, project or work performed.
7. Enter quantity and rates. Show units, billable hours, days, milestones or other pricing units where useful. Check that quantity multiplied by rate gives the intended line amount.
8. Review discounts and other charges. Apply only agreed discounts, deposits, expenses or additional charges. Show them clearly rather than hiding changes in a line description.
9. Set tax details when applicable. Use the treatment and rate that you have determined apply. The generator’s editable tax fields perform arithmetic; they do not decide registration, eligibility or legal treatment.
10. Write the payment terms. State the agreed due date or term, accepted methods and any deposit or partial-payment arrangement. Include instructions the customer needs to pay. See payment terms explained.
11. Review the total and references. Check the subtotal, discount, tax and total; compare the invoice with any approved quote, purchase order or contract. Confirm currency and invoice number.
12. Download or send it. Save a copy, then deliver it using the method agreed with the customer. This generator can create a document but does not email invoices or process payments. See how to send an invoice.

Create an invoice online (quick path)

1. Open the free invoice generator in your browser—no account required.
2. Enter seller and customer details, then add line items with quantities and rates.
3. Set currency, due date, payment instructions and any tax label that applies.
4. Review the live preview, then download a PDF or print and send it yourself.

Prefer a starting layout? Pick a design from the free invoice templates library, then edit the same live invoice data.

Worked example

A freelance designer bills 8 hours at $75 per hour. The line amount is 8 × $75 = $600 before any agreed discount or applicable tax. The invoice should identify the work, show the $600 calculation, state the agreed due date and provide accurate payment instructions. If an amount is still only a proposal, use a quote or estimate rather than presenting it as completed billable work.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Reusing an invoice number or leaving the number blank.
• Vague line descriptions the customer cannot match to the work.
• Showing a due date that conflicts with the written payment terms.
• Omitting currency when the customer might assume a different one.
• Marking an invoice paid before funds are confirmed—use a receipt after payment arrives.
• Sending a quote labelled as an invoice before work is accepted or billable.

Before you share

• Are names, invoice number, date, currency and PO or project reference correct?
• Do line descriptions match the agreed scope and completed work?
• Do the calculation and any tax display match your intended treatment?
• Is the due date consistent with the agreement?
• Can the customer tell exactly how to pay and who to contact with a question?

Use the invoice contents checklist for a closer look at the document fields, or start from a simple invoice template.