Free invoice generator

What an invoice must include

Most invoicing rules ask for the same core details: who is billing whom, a unique invoice number, the date, what you supplied, the amounts and any tax. The generator above has a field for each. The details vary by country, so here is what the official sources say for some common cases. Invollo isn’t a tax adviser; check with your tax authority or accountant if you’re unsure.

United Kingdom

GOV.UK lists what an invoice must include: a unique identification number, your company name, address and contact information, the name and address of the customer, a clear description of what you’re charging for, the supply date, the invoice date, the amounts charged, the VAT amount if applicable, and the total owed. Sole traders also include their name and any business name. If you and your customer are both VAT registered, you must issue a VAT invoice, which needs more detail. Source: GOV.UK, Invoices: what they must include; see also HMRC VAT Notice 700.

European Union

The European Commission’s summary of the VAT Directive lists the contents of a full VAT invoice, including the date of issue, a unique sequential number, the supplier’s and customer’s full names and addresses, the supplier’s VAT number, the customer’s VAT number when the customer is liable for the tax, a description and quantity of what you supplied, the unit price, and the VAT rate and amount. When the customer is liable for the tax under the reverse-charge procedure, the invoice must carry the words “reverse charge”: tick the Reverse charge box and keep that wording in the note. Source: European Commission, VAT invoicing.

United States

There is no single federal list of invoice fields. The IRS counts invoices among the supporting documents a business should keep to back up its income and expenses, so keep a copy of every invoice you send. Source: IRS, What kind of records should I keep. Sales tax is set by states and local governments, so check your state’s rules before adding it. Billing US clients from abroad? They may ask you for a Form W-8BEN; our free W-8BEN generator fills it in.

Everywhere else

Many countries with VAT or GST, and some with e-invoicing systems, prescribe their own tax-invoice format. This generator makes a general commercial invoice. If you’re registered for VAT or GST at home, use your tax authority’s format for invoices that fall under it. For clients abroad, our guide to international invoicing covers currencies, VAT and how to get paid.

Tips that get invoices paid sooner

• Use clear payment terms (for example Net 14) and a real due date, not “ASAP”.
• Invoice in the currency you agreed with the client, and say who pays transfer fees in the payment instructions.
• Describe the work the way the client will recognise it: the project, the period and the hours or deliverables.
• Number invoices in one sequence (INV-0001, INV-0002…) and never reuse a number.