How to write an invoice template uk

If you operate a limited company, you should also include your formal registered name, company registration number and VAT registration number.

According to the Gov. Among them is a unique identification number, also known as an invoice number. An invoice number is essential because it gives you an easy way to track whether payments have been made and who made them.

Your invoice must also include a supply date, which is when the goods or services were provided. Failing to include any of those details can potentially cause payment delays and lead to invoices being rejected by your clients. Without clear product or service descriptions, your customers are far more likely to query an invoice. That could cause unwelcome payment delays. As well as detailing the quantity of each product or service provided and the associated costs, you should also provide a subtotal and grand total, with each on a separate line.

The subtotal should be the cost of the goods and services before any fees or tax. The grand total should be the full amount owed, including VAT, shipping costs and any discounts that may apply. You should always discuss your payment terms with your clients before you agree to do business with them. You will be pleasantly surprised how, in the case of most small business customers and consumers, that there is a lack of resistance against this option.

If your customers say that they cannot pay you in full, this is the first sign to you that they may be suffering from cashflow problems. If this is the case, ask them how much they could afford to pay you comfortably now and attempt to take payment by card. If they refuse to pay you by card, ask them to agree to transfer that amount directly and on the same day into your bank account two working days from now.

Finally, at this point, ask them when they expect they can make up the rest of the payment to you. As soon as you sense that they are lying to you, serve formal notice to them that, if payment is not made in full by a date you specify, that you will be escalating the action by charging them interest and passing their account to a debt collection firm. Please only do so when you feel that the customer is lying to you or, if not lying, not being straight with you.

When that is the case, they have lost the right to expect patience and understanding from you because the best business relationships are formed on honesty, openness, transparency, and an empathy for the position of the other person. Be careful though to make the right call. You may well get your money from the customer, even if much later than expected, by doing a bit of arm-twisting.

Getting invoicing and customer payment management right from the start should be a priority from your first day of trading. How to write an invoice UK When you issue an invoice, there are certain pieces of information that need to go on it. Billing is a breeze with a Microsoft invoice template.

Easy-to-use and professionally designed, these free invoice templates streamline your administrative time so you can get back to running your business. Excel and Word templates for invoices include basic invoices as well as sales invoices and service invoices. Sales invoicing templates itemise purchases and can calculate totals and special discounts automatically. With service-specific templates for invoices, you can enter quantities and unit costs for labour and sales and even adjust the invoice template to double as a receipt.

You can even download an invoice template that lets you sign up for Microsoft invoicing. Designed for small businesses, this system helps you get paid fast using great looking invoice templates and on-line payments. There are many different sections in writing an invoice and missing one may leave you looking unprofessional.

While writing an invoice is a good sign for your business, it can certainly begin to feel a bit tedious. This will give your invoice a professional and personalized feel. If you call your invoices something else e. This step is fairly straightforward but one that is often overlooked when writing an invoice. Include the contact information of who the invoice is going too, as well as who it is coming from.

This includes the name, email, address and phone. If you have a business number, include it too. This is yet another way to help you write invoices that look and feel professional.