How To Send an Invoice: Best 2023 Detailed Guide

Invoices are an important element of running a business, and knowing how to write and send an invoice correctly will help you enhance efficiency and get paid faster. To begin, construct an invoice containing your name and contact information, your client’s name and contact information, dates, invoice number, services are done, total amount, and payment terms and conditions. When you’re finished, send it via email, mail, or invoicing software to get compensated for your efforts.

What is an Invoice

An invoice is a letter that companies send to customers asking for payment for goods and services rendered. The following components must be present for an invoice to qualify as legal documentation:

Contact details for clients and businesses
A charge number
Date of Billing and Date of Payment
Name and details of the goods and services
Amount paid overall and for each unit of the product
Payment conditions

How Should I Prepare an Invoice Before Sending It?

Always let your customers know the specifics of a purchase before delivering an invoice. Nothing in the paper should shock or astonish them.

The amount of the invoice is the most crucial aspect to consider. This is simple to determine because pricing is frequently fixed. If the customer isn’t happy with your business rates, you could try to come to an agreement by suggesting discounts or reductions.

Then specify the billing and due dates so that your client is aware of when to expect the invoice and how long they have to pay you back. Just give them an estimate if you’re working on a project where the delivery time varies so they’ll know what to anticipate.

By having these discussions early on, you may improve your rapport with your clients and increase the likelihood that they will pay you on time.

How To Send an Invoice

#1. Through Email

Email is the quickest and most convenient method of sending invoices. To avoid fraud, you can attach your invoice in an uneditable PDF format. Also, make sure to clearly and succinctly describe your company and the invoice in the email’s subject line and body.

Different clients and consumers could have various methods for obtaining bills. Discovering whether there is specific information to provide in the subject line to expedite payment can be a good idea.

#2. Through Snail Mail

The common method of sending invoice here is through mail or fax machine.

The document must be printed off, placed in an envelope, stamped, and either delivered personally or dropped off at a post office. For a variety of reasons, we view this approach as an outdated manner of conducting business.

To begin with, the procedure takes a long time. Over time, managing your business would take a back seat to serving as the mailman. To begin with, the procedure takes a long time. Over time, managing your business would take a back seat to serving as the mailman.

Due to the higher cost of paper, ink, and postage compared to other means, sending something via snail mail is also more expensive. Furthermore, using that much paper to mail a simple invoice is difficult for your company and the environment.

#3. Use of Invoicing Software

To create your invoice, you can utilize one of the many invoicing programs available, such as PayPal. The benefit of using invoicing software is the abundance of available templates and the simplicity of branding.

Customers can pay you more easily because they have simple access to payment links.

How To Send Invoice on PayPal

A few items are required to make a PayPal invoice. You must first have a PayPal Business account. Thankfully, there is no additional charge and these accounts are simple to set up. Next, you’ll require the email address of your client. A suitable image file is also required if you plan to include a logo for your invoice.

Follow these procedures to construct your invoice after having those two or three things in your possession:

Open a PC, Mac, or iPad and log into your PayPal account.
Select “Invoicing” from the drop-down menu under “Tools,” then click “Create Invoice.”
Enter the email address of your customer. In the cc field, provide any additional addresses.
The customer name and other information will be filled out automatically when you click “Add customer data.” As well as, if necessary, the shipment address.
Include specific items, quantities, and pricing on the sale list. Include any late fees or other additional costs.
Make sure you review the invoice twice to ensure accuracy.
Press “Send.”

Now, PayPal will create an invoice and notify your customer via email. Then, your consumers can make a payment using their selected method. They can use their PayPal balance or a credit or debit card in place of that.

How To Send Invoice on eBay

Go to the eBay homepage, login, then click the “My eBay” link in the top right corner and choose “Selling” from the dropdown menu.
Select “Awaiting payment” by highlighting the “Orders” link under “Seller Hub.”
To send an invoice, click the “Send Invoice” button at the bottom of the screen after verifying the delivery cost, selected shipment method, and the addition of a note to the customer on the next page.
On the relevant order, select “Send Invoice. You might persuade the buyer to pay promptly if you include a message on your invoice.
Click “Send Invoice” when you’ve finished entering your information.
Following that, you should ideally wait for a response with payment from your customer.

How To Send Invoice on Email

With the help of an invoice email, you may send digital invoices to your customers and guarantee prompt payment. Your email regarding the invoice should be succinct, clear, and informative.

Below are tips for sending a good invoice in Email

Write a good subject:

]The most significant and first thing your client will see is the subject line. Your chances of receiving payment on time for your invoice rise if you make it concise and to the point. Your invoices must have the invoice number, project name, and business name in the email subject line.

Select the proper recipient (s):

Sending an invoice email to the correct recipients requires including all of the appropriate recipients. For instance, if you’re sending an email with an invoice to a company, you should copy the relevant department, the person who gave you the project, and the accounting department.

Attach all of your invoices:

Don’t forget to attach the invoice in your email! You should convert it to a PDF if you wrote it in Word. Once attached, give it a name that includes both your company name and the appropriate invoice number.

Fix the email body

Without a sentence to go along with it, sending an invoice by email is just halfway effective. It is improper behavior and unprofessional. However, it shouldn’t be a lengthy or ostentatious text.

An email containing a bill must be clear and informative

You should inform your client of the invoice that has been sent and kindly request that they uphold their end of the bargain while also thanking them for their cooperation.

How To Send Invoice As a Freelancer

When you work for clients as a freelancer, it is up to you to collect payment for the task you have completed. Invoicing is the greatest technique to get the payments.

You might have given your client a quote outlining the cost of the work they requested from you. After your job is finished, you will be sent an invoice that details the work that was done and the payment amount you anticipate being paid.

What Information Should Be on a Freelancer Invoice?

Contact details:

Include your name (or, if relevant, your business name) and address. Include your phone number and email address in case the client needs to get in touch with you. If your business has a logo, include it in your invoice to give it a more polished appearance. You should also include the name and address of your client or your client’s company. Include the name of the person who reviews their invoices if you are aware of them.

An Invoice Number:

You need to keep track of your invoice numbers, whether you manually make them or use an accounting program that creates them. You might need to find out the whereabouts of unpaid invoices or respond to client inquiries regarding your work as a freelancer. When those inquiries arise, having organized records of invoices will help you respond. A reference to an invoice number will ensure that both you and the client are discussing the same transaction.

Date of Issue and Due Date:

It is crucial to put the issue date on your invoices because that is the day the payment deadline begins. Referencing the issuance date might also aid in telling one invoice from another if you accidentally numbered your invoices erroneously.

Line Item Details and Due Amount:

The breakdown of the goods and services you rendered is the most crucial piece of information on the invoice. Include a precise breakdown of the total amount owed for each item on the list, along with a description of the work or good that was performed or delivered, its quantity, its price, and its rate.

Payment Procedures:

Make paying you as simple as you can for your customers. Include choices for clients to pay you, along with any necessary information for them to execute that payment. If you take checks, be sure to make it clear where customers can submit them. Include any email linked to your company’s PayPal account and any bank details needed for bank transactions.

Additional Details:

At the bottom of your invoice, include any additional charges, discounts, or ambiguous language. This might have something to do with late payment penalties or early payment discounts.

How Can I Send Invoice Through Email.

To send an invoice through email, you have a write a good subject then select a proper recipient. After doing this, you should attach all your invoice number then make sure you write a detailed and straightforward body.

How Do You Send a Simple Invoice?

Numbering the invoices sequentially is the simplest way to send a simple invoice. You can send invoice 001 as your first one, invoice 002 after that, and so forth.

Conclusion

Businesses are required to maintain records for almost everything. Key details like the invoice date, the total amount due, and whether the customer has made a payment in whole or not are all instantly available thanks to invoices.

References

Forbes