Start with the work, the amount, and the due date
An invoice asks a customer to pay for goods or services. A useful service invoice answers three questions quickly: what was provided, how the amount was calculated, and when and how to pay. Give it a unique number so both you and the customer can find it again.
Before you create the document, gather the agreed scope, the customer’s billing details, your rates, and any relevant payment agreement. Writing the invoice is easier when you are recording an agreement instead of deciding the terms after the work.
What to put on the invoice
- Your business details. Include your business name and the contact details the customer needs.
- The customer’s billing details. Check the name and address against their instructions, especially when the person receiving the invoice is different from the person who ordered the work.
- An invoice number and date. Use a consistent numbering sequence and the correct issue date.
- A description of the work. Itemize services and materials. Use quantities and rates where those explain the total.
- Adjustments and total. Review any discount or applicable tax details and make the currency clear.
- The payment due date and details. State the agreed timing and the payment method the customer should use.
- Useful notes. Include a job or project reference, purchase order reference if requested, and any information that helps the recipient match the invoice to the work.
Required invoice fields vary by location, business type, and transaction. This is a practical writing checklist, not a claim that one template meets every local requirement.
A worked service invoice example
Invoice INV-104 · issued 8 September 2026
From: Northline Studio
To: Willow House
Due: 22 September 2026
Design consultation: 3 hours × $75 = $225
Project drawings: 1 × $300 = $300
Total due: $525 USD
Payment note: “Please use INV-104 as your payment reference.” Example businesses and amounts; no tax included.
The calculation is easy to audit: $225 plus $300 equals $525. If the customer has already paid a deposit, show it as a received payment and keep the amount still due separate from the original invoice total. See how to record a partial payment.
How to make an invoice on iPhone or Android
In InvoiceMaker, begin a new invoice, select or enter your client, and add your services or items. Review the quantities, rates, payment terms, and adjustments. On the review screen, inspect the PDF before saving and sharing it.
The same core flow applies on iPhone, iPad, and Android: create, review, then use the device’s share sheet. The apps available for sharing depend on what is installed on your device. You are sharing a PDF document, so the customer does not need InvoiceMaker to read it.
What to say when you send it
Subject: Invoice INV-104 for your design project
Hello,
Please find invoice INV-104 attached for the agreed design work. The total is $525 USD, due on 22 September. Please use the invoice number as your payment reference. Let me know if you need any details clarified.
Thank you.
Attach the PDF, verify the recipient, and check that the amount and due date in your message match the document. Keep the tone direct and helpful.
After you send it
Track the invoice as outstanding until you confirm payment. Record the amount when it arrives and provide a receipt if needed. If the work has only been proposed and is not ready to bill, an estimate may be the right starting document instead.
