Foodstuff Billing Format For Client? The 86 New Answer

Freelancing can be a difficult business to master. Not only do you need to locate, secure, and serve customers, but you also need to create a seamless and effective accounts receivable process by using reliable invoice templates. For many independent contractors, the billing and collections portion of their business is the biggest struggle.

How do they ensure they get paid on time?

What is the correct way to ask for money?

What are the best resources available to invoice a customer?

Is it possible to set up automatic payments?

And finally, you might be wondering, how do I charge my customer via email? To help with that, we’ve added the 5 Email Templates We’ve Trusted For Years. Continue reading.

Rest assured that the task of getting paid is not complicated, but you must be professional and consistent. Read on to see the five steps required to start getting paid from your freelance clients right away.

1. See contract

Most good freelance relationships are based on a draft contract. Whether you’ve created one, provided the customer, or contributed to a contract that incorporates feedback from both parties, this is the starting point for billing practices. Your freelance contract should contain the important details to refer to on your invoice and will advise you of the correct invoice amount. It can even include extras, e.g. B. Who the invoice template for freelancers is addressed to and how the payment is made.

If your contract is missing an important component that is required for timely invoicing, you must now – before your first invoice – go back to the customer and get clarity. Ideally, it would be good to have these new details in writing via a contract addendum or new legal agreement. If nothing else, a simple email where you both type “I agree” in response to the payment terms will suffice.

2. Create an invoice template

Since each customer has a slightly different preference for billing, it’s best to set up each initial invoice for a customer as a template. This makes it easy to duplicate the original invoice (complete with address, billing contact, payment terms, etc.) and simply update the project details (e.g. the hours recorded on your timesheet) and the amount due. Our guide to creating an invoice has all the details you should provide. For larger businesses that require additional billing details – like P.O. Numbers or internal line item reference codes – this is the easiest way to save time on a potentially tedious process that can be tedious every month.

Freelancer Invoices, a template for each client, can then be easily accessed each time you want to invoice the same client again. If customer details change, you can easily update the template so future invoices show the correct information.

Bonsai allows you to quickly and easily create an invoice template by clicking “Send Invoice” on your dashboard.

Then all you have to do is select your client details (and set up your new client if this is your first time using Bonsai).

Once done, you end up in the invoice template, which you can adapt to your needs: set up your details, the customer details and any invoice items and/or text descriptions.

Finally, just click on “Send now” and you’re good to go! Sign up for a free trial of Bonsai to unlock its full potential and try it out for yourself.

3. Make it easy to pay

Most billing services, including Bonsai, work with third-party payment processors like PayPal or Stripe so you get paid for services directly from the bill. This offers a huge advantage for freelancers who want to both appear professional and reduce the time between emailing an invoice and receiving payment. By offering customers a one-click payment solution and requesting payment via email, there’s little chance they’ll forget to pay you or send the money to the wrong account, address or contact.

If you choose to pay by check, make sure your invoice includes everything a customer needs to send it. Who should the check be made out to? If your company name is different from the name on your bank account, make sure this is reflected on your invoice. If you accept Chase Payments, Zelle, or another P2P payment service, include a line that says which payment email to send money to. (Note: Bills paid with cryptocurrencies are generally more likely to be paid late. Think carefully before accepting Bitcoin, etc.)

Finally, if you want to get paid by direct transfer to your checking or savings account (aka ETF – “electronic funds transfer”), this usually needs to be set up before your first bill. If possible, discuss the possibility with the client during the contract phase. You will be asked to provide a copy of a validated check or your bank account routing number and account number in order to set up this payment option. (Only provide this information to a trusted customer. You can also enable this option once you have been paid a few times and can trust the customer somewhat.)

4. Send invoices promptly

Each customer will likely have a payment plan that is unique to them. It also means that you have to send out invoices to meet this payment cycle. Do they only send payments once a month? Find out the deadline to send invoices and get paid immediately. Are they open for invoices at any time – or after each project or milestone completion? Learn if it’s okay to send out invoices for freelancers as work progresses, and how they feel about being billed multiple times in a pay cycle.

You should also know how they handle outstanding bills. For example, if you bill every 30 days and a previous bill was not paid in time for the next bill, do you add up the totals? In this case, note that the first amount is transferred. (This may be called “balance forward.”) You don’t want to confuse accounting by charging the same amount due multiple times.

The sooner you send out an invoice, the sooner you’re likely to get paid. Keeping your cash flow steady depends in large part on your ability to keep bills up to date. If you’re lazy about creating and sending out new invoices, you’ll quickly find that you’re not getting paid on time.

When billing your customers via email, a strong template can go a long way. Below we’ve shared 5 ready-to-use templates for sending invoices, the very ones we’ve relied on for years to get paid on time.

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5. Follow up with late payments

The wonderful thing about contracts is that they usually only have to be referred to in order for results to come about. If you’ve waited 30 days from invoicing without receiving payment – and your contract promises “30 net” for all invoices, you now have the opportunity to contact your customer and inquire about payment. You don’t have to be rude at check-in; a simple “I just wanted to make sure you received my bill and see if you have any questions” should suffice. Some billing tools also include a “remind me” button that you just have to click to send a pleasant follow-up message. Most customers are embarrassed about not paying their bills on time, and that’s usually enough to get payment your way.

Unfortunately, 29% of bills are paid late. So what if you kindly check in and still not get paid? Using the tips above to include that amount on the next bill is a start. Note that you will start charging interest on unpaid amounts (assuming this was included in your original contract). At some point it may be prudent to wait to deliver any more work until they are done with their invoices.

If after several attempts you’re still not getting paid, misled, or worse – “hosted” by a non-paying client, you have a few options. You can try going to the head of the company to inquire about the payment status. (Often this is a human resources issue and will be resolved once an appropriate clerk is aware of it.) A final option is to enlist the help of a collections professional, provided the amount owed is large enough to also cover the fees for their services . Small claims court is also a valid route, although this can be difficult for customers who live in a different state than you.

For freelancers living in New York City, the new “Freelance Isn’t Free” regulation may bring some relief. It is designed to protect independent contractors from late or non-payment and may provide relief in the form of court-ordered payments, as well as additional sanctions relief. If you don’t live in New York, you should check with your Attorney General to see what options are available to you.

With a proper billing process in place, the average freelancer should spend no more than 30 minutes per month per client handling money matters. Unfortunately, due to flawed contract language, inconsistent billing techniques, and lax collection efforts, independent advisors typically spend much more. By creating a good process from day one of your business, you can significantly reduce the time you spend chasing money and build incredible goodwill with the customers everyone wants most. Stop worrying about all that with a free trial of Bonsai.

So after much focus, dedication and productive work you have completed and delivered another project.

You’ve done your part of the deal and completed the project on time, so now you expect the same kind of accuracy when it comes to your client’s part of the deal – pay for a job done.

But what if your customer forgets to pay?

Worse, what if you don’t hear from them after you deliver the project?

First, you have good faith that your payment will be processed soon. But the longer you wait, the harder it becomes to take action and get what you deserve.

In such situations, it is important that you take matters into your own hands and ask for payment directly.

To help you with that, we dedicate this blog post:

I’ll show you how to ask for payment without being rude.

Explain why it’s important to have a backup plan, and

Providing some useful strategies, tips and templates to help you get paid on time.

Let’s start!

Why is it so taboo to talk about money?

According to Insider’s Master your Money Pulse poll, most Americans don’t feel comfortable talking about money:

Around 47% of 18-34 year olds regularly talk about money.

Additionally, 38% of 35-54 year olds regularly talk about money.

Only 25% of 55-74 year olds talk about money on a regular basis.

From my experience, it’s also taboo for many professionals to talk about pay, even though it’s a completely logical next step after work is done.

Kathy Caprino, career and leadership coach, author, speaker, and educator, supports my view that asking for money creates too much uncertainty and doubt. In an article on the subject, she explained:

“We’re afraid to face the money and get out there and officially declare where we stand in a value equation. And we are not sure of our worthiness.”

Based on experience with her clients, Caprino concluded that asking for money from clients or customers can affect our views of value, impact, and “appeal.” It also seems like a major departure – we often fear we’ll alienate our customers with our straightforwardness.

Shame, doubt and insecurity are at the root of this financial challenge, concludes Caprino.

How to overcome the fear of asking for payment?

Admitting that she used to struggle to demand payment, Caprino offers a way to overcome our shame, doubts and insecurities.

When it comes time to ask about the money we’ve made past the due date, we often ask ourselves:

am i good enough

How valuable is my offer?

Will there be enough people paying for my services?

Will these people come back after this project?

Do these people find my work meaningful?

How do I beat the competition?

Have I delivered great results to people?

And while these questions are a great way to spot mistakes and get better at your job, you should be able to see beyond them.

Believing your work is worthwhile is the best thing you can do for yourself, suggests Caprino.

You’ve done your share of the work, so don’t feel bad about asking what you’re entitled to.

Being clear about what you are offering your clients and customers will help you speak up and ask for money more easily when the time is right.

Finally, staying professional and courteous with your payment requests is always the best way. Don’t anger the customer about their overdue bills – instead, be direct, precise, and persistent.

Hopefully you’re more aware of the psychology behind the request for money and can remember it the next time you send an email reminder to a customer.

Which leads me to my next point – when is the best time to email your client?

💡Clockify Pro Tip Tracking project expenses is the best way to avoid later payment problems. Check out our tips for managing your budget well: How to track project expenses when you’re freelance or working from home (+templates)

When to email a payment request to a customer?

When thinking about how to ask for payment for services rendered, the first question you are likely to have is when do you need to ask for payment?

The truth is that you shouldn’t wait too long. A good way to avoid late payments is to send a series of shorter emails before and after the payment due date:

Payment Reminder Email #1 – One week before payment due date.

— One week before the payment due date. Payment Reminder Email #2 – The day of the payment due date.

— The date the payment is due. Payment Reminder Email #3 – One week after the payment due date.

— One week after payment is due. Payment Reminder Email #4 – Two weeks after the payment due date.

— Two weeks after payment is due. Payment Reminder Email #5 – One month after the payment due date.

By sending out your billing emails on such a regular basis, you remain polite and patient, but also show your customers that you handle your billing and payment matters professionally.

In addition, you present yourself as someone who appreciates their work and get the client to appreciate it as well.

To help you stay as professional as possible, we’ve created 5 different payment request email templates that you can use for free.

💡 Clockify Pro Tip If you’re a fan of templates, you might benefit from some of the free templates from our extensive template archive: Free Invoice Templates for Freelancers

Free expense report templates

Payment request email templates

We know how awkward it can be asking customers for money, especially when you’re never sure how polite or rude you might sound in your email.

This is how you can phrase every single payment request email you send to your customer. We have 5 different payment request email templates that you can download and use.

✔️ #1 Payment Request Email Template – One week before payment due date

For the first email a week before the payment due date, keep your tone:

Friendly,

Short and

Informative.

Why write like that?

You don’t need to request payment directly in the first invoice email – you just need to make sure your customer is clear about your payment terms and basic information up front.

By sending an invoice email before the payment deadline, you ensure that the customer has enough time to collect and organize payment documents.

You’ll also position yourself as a professional who regularly follows up on invoices and sends out reminder emails if the customer doesn’t pay on time.

See an example of the payment request email you can send to your customer:

An example of the payment request email template a week before the payment due date

→ Download Payment Request Email Template #1

✔️ Payment Request Email Template #2 – The day of the payment due date

When the payment day comes and you still haven’t been paid, you need to take action. The best way to do this is with another payment request email reminder.

You should make sure to write this while remaining:

Friendly,

Concise and

Clear in your call to action.

Why write like that?

Since this is just another polite email reminder, it’s best to maintain a perfectly friendly tone with your customer—the bill isn’t overdue yet.

It’s most effective to make this email clear and concise with a direct call for payment to meet today’s payment deadline.

Here’s how you can write this payment request email reminder:

An example of the payment request email template on the day the payment is due

→ Download Payment Request Email Template #2

✔️ Payment Request Email Template #3 – One week after the payment due date

A whole week has passed and your client still hasn’t paid you. It’s time for another payment request email. When writing this, you should:

Be more informative

Use a firmer tone

Emphasize the time the bill is overdue and

Attach a copy of the invoice to the attachment.

Why write like that?

This is your first email that the bill is overdue, so you’ll need to keep a firmer tone and include a simple CTA.

You should also make sure to repeat basic billing information, such as:

the invoice number,

The date it was sent to the client, and

The total amount due.

You’re still giving your customer the benefit of the doubt, so make sure you also attach a copy of the invoice itself to the attachment – you might find that the attachment was wrong and the customer didn’t receive the invoice.

This payment reminder email might sound something like this:

An example of the payment request email template one week after the payment due date

→ Download Payment Request Email Template #3

✔️ Payment Request Email Template #4 – Two weeks after the payment due date

It’s now two weeks past the payment due date and you’re probably getting worried. Remember that even at this point it is necessary to remain professional and calm.

So how do you write that payment email reminder? Consider the following:

Be as direct as possible

Think of a clear CTA,

Ask the customer to confirm receipt of the invoice email,

Emphasize the time the bill is overdue and

Attach a copy of the invoice to the attachment.

Why write like that?

As your second direct reminder email telling the customer their payment is overdue, you need to be even more resolute and direct. A clear call to action and asking the customer to confirm receipt of the billing email reduces the likelihood that the customer will ignore the email.

Although the doubt has now largely been resolved, sending another attachment to the invoice serves as another reminder for your customer, regardless of their reason for not responding.

This is what a good payment reminder email looks like:

An example of the payment request email template two weeks after the payment due date

→ Download Payment Request Email Template #4

✔️ Payment Request Email Template #5 – One month after the payment due date

Before you know it, it’s already a month after the payment due date. You should schedule another payment request email and ensure the following:

Be direct and assertive

Use a harder approach

Remain professional and courteous, and

Avoid making things personal.

Why write like that?

Considering that you have already sent some billing emails that have been completely ignored, you should be more decisive and tough with this payment request letter. Of course, staying as professional and courteous as possible should still be your top priority.

Avoid threats and direct accusations – you run the risk of appearing unprofessional and damaging your reputation. Also, you’re less likely to get paid.

A good way to email that final payment reminder would be something like this:

An example of the payment request email template one month after the payment due date

→ Download Payment Request Email Template #5

How not to ask customers for payment

Not getting paid on time can really throw you off track. However, it remains important that you don’t let emotions get the better of you and continue to send your customers professional and courteous reminders.

To help you avoid mistakes when sending our payment request email reminders, we want to show you some bad examples. Here’s what you shouldn’t do when demanding payment from your customers.

❌ Don’t send vague payment request email reminders

You sent your customer a payment request before the due date and wrote the following:

What is wrong with this email?

The subject line is vague.

There is no exact billing or payment information.

The sender did not provide the actual due date.

The approach and the language are too informal.

There is too much irrelevant information for the customer.

❌ Don’t send an overly personal reminder payment request email

Your customer has not paid you, even though you agreed on a deadline. You have chosen to email them a reminder sometime after the due date. you write something like that.

What is wrong with this email?

The subject line is not clear enough.

It’s too long, indirect and indecisive.

It’s too informal and personal.

Possible consequences of default in payment are not shown.

Too much beating around the bush.

There is no clear call to action.

❌ Do not email a threatening payment request

It’s been a month since you finished this project and still no money? You’re so angry you can’t even think straight. You send the following email:

What is wrong with this email?

It’s too emotional and demanding.

It’s menacing and totally unprofessional.

The threats are likely to prove ineffective or even counterproductive.

—

So we’ve seen what you should and shouldn’t do when asking for payment via email.

But in some cases, asking for payment via email is not a viable option for you.

Why?

Well, because it won’t give you an answer.

Since you still need to get paid, you can try to reach your customer by phone. You can choose to call them or text them, depending on the situation or your preferences.

Telephone payment request

Sometimes, despite all your email efforts, you still don’t get paid or get any kind of response.

In cases where you get no response and lose patience, there are two things you can do:

Call the customer directly. Send your customer an SMS.

So you can finally set your records right.

📞 Call your customer to ask for payment

When speaking to the customer on the phone, you should make sure of the following:

Introduce yourself and explain why you are calling.

Be clear, concise, polite and short.

Do not use slang words and expressions.

Don’t make direct accusations about the customer not paying you.

Maintain an impersonal and polite tone that will benefit your customer when in doubt.

Summarize all agreed details before the conversation ends.

If you have doubts about what to say to your customer, here is how you can open up:

How to start a conversation with a client over the phone

Regardless of how the conversation continues from there, chances are you’ll get some answers to your questions. You might find this:

The email address you sent billing emails to is wrong and all your carefully crafted emails ended up in an inbox abyss.

You’ve sent your billing emails to the wrong person, especially if you’re doing business with a larger company.

Whatever the reason, you’re more likely to hear about it when you talk to your customer on the phone.

You’ll also be able to work out the details for completing that payment quicker than you could via email – probably because you don’t have to wait long for a response.

💬 Text your customer to ask for payment

If you’re really unlucky, your customer might not answer the phone. The reasons for this can be different:

You’re trying to stay present and focused during an important meeting, so you’ve put your phone on silent.

Maybe they haven’t memorized your phone number and don’t like answering calls from unfamiliar numbers.

Maybe they feel uncomfortable talking on the phone and prefer to avoid it.

If you already have your customer number, you should definitely text them. This might turn out to be the quickest and easiest way to get in touch.

You can send something like this:

How to start a conversation with a customer via SMS

If you choose to send a text message, you give your customer more time to prepare and respond. In addition, you make a customer who doesn’t like talking on the phone feel more comfortable.

Once the customer understands who you are, you are likely to receive a call or text from them indicating a good time to call back.

Additional tips and strategies to get paid on time

If you’ve already had an unpleasant experience with some of your clients, or if you’re still unsure whether a client you’re working with will pay you, taking steps ahead of time might be the smartest way to go.

Taking precautions seems like a better tactic than chasing after your clients after you’ve completed and delivered the project.

Here are a few additional tips and strategies to help you get paid on time.

💡 Clockify Pro Tip Finding common ground with your client or clients can sometimes be difficult. To help you cross this bridge, we give you some useful tips in our article: How to categorize your work and present it to clients

Provide the client with accurate records of your work

It can be a lot easier to get paid on time when you always have accurate and transparent records of your work. This is how you can always prove:

You have done the work you claim you have done.

You did the job at the time you claimed it.

You did the job for the person you say you did.

Your best option for gaining complete transparency and accountability to your customers and building a better, more trusted relationship with them is to use a timer tracker like Clockify.

This allows both freelancers and independent consultants to:

Track the time for your client and project related work.

Have the earnings for the recorded work automatically calculated, based on the hourly rates set directly in the app.

Generate, save and export reports which you can then send to the customer.

Get a detailed overview of your billable hours.

Thanks to Clockify’s detailed reporting functionality, you can easily provide your client with concrete evidence of your work

In addition to these features, Clockify also offers you a free time clock app that makes clocking in and out as effective as possible. In addition, Clockify Server is a self-hosted time tracking software that ensures maximum security and privacy in case you really need it.

By choosing Clockify to keep track of your projects and tasks, you definitely minimize the chances of not getting paid on time. They also minimize the chances of not getting paid at all.

An example of a detailed report created in Clockify

Download a detailed report example

Draw a contract

Sometimes it’s best to just get your rights and responsibilities down on paper.

To do this successfully, a legally binding contract can be a great way to avoid getting paid in the end. You may not have considered it the most important element of your job, but it can help tip the scales in your favor.

When concluding a contract, you should pay attention to the following elements:

The parties involved in the contract.

The exact terms of delivery and payment of the project.

A passage that clarifies the intellectual property issue after the project is completed.

A passage stating that your work is your intellectual property until full payment is made.

A passage about a penalty if the original payment date is overdue.

A passage that clarifies what to do in the event of a dispute.

While the contract still can’t guarantee customers that they’ll pay you, it can still encourage them not to delay their payments too long.

Finally, you can also contact a legal entity to know what elements you should include in your contract to maintain professionalism. This will also provide you with the necessary proof of everything you have agreed with your client in case you need to go to court.

Ask for a deposit

Asking for an advance is another great way to ensure you get paid once the project is complete. You can even put this in your contract and let your customers know that this is the way you run your business.

Essentially, it’s those customers who are willing to pay part of the agreed amount upfront that take this whole collaboration seriously. They are also most likely to pay you in full at the end of the project.

Those who disapprove of this section of your contract, or outright refuse to sign it, will likely waive payment once you complete the project. So it’s best if you don’t even work with them in the long run – it will save you both time and money.

However, if you feel that a large upfront payment would deter first-time clients who may be suspicious of your work, you can offer them an alternative. You can ask them to pay you smaller amounts of money when you reach certain project milestones.

Choose a reliable payment processor

In order to make the whole payment process easier for both parties, it is important that you find a suitable and reliable payment processor. It must be:

Efficient — So you can use it without complications,

— So that you can use it without complications, Simple — So that your customer can use it easily and

— So that your customer can use it easily and securely — So that both your data and your customer’s are protected.

For example, PayPal is an efficient default option, but there are other useful payment processors that you can try.

However, you should make your choice based on factors that are relevant to you and your customers:

Your customer’s convenience,

The region you live in and

your own preferences.

💡 Clockify Pro Tip If you’re still struggling to find a great payment processor, take a look at our blog posts for more information: The 16 Best Payment Methods for Freelancers (2021)

The 10 Best Time & Billing Software for Businesses & Freelancers

Bill efficiently

A professional-looking invoice increases your chances of getting paid. The great thing is that the market is packed with invoicing tools that you can use for this purpose.

Invoicing tools (or tools with invoicing capabilities) help you organize and keep track of your due payments and bills.

Additionally, most of these tools will also send you reminders when the bill is overdue. This means you don’t have to worry about missing a payment because you were disorganized or simply forgot to send an invoice.

💡 Clockify Pro Tip If you’ve decided to be a full-time freelancer, you might benefit from a few useful tips and start earning more than you already are: 11 Effective Tips & Strategies to Earn More (From Real Freelancers)

In summary, requests for payment can be polite and effective

For many of us, asking for money is no easy task. But we also know it’s something that needs to be done.

Of course, staying on top of things and taking the right steps is ideal, but it won’t be the case every time.

That’s why you need to be prepared for each scenario and know what to do next if some of your previous efforts have proved in vain.

But be careful – being prepared for every scenario doesn’t mean you should immediately attack your customer if they don’t pay you on time.

It means you know:

What steps to take if a customer doesn’t pay when they should.

How to speak to your customer while remaining direct, professional and polite.

What tools you should use to remind your customers about the pending payment (email templates and text messages).

How to reach your goal without losing customers.

✉️ Do you find it difficult to ask for payment at work? What tips and tricks have you tried that work to your advantage in situations like this? If there’s something we haven’t mentioned here that you think might help others get paid on time, let us know at [email protected]. We may include your response in this or future posts.

1. Make your invoice look professional

The first step is to compose your invoice. You can do this yourself with a word processor or Excel, but you can also use one of our free invoice templates above.

Depending on what program you use, you might even find templates in your word processor.

You should use professional fonts and styles that match your brand, and then add your logo and colors whenever possible.

2. Clearly mark your invoice

Make sure your customers know it’s an invoice they’re receiving. Adding the word “invoice” at the beginning of your document can increase the likelihood that you’ll get paid on time because it will differentiate your payment request from other documents your customer might receive.

The guidelines on the gov.uk website also state: “You must clearly display the word ‘invoice’ on the document.”

Your invoice must have a unique identification number. This is for your records as you should have a reference for any invoices you create to ensure you do not create duplicates.

You can use a sequence of numbers that gradually increases. You can also use letters before a number that could refer to a specific customer.

3. Add company name and information

This means both your company’s information and the details of the company you are billing:

Your company name, address and contact information

your customer’s company name and address, including a contact’s name so they can reach the right person

Your registered company address and company registration number if you are a limited liability company, along with the official registered name

Keep in mind that if you are a limited liability company and want to add your directors’ names on the invoice, you must add all directors’ names.

4. Write a description of the goods or services you are billing for

These descriptions don’t have to be long, but they should be detailed enough so your customers know what they’re paying for.

If they have no idea what they’re being billed for, they’re more likely to question the bill – resulting in a delay in payment.

Once you’ve added a clear description for each item, you should add each item’s quantity and price.

You need to add some data to your invoice. These are:

the date you provided your goods or services (the delivery date)

the date you create the invoice

You can add the delivery date to the description of your goods or services and add the invoice date above along with your name, address and contact details.

6. Add up the money owed

In addition to the cost of individual goods or services, you must also state the total amount owed.

If you have agreed a discount with your customer, note this on the invoice and deduct it from the total cost.

If applicable, also indicate the amount of VAT.

7. Mention terms of payment

Payment terms should be agreed with the customer beforehand, but it’s a good idea to include the payment terms on the invoice as well.

So if you expect payment within a certain number of days, remind the customer by stating this on the invoice.

Above all, make a note of how exactly you want your customer to make the payment. You probably want the customer to wire the payment directly to a bank account. In this case, be sure to add your bank details.

Including clear payment terms — and making it easy for customers to pay you — should help your business’ cash flow by encouraging quick payment.

If you are looking for a bank, here are the best commercial bank accounts, voted for by companies themselves.

Issuance of VAT invoices

Gov.uk says you should use VAT invoices if you are a VAT resident. These invoices require more information than normal invoices.

There are different types of VAT invoices you can issue – a full invoice, a modified invoice for retail supplies over £250 and a simplified invoice for supplies under £250.

The information you need to provide depends on the type of VAT invoice you are issuing. There is a handy table on the gov.uk website that tells you what information to add depending on the bill.

In general, however, they require the same information as regular invoices, plus:

Your VAT number

the tax date (time of delivery) if this differs from the invoice date

the sales tax rate and the total sales tax charged if all items are charged at the same rate

If different items have different VAT rates, then display this for each one

How to send an invoice

The quickest and easiest way to send your invoices is by email. You can attach your invoice in a non-editable PDF format (to prevent fraud) and include a clear, brief description of your company and your invoice in the subject line and body of the email.

Different customers and clients may have different processes for receiving invoices. It might be a good idea to find out if there is specific information to include in the subject line that will help you get paid faster.

After you’ve sent an invoice, you can call your customer to verify that they’ve received the invoice — and if payment doesn’t come, you can politely nudge your customer.

Alternatively, there is software that makes it easier to send invoices. In some cases, you can create and send invoices directly from a mobile app – more on that below.

What about invoicing software?

Above we have provided a selection of free downloadable invoice templates that you can edit yourself. You can use these to create your own invoices from scratch with no hassle.

If you want to know how to create an invoice yourself, you can also check out our list of the best invoicing apps for even more invoice template options.

Plus, some digital-first and mobile-only banks can even create and track invoices for you, making record-keeping easier. Take a look at the best business challenger banks.

How are you doing with your invoices? Let us know in the comments below.

Whether you’ve sent out a lot of invoices or are in the process of writing your first, it’s important to know how to write an invoice correctly. There are many different sections to write an invoice and missing a section can make you look unprofessional.

Please note that we have used

Invoice Simple as our guide

for invoicing, but the steps should remain fairly consistent no matter what invoicing software you use.

First, if you need some clarification on what an invoice is, then read this. If you’d rather work from a template file than our online invoice generator, visit our free templates page. While writing an invoice bodes well for your business, it can certainly feel a little tedious. After a while, you might feel like you’re spending more time filling out bills than doing the actual work you’re being paid to do. That’s why it’s so important to have super simple invoicing software like Invoice Simple — that allows you to spend less time being an accountant and more time doing the work you love. How to write an invoice in the easiest way – with an online invoice software.

How to Write an Invoice These are the five steps to writing an invoice effectively and professionally. 1. Personalize your invoice and make it professional. First, choose a color that best represents your brand and upload your brand logo. This gives your invoice a professional and personal look. Finally, you might want to change what’s in the “Invoice” field. If you name your invoices differently (e.g.: invoice, proforma, receipt), otherwise leave it as is. 2. Fill out the appropriate contact information on your invoice This step is fairly simple but often overlooked when writing an invoice. Also include the contact details of who the invoice is going to and from whom it is coming. This includes name, email, address and telephone. If you have a business number, include that as well. This is another way to write invoices that look and feel professional. 3. Select a due date for your invoice Invoice Simple prides itself on making the invoicing process easy for you. So in this section all you have to do is tick the box next to “Due”. Then select the date you want the invoice to be paid. From there, the conditions will be filled in automatically. In addition, both the invoice number and the invoice date take care of themselves. If you have already sent invoices (e.g. with one of our invoice templates), then adapt the invoice number to your current order here. What is an invoice number? An invoice number is an easy way to keep track of your invoices – and for your customers to track you. By assigning a unique number to each invoice you send, you make it easier to track payment status. By keeping the number sequential, you make it easier for your customers to see how and when to pay. 4. Fill out the projects/tasks that you will bill the customer for. While we’re almost done showing you how to write an invoice, pay special attention to this section as it’s arguably the most important. Customers like to know exactly what you’re charging them… so more detail is better than less here. Provide a clear, concise description of the service or task. For example: “Social Media Marketing Management for July”. From there, enter a 1-3 sentence description that reminds the client what your work entailed. Then enter the price and quantity — the quantity depends on whether you bill hourly or by project. You should also check or uncheck the box under Taxes depending on whether you include taxes or not. And finally, you can add some additional comments below for more details – this is a great place to thank your client for the opportunity to work with them. 5. Add payment information To make the payment smooth, add the payment details to the invoice (including payment terms and methods). If you decide to add taxes or discounts to the Services, you can do so in this section. However, this is of course optional. Choose to split the bill here. You can share the URL, download it as a PDF, print it out or just email it to your customer.

Have more questions about writing an invoice or billing customers? Then please send us an email to [email protected]. If not, start creating your invoice here.

As you are solely responsible for your billing, ensure that your individual terms are clearly stated on the invoice. A sample invoice for freelance work might include:

Your name and contact information The name of your customer Invoice number Date the invoice was issued Work order number or job code number Payment due date Current payment status A description of your work or services performed Number of hours worked on a specific part of the project, followed by the hourly rate for each and finally the total amount (hours x rate) for each service or part of the project A line for the subtotal of all costs Optional: A line for applicable discounts that you may offer Project notes, which are great A way to add additional information about the project or a personal thank-you message to your client write. The price you ask, including applicable taxes

Given the individuality of the job, a freelance invoice template can take many forms. If the project is billed as a simple flat rate or hourly rate, the invoice can reflect this in a similarly simple format. If the project is more differentiated, it is important to note this consideration in the invoice. A project that required a lot of research will be billed with that in mind. For the sake of clarity, it is important to inform the customer of the various aspects of the project that they will be billed for and how they will be billed accordingly for these services to produce the finished product.

When to send an invoice

Late payments and overdue bills are frustrating. They suppress cash flow and cause working capital to dry up quickly. To make matters worse, over

If you don’t have the funds to make payrolls, pay suppliers, or meet the many other business obligations, you risk incurring debt and paying expensive late fees and penalties. It makes business owners wonder how to professionally ask for payment.

The obvious truth is that owning a growing business relies on long-standing professional relationships. If a customer has overdue unpaid bills, you need to be careful about collecting payments or you risk losing a hard won customer.

In a 2020

, the number of companies unable to pay their suppliers due to overdue payments from customers on outstanding invoices rose to a whopping 32% from two years ago. So what’s the answer? And how do you ask professional questions without losing your customers?