How to Make an Invoice as a Freelancer Using Invoice Temple
Creating invoices as a freelancer is an important aspect of running your own business. Invoicing not only helps you keep track of your income, but it also communicates to your clients the work you have done and the payment you expect in return.
In this blog, we will go through the steps to creating a professional invoice as a freelancer and how Invoice Temple can help you do that.
Step 1: Include Your Information
The first step in creating an invoice as a freelancer is to include your information. This includes your company name, address, phone number, and email address. It’s also a good idea to include your company logo if you have one. This helps in establishing yourself as a brand and gives you more of a professional look. All information will be at the top of your invoice and will help your clients to know who they are paying.
Step 2: Include Client Information
The next step is to include your client’s information. This should include the client’s name, company name, address, and contact information. It is important to have accurate and up-to-date information for your clients, as this will make it easier for them to send payment and for you to follow up if necessary. Also, it would be very much useful for filing taxes and other legal purposes. So make sure all the information you provide is authentic.
Step 3: Invoice Number and Date
Including a unique invoice number and the date you are sending the invoice is an important aspect of invoicing. Read our blog on tax invoices to get more insights about the invoice number. Including an invoice number will help you in keeping track of all your invoices and ensures that you can easily reference them in the future if necessary. The invoice date should be the date that you are sending the invoice, not the date that the work was completed. Also, make sure to include the due date for payment so it will be easier for the client to make the payments before that.
Step 4: Provide a List of Services Provided
In this step, you will need to clearly state the services you provided to the client and the corresponding amount charged for each service. It’s important to be specific and detailed in your description of the services, as this will help the client understand the work you have done and the payment you expect in return.
Step 5: Total Amount Due
The total amount due should be calculated by adding up the individual amounts for each service provided. It’s important to make sure that this total is accurate, as this will be the amount that your client will be expected to pay. If your freelance business is tax registered, don’t forget to send a GST invoice. If you want to know more about GST invoices, you can check our blog here.
Step 6: Payment Terms
Including information on when payment is due, the acceptable forms of payment, and any late payment fees is an important aspect of invoicing. This information will help your clients understand when they need to make payments and how they can do so. So it is important that you mention the payment terms clearly, to learn more about payment terms, check out our blog now! It’s also a good idea to include your bank details for easy payment transfer and other payment gateway options so it will be easy for your client to make the payment.
Step 7: Contact Information
Adding your contact information, including your phone number and email address, is important in case your client has any questions about the invoice or the services provided. This information will also make it easier for you to follow up with your client if necessary.
Step 8: Thank You Note
Ending your invoice with a brief thank you note for the client’s business is a professional touch that can help to establish a positive relationship with your clients. It also shows your appreciation for their business and helps to maintain good communication. A study shows that invoices that include a thank you note get cleared faster than invoices that don’t. So make sure you add a personalized thank you note at the end of the invoice. This can also help you build good customer relationships.
How Should the Invoice Be Raised?
It is always advisable to have an invoice generated digitally or as a hard copy rather than saying the payment terms orally. This is the most common mistake that most freelancers do that will leave a dispute between them and their clients later. So it is always better to send an invoice beforehand. Once the invoice is raised, it should be mailed to the postal address of the client. But these days, most people have shifted to online invoicing which is now one of the most reliable and sustainable options available in the market. If that is not feasible, then sending the invoice via email is an alternate option. Note that this invoice raised and signed can always be used as legal proof in case of payment delays.
When Should the Invoice Be Sent?
Since a freelancer usually works on particular assignments and does not have long-standing employment with the company, it is best that the invoice is raised and sent to the client as soon as the work is completed. This is when the assignment is fresh on the client’s mind, and it is easier to follow up for payments as well. In the case of long-term projects, then billings on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis can be done, and the invoices raised and sent accordingly. Learn more about the types of invoices you can send as a freelancer in our blog!
Invoice Temple for Freelancers:
Here are several ways that Invoice Temple can help freelancers:
✅ Time-Saving Perks:
Creating invoices manually can be a time-consuming task, especially for freelancers who are busy working on multiple projects. An online invoice generator automates the process, saving you valuable time that can be spent on other tasks. You can save a lot of time invested in creating invoices into up scaling your freelance business.
✅ Keep It Professional:
Invoice Temple can produce invoices that look professional in seconds that are uniquely yours. This can help to establish a positive image for your business and build trust with your clients and also build yourself as a brand.
✅ Customizable Options:
Invoice Temple allows you to customize your invoices to match your brand. You can add your logo, choose the font and color scheme, and include other branding elements. This helps to make your invoices look unique and professional. Therefore, the next time you send your invoice in the mail, half of your email-marketing job is also done!
✅ Easily Accessible:
With an Invoice Temple, you can access your invoices from anywhere, at any time. This makes it easier for you to manage your finances and send invoices to clients quickly and efficiently. The end-to-end encrypted cloud-based software can get you all the details of the invoice within just a click.
✅ Improved Organization:
An online invoice generator helps you to keep track of all your invoices in one place, making it easier to manage your finances and avoid late payments. It also prevents lots of files from getting deleted or lost when storing them manually or on a hard disk.
✅ Increased Accuracy:
An online invoice generator eliminates the risk of human error, such as typos, missing information, or incorrect calculations. This helps to ensure that all your invoices are accurate and consistent. It produces 2x accurate invoices with half the labor.
✅ Automated Reminders:
An online invoice generator can also help you to send automated reminders to clients who have not yet paid their invoices. This can help to reduce the risk of late payments and ensure that you receive payment on time. Enter the details of your clients once, and Invoice Temple will take care of the rest of the job. From sending reminders to generating recurring invoices, Invoice Temple can do it all!
Conclusion:
Regardless of the method you choose, the key is to be consistent, accurate, and professional in your invoicing practices because invoicing is what keeps the cash flow running and manages your finances smoothly. Check out Invoice Temple for our FREE subscription!