An invoice is a critical document for all businesses big and small and freelancers alike. It tells clients what they are being billed for, how much to pay, how to pay and any other relevant information. An invoice seems like something simple and easy to put together. But, putting one together from scratch can be a tedious and time-consuming process. This is time taken away from running and growing the business.
The easiest way to make sure that you start on the right track is with an invoice template.
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Invoice content
Invoices must be accurate and contain ALL the information that clients need to make payment. Effective invoices contain a number of key elements which include but aren’t limited to; company details (for both parties), invoice number, invoice date, item description(s), invoice amounts and terms of payment, just to name a few.
Having a professional-looking invoice with all the right information goes a long towards you getting paid quickly. Now comes the question of where to get professional-looking templates? FreshBooks, the cloud accounting solution that makes running a business a lot easier offers free invoice templates.
Free FreshBooks invoice templates
FreshBooks has a range of free invoice templates available for download. The templates which are simple and easy to use are customisable so that they suit your particular needs. Editable sections include company name, invoice number, description, applicable taxes, invoice total and payment terms. All that you really need to do is fill out these sections to make it yours.
They come in a range of formats which include Word (.DOC), Excel, (.XLS), .PDF, Google Docs and Google Sheets. You will be sure to find a format that you are not only comfortable working with but one that suits your business too. Each invoice format has clear instructions on filling it out the sections all the way through to sending it to clients.
FreshBooks doesn’t just offer one generic template. They’ve gone one step further, and offer industry-specific invoice templates for download. They include the following:
- Graphic Design
- Contractor
- Photography
- Web Design
- Video Production
- Hotel
- Attorney
- Auto Repair
- Painting
- Construction
That’s not all, they drill down even further with more specific invoice templates than include:
- Self Employed invoice
- Freelance invoice
- Hourly invoice
- Business invoice
- Services Rendered invoice
- Blank invoice
- Printable invoice
Some industries may have elements that need to be incorporated into an invoice and only apply to that particular invoice. This may explain the range of options. At the end of the day, they are there to make your life easier.
If you are looking for free invoice templates, do give what FreshBooks has to offer a try. Remember, an invoice is a critical document that you should take seriously and have 100% correct and looking professional right from the get-go. Give your clients a reason to want to pay you in full and on time. Think about it, if you can’t get your clients to pay, do you still have a viable business?
Images courtesy of FreshBooks
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