If you're a small business owner, you know how important it is to bill your customers correctly. A poorly designed invoice can end up costing you time and money. Instead of spending your time trying to convince your customers to pay a confusing billing statement, use blank invoice templates. A standardized form, customized for your company, will help make sure that you include all the necessary information on each invoice that you send.
Information to Include on an Invoice
Every invoice for services rendered should include the same basic information. When you choose a sample billing form for your business, make sure that it contains the following:
- Your company's information: The invoice must show your company name and contact data, such as address and telephone number.
- Recipient's information: You must include the name and address of your customer or client, whether you are billing a business or an individual.
- Date: Include both the date of the invoice and the date on which the services were rendered. Don't forget to add the date on which payment is due.
- Details: Describe the services for which you are billing. Try to strike a balance between too much and too little information. At a minimum, for hourly services, list the type of service, number of hours, the hourly rate and the total charges due.
- Interest: If you are charging interest on past-due bills, you should include both the rate of interest and the current interest charged.
Downloading Sample Invoice Forms
If you're setting up a new invoicing system for your small business, consider downloading blank invoicing templates and customizing them for your company. Just choose from these sample forms, based on your needs, and download the file. Once you've downloaded the form to your computer, open it using the appropriate software and make any necessary changes, such as adding a logo to reflect your company's information.
- Word 2003 Blank Invoice Sample: This form is very basic and provides places for all of the necessary information you need to include with columns for hours worked and the rate of pay.
- Excel 2003 Invoice with Tax Calculation: This spreadsheet provides spaces for all pertinent information and also allows you to enter your tax rate so that the template can auto-calculate the sales tax on all transactions.
- Word 2007 Invoice Template: This document offers the basic billing format but also contains a pre-made area into which you can add your company logo.
Requesting Payment with a Template
Customizing a blank form to request payment for services rendered instead of creating a custom-made invoice yourself can save time. Making sure that all the pertinent information is included in your request for payment can increase your chances of getting paid. Downloading a pre-made template can do both, so choose the sample form that works best for your business and spend your time and money on something more productive.
Victoria Nicks - Victoria Nicks has a Master's Degree in IT, and extensive hands-on experience with various types of hardware and software.
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