When it’s time to make an invoice for self-employed work for the first time, it’s completely natural to be anxious about getting your invoices 100% right! Professional, well-presented invoices ensure your client is comfortable that the total payable is correct and can remit a swift payment to reward your hard work.
A freelance invoice template is the best option, where you can ensure your documents are clearly formatted, provide a breakdown of each itemized charge, and can even allow you to accept payments as a freelancer with one-click integrations with your preferred payment provider.
What Should Freelance Invoices Include?
Invoices are standard elements of business paperwork, but new freelancers or those who haven’t written their own invoices before often find it difficult to know where to start. Here’s a quick summary of the essential requirements:
- Invoice date and payment due date: Clients need to have an invoice date to enter your invoice into their bookkeeping systems and schedule a payment.
- The word ‘invoice’: Documents that don’t obviously state that they are invoices can be missed, overlooked, or considered invalid.
- A breakdown of each item: Itemizing invoices is best practice because it reflects transparency and ensures clients can check off each charge to verify they are consistent with the work commissioned.
- Total payable: You need to include applicable tax charges, depending on where you live, and present a bold final figure showing the balance.
- Both party details: An invoice should state who it is from and your contact details and reflect the payee’s name, address, and communication information.
- Payment information: A client needs to know where to send the remittance, so you can either add your bank or payment transfer details at the bottom or insert a payment link for efficiency.
The next step is to consider formatting because even though an invoice might seem straightforward, all these details should be set out properly so it is easy to scan the document and approve it for payment.
Are Invoice Templates Expensive for New Freelancers?
If you’re new to the world of freelancing, you might assume that it’s cheaper to type out every invoice manually rather than paying for invoice software–but the great news is that Invoice Ninja offers free-of-charge templates! We know that paperwork can be a time-consuming aspect of running a self-employed business, and we do everything possible to make your admin manageable and ensure you get paid on time.
Users can browse our invoice template catalogs to select the style and theme that feels the best fit for their freelance business. Once you start building a solid portfolio and issuing repeat invoices to return customers, the tools available become even more valuable.
Features such as bulk invoices, repeat invoices for ongoing work, and payment trackers keep you on top of your bookkeeping, where you can monitor payments received, invoices created and submitted, late payments to chase, and the total earned. Freelancers can even leverage more advanced functionality, including project logging.
Simply log the time spent or hours worked on each project and incorporate all completed tasks into a pre-programmed invoice template with your charges. You’ll be able to send invoices promptly, showcasing the best standards of professionalism to your clients!
