How To Write an Invoice
Before taking advantage of a well-earned paycheck, a personal computation of your monthly salary must be in the works to make sure you are being compensated for your services. An invoice is one way to guarantee full compensation and is usually sent to the company accountant or employer before a cut-off date. Here are some tips for writing an invoice.
- Once you have completed a task or service, be sure to list this down. You risk the chance of forgetting some parts of the tasks and services and not being compensated fully.
- After completing your invoice statement, be sure to indicate your billing account details. If they are provided for you, it is best to make sure the account numbers match with your own records to avoid problems in billing. Place the information on the upper portion of whichever form you are filling, as they are most often located there. If you happen to move to a new residence or changed your contact number, you will need to inform your company accountant or your employer ahead of time so as not to experience a delay in your billing.
- Depending on the accounting style that your company or employer practices, you might need to take note of a series of numbers usually located near your account details. Usually referred to as the reference number, these numbers will serve as your basis for checking your billing statements. They also come in handy if corrections or adjustments need to be made to your account. Most companies and employers will ask for the invoice's reference number rather than a date as most companies and employers file their records based on reference numbers or codes.
- Use spreadsheets when creating an invoice, as they are practical and can be edited and corrected accordingly. However, not all invoices are computerized. There are still companies or employers that adhere to the manual mode of invoicing through the use of invoice sheets or forms. The method of writing an invoice is not dependent on the mode of submission.
- If your company or employer does not designate specific format to follow, you may adhere to the standard format. First, list down your contact information. Included here are your full name, billing address and billing details. You may also have the option on including your job title. Underneath your contact information, write the reference number. You may need to refer to your past billing statements to help you indicate this. If this is your first invoice, write 0001. Skip a couple lines or so before creating a table with about three columns. On the first column, indicate the date the service or transaction was made and likewise, indicate the date of completion on the next column. The third column may be utilized to explain the nature of the transaction so you may provide a brief description on what kind of service was rendered. On the last column, indicate the amount due. Add the amounts up to come up with the total amount due. Highlight or box in the final amount for emphasis. Remember to sign below before printing or sending your invoice. As much as possible, always make an extra copy for your own file.
Tax may be added to your final billing statement thus creating a deduction in amount. Remember to send your invoice before the deadline to avoid any delays in billing.
