what to include on an invoice
A professional invoice must include the word 'invoice', a unique invoice number, the issue date and due date, your business name and contact details, the client's details, an itemised description of goods or services with quantities and prices, any tax applied, and the total amount due with payment instructions. If you're tax-registered, your tax number and tax breakdown are also required.
The non-negotiable fields
These are the items every invoice needs, regardless of where you trade or what you sell. Leaving any of them off gives a client's accounts team a reason to put your invoice to the back of the queue.
- The word 'Invoice'
- A unique invoice number
- Issue date and payment due date
- Your name, address and contact details
- The client's name and billing address
- A clear description of what was supplied
- Quantity and price per item
- Subtotal, tax and total amount due
- Payment instructions and terms
Fields that depend on your situation
Some fields apply only to certain businesses. If you're registered for VAT or GST, you must show your registration number and break out the tax. If your client works with purchase orders, quote the PO number. International invoices should state the currency clearly to avoid confusion over which dollar or which pound is meant.
- VAT / GST / tax registration number (if registered)
- Tax rate and tax amount, shown separately
- Purchase-order or project reference
- Currency code (e.g. GBP, USD, EUR)
- Any discount, applied before tax
Details that get you paid faster
Beyond the essentials, a few additions make life easier for the person paying you. A short payment-terms note, a payment link or full bank details, and a friendly line thanking the client all reduce friction. invoiceme lets you save these details once and reuse them on every invoice, so nothing important gets dropped.
make this invoice now
invoiceme builds a clean, properly formatted invoice in your browser and exports it as PDF, PNG, or Word — free, no account, with customisable tax and 20+ currencies.
faq
- Is a description of the work legally required?
- Yes — an invoice must describe what was supplied clearly enough that the buyer can verify it. Vague entries like 'services' invite disputes and, for tax-registered businesses, can fall short of what tax authorities expect on a compliant invoice.
- Do I have to include a due date?
- It isn't always a strict legal requirement, but you should always include one. Without a due date, payment terms default to whatever the law in your country assumes, which is usually less favourable to you than terms you set yourself.
- Does an invoice need my logo?
- No, a logo is optional and has no legal weight. It does make your invoice look more professional and recognisable. invoiceme Pro lets you add white-label branding so your invoices carry your logo and colours.