An invoice is a request to be paid for work you've already done. You don't need special software to make one, just the right details in an order the client can follow. This guide follows one real job, a plumber replacing a gas water heater, and the same steps work for any trade.
The job we'll invoice
The call was "no hot water." The plumber found a failed tank and swapped it the same afternoon:
- Service call to diagnose: $89
- 50 gal gas water heater, Bradford White RG250T6N: $1,185
- Labor, 3.5 hours at $115: $402.50
- Gas flex connector, expansion tank and fittings: $142.60
- Haul away the old heater: $65
- City plumbing permit: $75
That's a subtotal of $1,959.10. Sales tax at 7.5% adds $146.93, so the total due is $2,106.03. You can see the finished document on the plumbing invoice template page.
How to create an invoice, step by step
- Put your business at the top. Name, address, phone, email, and your logo if you have one. Add a tax registration number if your tax office or your clients expect it.
- Add who's paying. The client's name and billing address. If the job address is different, as it often is with landlords and rentals, show both so the payer knows which property the bill is for.
- Title it "Invoice" and give it a number. In the example it's 1042.
- Add the invoice date and the due date. The invoice date starts the clock. The due date says exactly when you expect the money.
- List the work, one line per item. Description, quantity, rate and line total. Labor reads "3.5 hours at $115," not one lump figure, and the heater carries its model number.
- Add the subtotal, tax and total. Show the subtotal, any discount, the tax as its own line, then the total due in bold. Tax rules differ by state and country, and some places tax parts but not labor, so check your state's or tax office's rules before you pick a rate.
- Say how to pay. A payment link, bank details, or the methods you accept.
- Add notes. Warranty, terms, the permit number. The example says: parts warranty per manufacturer, labor warranted one year, payment due on receipt.
The parts of an invoice, and why each one matters
- Header (your details and the client's). It shows who the bill is from and who owes it. A missing billing address is one of the first things an office manager sends back unpaid.
- Invoice number. It's the only thing that tells this invoice apart from the last one you sent the same client. It's how you match a payment to a job.
- Dates. An issue date and a due date turn "pay me sometime" into a deadline. Without a due date, a late payment isn't technically late.
- Itemized table. One line that says "Water heater job - $2,106.03" invites a phone call. Six lines that add up to the same number usually don't.
- Totals and tax. Tax on its own line shows the client what goes to you and what goes to the government, and it makes your own records easier at tax time.
- Footnotes. Warranty, payment terms and any late fee live here. If there's ever a disagreement, this is the line you point to.
How to number your invoices
Pick a sequence and never reuse a number: 1001, 1002, 1003. Many people start at 1001 rather than 1, which also keeps a new business from looking brand new. Any scheme works if each number is used once. The invoice number guide covers formats and what to do when you make a mistake.
Payment terms: when the money is due
Payment terms set when you get paid. For home service work, "due on receipt" is normal. Commercial clients and general contractors often expect "net 15" or "net 30," meaning payment within 15 or 30 days of the invoice date. Write the terms in words and put the actual due date next to them, so nobody has to count days on a calendar. The net 30 guide explains the common terms and when each one fits.
If you took a deposit, show it as a line under the total ("Deposit received - $500") and show the balance due.
How to send it and follow up
Send the PDF the same day you finish, ideally before you pull out of the driveway. Email or text both work; use whichever your client actually reads. Put the number and amount in the message itself: "Invoice 1042 for the water heater, $2,106.03, due on receipt. The pay link is on the invoice."
If the due date passes, follow up politely: a short note a day or two later, then again after a week. Attach the invoice each time. When the money arrives, send a receipt. The invoice vs receipt guide explains why you want both.
What to make it with
A word processor, a spreadsheet or an online invoice maker will all do the job. The free invoice generator on this site runs in your browser with no sign-up: logo, line items, tax and a payment link, then a PDF download, and nothing you type leaves your device. For a head start, open a filled-in example from the invoice templates, such as electrical or HVAC. To compare every no-cost option side by side, see how to make an invoice for free.
If you bill from your iPhone, TapBill keeps your clients and price list and turns an approved estimate into an invoice in one tap. It also works with no signal, so the invoice is ready before you leave the job.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make an invoice myself?
Yes. You don't need an accountant or paid software to make an invoice. If it shows who it's from and who it's to, a unique number, the date, what you did and what it costs, and how to pay, it does the job. If you charge sales tax, GST or VAT, check your tax office's rules, since they may expect extra details such as a registration number.
Can I create an invoice on my phone?
Yes. A browser-based invoice maker works on a phone, and you can send the PDF from your email or messages app. If you invoice every week, an invoicing app is quicker because it remembers your clients and prices instead of making you type them again.
How do I make an invoice for a job?
List the job in the order it happened: the trip or diagnosis, then parts with model numbers, then labor in hours, then fees like disposal and permits. Add tax, the total, a due date and a way to pay. If you gave an estimate first, start from its lines and add anything that changed, with a short reason.