How to Make an Invoice

Updated October 14, 2026 • 4 min read

Creating a professional invoice should take minutes, not hours. Whether you are billing a client for trade work, consulting, or local services, this step-by-step guide shows you how to prepare and send an invoice with all the right details.

What you need before you start

Have these four pieces of information ready before you open the generator:

Your business details: Trading name, business address, email, phone number, and optional logo.
Customer details: Client or company name, contact person, billing address, and job site address.
Itemized job breakdown: Clear descriptions of work done or materials provided, quantities or hours, and rates.
Tax registration: Your sales tax ID, GST/HST number, or VAT registration number if you are registered to collect tax.

Step by step: Creating your invoice

1. Your business details

Enter your trading name, contact details, and registered tax number. When you check "Remember my details", your information is saved locally on your device so you never have to retype it. You can also upload a clear business logo to appear on your PDF invoice.

2. Customer information

Add the customer or company name and billing address. For trade and contracting jobs, you can also include the physical job site location to keep project records clear for both parties.

3. Invoice number and dates

Assign a unique reference number to this bill. Set the issue date and select payment terms, such as Due on receipt, Net 14, or Net 30. The generator automatically computes the exact due date for you.

4. Line items and descriptions

Add itemized lines for every product, service, or hour worked. Enter quantities, select units like hours or packages, and set unit prices. The engine calculates line totals and subtotals automatically.

5. Taxes and deductions

Select your country preset to apply the appropriate statutory rates, such as US sales tax, UK VAT, Canadian GST/HST/PST, or Australian GST.

6. Payment details and notes

Give your customer straightforward instructions on how to pay: direct deposit bank details, wire instructions, or mailing address for checks. Add a polite thank-you message or late payment policy in the notes field.

7. Download or share

Review your invoice in the live preview. Download a clean, print-ready PDF document directly to your computer or phone. You can also tap Share to email or text the PDF directly to your client from your mobile device.

Number your invoices

A sequential, unique invoice number is vital for bookkeeping and tax compliance. When a customer has a question about payment, quoting an invoice number like INV-1001 saves time and confusion.

The generator includes automatic numbering: whenever you download an invoice, it increments the number sequence in your browser so your next invoice is ready to go.

Send it

Send invoices promptly, ideally the day work is finished or goods are delivered. You can download the PDF to attach to an email, print a physical paper copy for an on-site handover, or share the file directly from your mobile browser share menu.

Get paid

Make paying you effortless. Put your direct bank transfer routing, IBAN, account number, or check mailing details on every invoice. Follow up with a friendly check-in email on the date payment is due if funds have not yet arrived.

Example invoice preview

Here is a sample invoice generated with the simple preset, showing proper business headers, itemization, and statutory sales tax:

Ready to make your invoice?

Create, customize, and download your clean PDF invoice in seconds. Completely free with no registration required.

Open Free Invoice Generator →