InvoiceHow to make an invoice (and get paid on time)
An invoice is not paperwork for its own sake — it is the document that turns finished work into money. This guide walks through exactly what to include and how to send one that gets paid without chasing.
Updated September 2026 · by Appicorn
The short answer: To make an invoice: write down your business details, the client’s details, a unique invoice number, the date and the due date; list each product or service with a price; add any tax or discount; check the total; then send the invoice as a PDF and mark it paid when the money arrives.
What every invoice must include
Invoices differ by trade and by country, but almost all of them need the same core information. Get these right and the invoice is complete; leave one out and you invite a delay.
- Your business details. The name you trade under, and enough contact information to identify and reach you.
- The client’s details. The correct legal or trading name, and their billing address.
- A unique invoice number. Sequential numbers such as INV-001, INV-002 make your records easy to follow.
- The date and the due date. The due date is the part clients actually act on — make it obvious.
- Line items. A clear description of each product or service, with quantity and price.
- Tax, discount and total. The subtotal, any tax or discount, and the final amount due.
- How to pay. Bank details, a payment link or a QR code so paying takes no effort.
The five steps, in detail
1. Collect the details you need
The most common cause of a slow invoice is a missing detail you only notice halfway through. Before you open the app, have your client’s name and address, the invoice number and the dates to hand. If you invoice the same clients regularly, save them once and this step disappears.
2. Add your client and line items
Pick the client, then list what you are charging for. Write the description the way your client would recognise it — “website redesign, phase one” is clearer than a product code they have never seen. Keep one line per item so the invoice is easy to check.
3. Add tax or a discount
If you charge VAT or sales tax, add it now rather than by hand later — that is how arithmetic errors happen. If you agreed a discount, show it as its own line so the client can see it was applied.
4. Check the numbers and the due date
Read the invoice as your client will, on a screen, not as a spreadsheet. Is the total right? Is the description obvious? Is the due date clear and reasonable? A thirty-second check prevents a thread of back-and-forth emails.
5. Send it and track it
Send the invoice the same day you finish the work. Then record that you sent it, and mark it paid when the payment lands. That record is what lets you spot a late invoice while it is still easy to fix politely.
How to get paid faster
- Invoice immediately. The gap between finishing and invoicing is usually longer than the gap between invoicing and being paid.
- Shorten your terms. Net 14 often gets paid before Net 30, because there is less time for the invoice to be forgotten.
- Make paying one tap. Include your bank details or a QR code so the client does not have to find them.
- Review unpaid invoices weekly. One friendly reminder on the oldest invoice moves more money than a batch of chasers at month end.
- Keep good records. Export your invoices and reports so you always know your paid and unpaid totals.
Making an invoice on your phone
Most people now invoice from the phone in their pocket, because that is where the work happened. Invoice Maker is built for exactly that: pick a saved client and products, let it calculate tax and totals, then send a clean PDF. There is no login, and your client and product lists stay on your device so the next invoice is even quicker.
If you quote before you bill, read how the estimate maker converts an approved quote into an invoice, or see how tracking and reports show what you are still owed.
