10 Essential Elements of Small Business Invoices

When you are a small business wanting to make it to the big picture, you must do everything right. Mainly when we talk about dealing with the matters of your business’s cash; invoices play a significant role in completing the payment chain of your business. This guide will highlight all the essential elements of small business invoices. So, let’s get going! Once you provide a business with your professional service; you send them an invoice to bill them for the services your firm has offered to them. If you don’t have a business invoice made yet, or you feel like your current one is clicking well, you are in the right place!

The Essential Elements of Small Business Invoices

Here are 10 essential elements of small business invoices:

10 Essential Elements of Small Business Invoices 1

1. An outstanding header

An outstanding header is one of the essential elements for your small business invoices. To make your header an outstanding one, ensure to add a logo of your company. You should also ensure that your title should contribute to making the invoice appear more professional and representative.

Most of you will accept when we say that everyone’s way of thinking is different. While adding the header to your invoice is an important aspect, there is still more to do! You should be able to label the invoice explicitly at the top.

You will want to make sure that the text at the top defines what the document is.

Just by labeling the document, you will be saving yourself from a massive pile of miscommunication and a headache; that follows from seeing the random papers flying all around you.

2. Invoice number

Adding the invoice number to an invoice is considered the basics of bookkeeping and for a good reason.

Assigning a sequential invoice number or any other type of identity to a document helps separate the paper from other documents. You can specify the manuscript in any way you like, i.e., a filing code and a unique chronological number. You can even use a data-based purchase order number!

Moreover, adding invoice numbers to your invoices can also be of significant help in ensuring that you receive payments for your services on time!

3. Information about your company

Near the title of the invoice, consider adding information such as; the legal name, the address of your business, phone number, and, if you have, the fax number.

If you see an invoice for services rendered templates on the internet; just about every template will include the space to add information for the company sending out the invoice.

The significance of mentioning your company detail is differentiating between the person paying and the party receiving the payment. However, you should focus on keeping things very elegant and prominent.

Additionally, if the customer faces any issues along the lines, they can use the contact information on the invoice to reach out to you.

Also Read: Importance And Benefits Of Automated Accounts Payable Software In A Business

4. Date

Including the date on an invoice must not be as small as it seems.

Adding the date on the invoice can help simplify the record help when processing the catalog about when you provided your sold products or the services.

Adding a date to an invoice can also help tackle any confusion about any item that you sold.

5. Goods or Services provided

Even though e-commerce businesses might overtake the traditional retailing companies, one thing that will always remain important between them is the invoices.

Whether you are on e-commerce business or a retail small business, you have to send invoices to your clients in a possible sophisticated manner.

Listing out all the services you have provided to a client can be of great help when trying to keep things elementary and understandable. You should consider listing items such as the name of the item/service, the price, and the quantity or amount of the product/service.

6. Any feeses or taxes as a component of the invoice

As you list all the services and products you have sold, it would be a good idea to include the amounts of any taxes or fees applicable on the specific items.

The situation might call you to apply the rates and taxes on a different budget or record on the filing end. However, you should try adding any additional taxes or fees near the price of the product or service and not anywhere else in the document.

Placing the taxes in front of the services you are selling can help them understand the taxes and charges applicable to a specific product or a service.

Tie together all the additional costs in the total amount you will mention at the last of the invoice.

Also Read: Best Small Business Routers

7. The Amount in Total

Well, as long as we are talking about the obvious things. You must mention the total amount of services you have provided to the client.

Adding the total due amount in an invoice is a great way to achieve simplicity. Additionally, it can also help in settling the amount.

Furthermore, you can also use the total amount of an invoice as a vital reference point for you in any correspondences later between the customers and your business!

8. The terms and conditions you have set

The inclusion of a bit of rhetoric in an invoice is inevitable no matter how hard you try.

So, to make the best of this scenario, it would be best to mention the terms and conditions based on your deal with the client. Adding the terms and conditions on your invoice can help the words become more apparent with the client, and they also can reflect on them quickly.

You can also include any of the rules you have set, i.e., the penalty for not making due on the invoice or liability for not paying the invoice in full.

Ensure that you throw in as many as possible terms and conditions in an invoice.

9. A Unique Message on the invoice

It is one of the essential elements of small business invoices. Just like when you buy flowers online, you get a place where you can include a specific message for the person you are sending the flowers to. Similarly, sending personalized messages with the invoice is an excellent way of making your customers feel special in the business world.

Excelling in the business world depends on what you do to stand out. Using a unique message on the invoice will help in setting your business apart from your competitor. 

Using a personalized message in your invoice can be a great way to thank a client for doing business with you. Moreover, using customized notifications on your invoices can also serve as a reference to a unique aspect of your project.

Also Read: Crisis Management Plan for Small Business Owners

10. The due date for the invoice

The experts believe that the due date is another one of the crucial elements on an small business invoices aside from the product description and subtotal.

Adding the due date on your company’s invoice can intensify its urgency and importance and significantly cut down payment times.

So, try placing the due date of an invoice where it can be seen easily. Adding the due date to your invoice also helps considerably keep the process and the history of the invoice organized.

Final Words

Since an invoice acts as a bill for the products and services you have sold; the importance of an small business invoice is immense.

So, when you get down to making an invoice for your small business; ensure to include all these essential elements to make your small business invoices stand out from the others. Not only will these tips make your business stand out; but the process of receiving payments will also increase significantly after integrating these elements into your invoices of small business.

While we have tried to mention every critical aspect of an impactful small business invoice; if you think that we have left something out, let us know through the comments section below!

Must Read: Does AdWords For Small Business Work – 7 Ways It Helps In Growing A Business


Author’s bio: Ashley Rosa is a freelance writer and blogger. As writing is her passion, she loves to write articles related to the latest trends in technology and sometimes on health-tech. She is crazy about chocolates. You can find her on Twitter: @ashrosa2.

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