About this tool
Invoice generator, explained
Write a clean invoice in a few minutes: who it is from, who it is for, the lines of work, discounts, taxes and shipping. Totals update as you type, in any of 17 currencies, and you can print the invoice or save it as a PDF from your browser.
How to use it
- 1On the Details tab, pick a starting point under Start from (Design studio, Freelance developer, Product order or Blank), then set the Invoice number, Issue date, Payment terms and Currency. Add a logo and an accent color if you like.
- 2On the Parties tab, fill in From and Bill to: a name, the address and details, and an email.
- 3On the Items tab, enter each line with its Qty, Unit price and an optional Discount. Use Add a line for more, the arrows to reorder and × to remove. Under Taxes and shipping, add up to three taxes and a shipping amount.
- 4Add Payment instructions and Notes on the Notes tab, then click Print or save PDF and choose Save as PDF in the print dialog.
How it works
How the totals are calculated
Each line is the quantity multiplied by the unit price, minus the line's discount. The subtotal is the sum of the lines after discounts. Each tax is a percentage of the subtotal, plus the shipping when Tax shipping is ticked, and the amount due is the subtotal plus shipping plus every tax. Two taxes, such as a federal and a provincial one, both apply to the same base.
Everything is counted in whole cents, or whole units for a currency without decimals such as the yen, and rounded once per line, once per discount and once per tax. Adding decimal amounts directly in software can drift by a cent, and on an invoice a wrong cent is an error.
The due date is the issue date plus the payment terms (7 to 60 days, any number of days you type, or On receipt). The invoice is laid out on an A4 page, and printing sends only that page, without the editor.
There is no account and no database. The invoice is kept in the page address, so a reload or Copy link brings it back, except an uploaded logo, which is left out of the link. Save .json keeps a file you can load later with Open .json, and Copy as text gives a plain version for an email.
When to use it
Ways people use it
A freelancer's first invoice
Bill a client for a project without setting up accounting software first: one line per deliverable, your tax rate, and a PDF to attach to an email.
Billing hours
Use the quantity as the number of hours and the price as your hourly rate. Add one line per type of work if your rates differ, and a discount on the lines you want to reduce.
Orders with several taxes
Start from Product order to see two taxes, GST at 5% and PST at 7%, applied to the goods and to the shipping, with a 15% discount on one line.
A monthly invoice to the same client
Save .json after sending. Next month, open the file, change the number, the date and the lines, and print the new invoice.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What should an invoice include?
An invoice usually shows who is billing and who is being billed, the date, a unique invoice number, a description of each item or service with its quantity and price, any tax, the total due, the due date and how to pay. Rules vary by country, especially when you charge VAT or sales tax, so check what your local tax authority requires.
How do I save an invoice as a PDF?
Click Print or save PDF. In the print dialog that opens, choose Save as PDF (or Microsoft Print to PDF on Windows) as the destination instead of a printer, then save the file.
How do I calculate sales tax or VAT on an invoice?
Multiply the taxable amount by the rate. In the Design studio example, the lines come to $5,480, a 10% discount on the revisions takes off $38, and VAT at 20% on the $5,442 subtotal adds $1,088.40, for $6,530.40 due. Enter your own rate under Taxes and shipping and the invoice does the arithmetic.
Do I need invoicing software?
For a few invoices, a generator like this one is enough. Invoicing software becomes useful when you send many invoices, since it keeps the numbering in sequence, stores past invoices, sends reminders and tracks which ones are paid.
Is my invoice data stored?
Not in an account or a database. The invoice is built in your browser and kept in the page address, so the link brings it back. An uploaded logo is not part of the link, so keep the PDF or the .json file once you are done.