The essentials
Whatever your country, an invoice that gets paid quickly answers four questions: who is billing whom, for what, how much, and how and when to pay.
- Your business name, address and contact details
- The client's name and address
- A unique invoice number and the invoice date
- A clear description of each item or service, with quantity, rate and amount
- Subtotal, any discount, tax and the total due
- The due date or payment terms, such as Net 15
- How to pay: bank details, UPI, or a payment link
Invoice numbers
Each invoice needs a unique number, and most tax authorities expect them to run in sequence without gaps. A short prefix such as INV- followed by a number works well. In India, keep one series per financial year and no more than 16 characters.
Tax details
If you're registered for GST or VAT, the invoice also shows your registration number, the tax rate and tax amount on each line, and the tax total. Some countries add more: India asks for HSN or SAC codes and the place of supply, the UAE asks for the words “Tax Invoice” and your TRN, and Australia asks for your ABN.
Make it easy to pay
Most late payments are simply forgotten invoices. Send the invoice the day the work is done, include a payment link or QR code, and set reminders before and after the due date.