What Is an Online Invoice Generator?

Rather than creating invoices manually, online invoice generators automatically create invoices based on the information that you provide. You can then download these invoices and send them to your clients.

Should You Use an Invoice Generator?

The primary benefit of using an online invoice generator is that it’s faster and easier than creating your own invoices. By entering all pertinent information above, we’ll do the heavy lifting and provide you with a professional-looking invoice. And your clients won’t be able to tell the difference!

Of course, if you’ve already built your own template, then maybe using an invoice generator isn’t right for you.

But they can certainly save you a lot of time in the future!

How to Use Our Invoice Generator?

We made our online invoice generate as simple as possible to use.

Just enter your company’s information (name, address, email address, etc), as well as your company’s logo if you have one. If not, don’t worry about it.

Then enter your customer’s information (name, address, email address, invoice number, etc).

Add the items that you’re invoicing for, the quantity that the client purchased, a description, and the price of each product or service. Once you do, we’ll total the invoice for you including tax. But if that doesn’t work, then just click “Edit” and change the total to whatever you need it to be.

You can add notes or memos if you want to document the purpose of the payment.

Finally, click “Generate Invoice” and we’ll let you download a free PDF of your professional-looking invoice that you can easily email to your client.

Simple as that!

What Are the Different Types of Invoices?

Standard Invoice — This is the most common type of invoice that a business sends to its clients. It usually includes basic information like company name, address, and email address for both the seller and the purchaser. It also includes what goods or services are being sold and how much they’re being sold for.

Credit Invoice — A credit invoice is sent when the seller or goods or services needs to correct a past invoicing error or, for some other reason, add credit to the client’s account. For example, you might send a credit invoice to provide a client with a $50 refund because of a past invoicing mistake.

Debit Invoice — A debit invoice is the opposite of a credit invoice. This invoice is for billing your clients more because of a past billing error. For example, this adjustment might become necessary if you billed your client for a certain number of hours but ended up working more hours than expected.

Mixed Invoice — Mixed invoices are a combination of credit and debit invoices. They are used to make adjustments both in favor of the client and in favor of the seller. The total on these invoices can be either positive or negative.

Timesheet Invoice — You can use timesheet invoices whenever you’re billing clients based on the number of hours you worked.

Expense Report Invoice — An expense report is a type of invoice that an employee, or sometimes a freelancer, bills to their client to receive reimbursement on business-related expenses. This, of course, requires some sort of prior agreement as to what expenses the business promised to cover.

Pro Forma Invoice — A pro forma invoice is a type of invoice that’s sent to the client before the work is started. The cost is usually just an estimation by the service provider, but it might need to be adjusted once the project is finished.

Interim Invoice — Interim invoices are used when a service provider works on a long-term project with a client, and so they set project milestones that indicate when a payment is due. When building a website, for example, a service provider might send interim invoices when the website is functional, when the designs are finished, and when the copy is written.

Final Invoice — This is the last invoice you send to a client, indicating the end of a project.

Past Due Invoice — This invoice is sent when a client hasn’t paid a previous invoice by its due date. Past due invoices should be sent immediately when payment becomes overdue and they can also include any late charges or fees.

Recurring Invoice — Recurring invoices are perfect for when you’re providing a client with the same products or services every month or year. These can be automated invoices that periodically bill clients and customers.

Essential Parts of a Professional Invoice

Here are the essential elements of a clear and effective invoice. Our free online invoice generator includes all of these pieces!

The Header — This should immediately make it clear that the document is, in fact, an invoice, as well as who the invoice is from and who the invoice is for.

Invoice Number — This is a unique identifier that should be applied to each invoice for documentation purposes. If there are ever questions or concerns about past invoices, this provides an easy method for referencing specific invoices.

Your Company’s Information — Your name, address, and email address should all be on the invoice, somewhere near the top.

Date Issued — Include the date of the invoice somewhere near the top as well. This is for documenting purposes and so that the client knows when you sent the invoice.

Goods or Services Sold — Listing the goods or services that you sold to your client, as well as the quantity and price, is a critical part of any invoice.

Taxes or Fees — Don’t forget to add taxes and fees to your invoice if applicable.

Total Amount Due — The total amount due is how much the client currently owes. This should be near the bottom of your invoice.

Due Date — Adding a due date to your invoice is important so that the client knows when they need to pay you by. If this due date expires without payment, it’s important to send a follow-up invoice.

How to Send Your Invoices to Your Clients

The easiest and most common way to send invoices to clients is via email, usually as a PDF file. Typically, invoices are sent at the beginning or end of a month, but they can also be sent at the beginning or end of a project, or at another agreed-upon time.

As for getting paid, your clients might send you a check in the mail, they might direct deposit to your bank, or they might pay you through an electronic service like PayPal or Square.

Invoice Generator FAQ

Can I see a sample of what my invoice will look like?

Yep! Here’s an example of the type of invoice our free online invoice generator will create.