Sep 28, 2021
You may not be familiar with what's needed for a commercial invoice. Here is a useful explanation, and a sample invoice.
All invoices need to specify the following:
The title INVOICE
The company or person being invoiced, and their address
Your name (or trading name)
Your address
A number. These are supposed to be sequential to your invoicing system, so your first ever invoice will be no.1 and your 10th, no.10. However, there is nothing to stop you from starting your numbering at 1001 so you don't look like a newbie.
A date (probably today's date)
Specifics of the job being charged for (date/location) so they know what it refers to.
Any Contract Number, Purchase Order or reference number they have provided.
Any payment terms you wish to impose (normally 30 days)
Also state to whom the cheque or payment should be payable if it's not completely obvious. If your trading name is Fantastic Faces (not advisable, there are too many already!) but your bank account is in your given name (a personal account), you must tell them, or you will get cheques made out to Fantastic Faces, or put them to the trouble of having to ask you. If your bank account is in your trading name, it might be worth stating this anyway.
You may have to provide your tax reference No. and/or National Insurance No. if requested. This is usually asked for by councils in particular.
It will also be useful to include your bank account details for BACS automated payments.
When working for a large company or organisation, it is definitely worth finding out the name of the person responsible for booking you, and/or validating the payment. This will speed up processing, and give you someone to chase when, 3 months later, you've still not been paid! Most councils and large companies will want a Purchase Order Number, remember to add this if you have one or you won't get paid!
If your invoice looks attractive, and features your 'corporate identity' like your cards/publicity it acts as another reinforcement and helps your customer to remember you.
Here is a sample invoice, please do NOT use the picture used as an illustration on yours! :
the facepainting company
YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS
YOUR TELEPHONE NO.
and your email address
Ms Elise McManus
21 Hopeful House
Paint Street
London W2 8BE
19 November 2016
INVOICE
No. 00001
Facepainting for your event at Chase Park on 18th November 2016
Your Contract No. 56789 dated 12.10.16
Purchase Order No BS 123456
100.00
_______
TOTAL: £100.00
Payment terms: 30 days
Please make cheques payable to: Cheryl Painter
BACS DETAILS:
Bank: The Cooperative Bank (for example)
Sort Code: 001203 (for example)
Account Name: THE ACCOUNT NAME ON YOUR CHEQUE BOOK/BANK STATEMENT
Account No.: 80032346 (for example)
