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Download sample invoice form in PDF format.
Sample Sales Invoice: What Should Be Included?
Are you a new or existing business owner or manager who plans to use invoices for your business? Have you considered using a sample invoice as a template for creating personalized invoices that are suited to your company? There can be no debate that the sales invoice is one of the most essential documents in business, for without them getting paid and tracking those payments would be virtually impossible. To help you get started, in this article we will provide a brief definition of the sales invoice, followed by an outline detailing the types of topics and headings to look for when selecting a sample sales invoice.
What Is a Sales Invoice?
The sales invoice is a vital legal document in business—a document that is customarily developed for, and given to a client or customer as an official record of the goods and/or services that were sold or rendered. If the customer has already paid for the goods and services, the sales invoice is merely a courtesy so the client has a record of the transaction, but when there is a balanced owed for goods or services that were already delivered, the sales invoice also acts as a bill or a demand for payment. For the company that delivered the products or services, the sales invoice becomes a vital recordkeeping and inventory control instrument.
The invoice is generally presented to the customer at the time the goods or services are delivered, however it can also be sent in the mail—or in an email—after the transaction has been completed.
Sample Sales Invoice: What Should Be Included?
While there are many ways to construct a sales invoice, when searching online for a sample sales invoice for your business you will need to ensure it includes, at minimum, the following information:
• Business Letterhead. Your business letterhead will make the invoice look very professional and distinguish it from the other invoices a customer or company may receive. It should include your business address, telephone and fax number, email and website information, if applicable.
• Customer Name. The customer’s name and address must also be included towards the top portion of the sample sales invoice.
• Invoice Number. The invoice number is very important, especially for the issuing business as a way to keep track of sales and for easy filing and accounting.
• Transaction Description. In this section you will provide a detailed list of the goods or services sold, including a unit price for each item and a subtotal.
• Taxes and Fees. Of course taxes should never be overlooked, but if you plan to ship goods, you will also need to include a space to list those fees—fees that are usually the responsibility of the buyer unless otherwise noted.
• Grand Total. The grand total is the sum of the subtotal of goods and/or services provided, and the cost of taxes, shipping and any other applicable fees.
Although optional, the final part of your sample sales invoice could also include an appropriate amount of space for notating any specific payment instructions, as well as any other comments the seller would like to add.