How to write an invoice: what it looks like, with Excel steps

An invoice is a document a seller sends to a buyer to request payment for goods or services already supplied. To write an invoice, put your details, your client's details, a unique invoice number, the date, a clear description of the work, the amount owed and the payment terms on one page.

This guide shows what a finished invoice looks like, lists the fields UK, EU and German rules require, and gives step-by-step instructions for Excel, Word and Google Docs.

How to write an invoice in 8 steps

Follow these eight steps in order. A client can pay a document built this way without asking you a single question.

1. Label the document "Invoice". Put the word at the top, so it cannot be mistaken for a quote or a receipt.
2. Add your details. Write your business name or your own name, address, email and, if you are VAT registered, your VAT number.
3. Add your client's details. Write the client's legal name and address. For a business client, add the contact who approves payment.
4. Give the invoice a unique number. Use a sequence such as 2026-014. The post What is an invoice number? How to number invoices explains the rules.
5. Add two dates. State the invoice date and the date the work was supplied. Spell the month out, such as "October 28, 2026", so no one misreads day and month.
6. Describe each line. Name what you did, the quantity or hours, and the price per unit. "Logo design, 12 hours at €75.00" is clear. "Design work" is not.
7. Show the totals. Show the subtotal, any tax and the total owed in one currency.
8. State how and when to pay. Add the due date, the bank details and the reference to use.

The same UK guidance on invoice contents names the core fields for UK non-VAT invoices: a unique identification number, company and customer details, a clear description of what you are charging for, the supply date, the invoice date and the amount owed.

What does an invoice look like? A filled-in example

A line item is one row on an invoice that describes a single product or service and its price. Here is a finished invoice for a freelance developer in Hamburg billing a German client in October 2026.

The example charges the standard German VAT rate of 19%, which section 12 UStG sets for taxable supplies. The VAT ID shown is a placeholder, not a real number. Payment details and a reference line sit under the totals.

Which fields does an invoice have to show?

The required fields depend on where the supplier is and whether the invoice carries VAT. The table compares the rules.

HMRC's manual VATREC5010 lists the UK VAT invoice details. They include a sequential number, the time of supply, the date of issue, the supplier's name, address and VAT registration number, the customer's name and address, and a description of the goods or services. The same page adds quantity, unit price and the rate and amount of VAT.

In Germany, section 14 UStG requires a sequential invoice number and says the invoice must be issued within six months of the supply. Invoices up to €250 follow a lighter rule. Section 33 UStDV lets such small-amount invoices show only the supplier's name and address, the date, a description and the amount with its tax rate.

In the USA, the IRS sets no invoice format. It does say that taxpayers must keep records that prove the income and deductions on a tax return, according to its recordkeeping page. Sales tax rules vary by state, so check your state's rules for what to show.

How do you create an invoice in Excel?

An Excel invoice is an invoice built in a spreadsheet, where formulas calculate the line totals and the grand total. Excel is the right tool when you bill a handful of clients and want full control.

1. Open a blank workbook. In cells A1 to A8, type your name, address, client name, invoice number and dates.
2. In row 10, type the headings Description, Quantity, Unit price and Amount in columns A to D.
3. In D11, type =B11*C11 and copy it down for each line.
4. In D20, type =SUM(D11:D19) to add all line amounts.
5. In D21, type =D20*0.19 for 19% VAT, and in D22 type =D20+D21 for the total.
6. Format the amount cells as currency, and save the file as a PDF before sending it.

Keep a locked copy of the workbook as your template and save each invoice under a new name, such as Invoice-2026-014.xlsx. Change the number each time. If you edit the same file and save over it, you lose the record of the last invoice.

How do you create an invoice in Google Docs or Word?

A document-based invoice is an invoice laid out as text and tables in Word or Google Docs. It is quicker to start than Excel, but it does not calculate totals for you.

1. Open a new document and add a table with four columns: Description, Quantity, Unit price and Amount.
2. Type your details at the top left and your client's details at the top right.
3. Add the invoice number and the two dates under the header.
4. Calculate each amount and the total yourself, or paste them from a calculator.
5. Use File, then Download as PDF in Google Docs, or File, then Save as PDF in Word.

Google Docs and Word both have invoice templates in their template galleries. A template saves layout time, but you still need to check that it has a unique number, the supply date and the VAT fields your country requires. Many free templates leave those out.

What payment terms should an invoice state?

Payment terms are the conditions under which a client has to settle an invoice, including the due date, the accepted payment methods and any charge for late payment. State them on the invoice itself, because a client who never agreed to a deadline in writing can reasonably argue that none applies. Write the due date as a calendar date, add the bank account and the reference the client should quote, and mention any late-payment interest your contract allows. For UK business clients, GOV.UK says that statutory interest is the Bank of England base rate plus 8% unless the contract sets another rate, as its late payment interest page explains.

What mistakes should you avoid when you write an invoice?

• A missing or repeated invoice number. Every UK, EU and German rule above asks for a unique number.
• Vague descriptions. A client's accounts team may refuse to pay a line it cannot match to an order.
• Mixed currencies. Show every amount in one currency and state it.
• Skipping the supply date. The date of the work and the date of the invoice can differ, and VAT rules use both.
• No payment terms. Without a due date, the client picks one.

For a worked contractor version, see Contractor invoice template: what to include, with examples. For a check of every field on a goods invoice, see What is a sales invoice? Required fields and a worked example. If the client wants a price first, Quote template: what to include, with a free example covers that step.

Invoqk's free invoice generator turns a job description into a finished invoice with the fields above, VAT worked out and a PDF ready to send.