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If you're a freelancer or own a small business, you know that getting paid quickly for your services is vital to your company's success. Skynova's free service invoice template helps you create customized and professional invoices in minutes.
Although you can use Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel templates to create invoices for your business, these programs often add unnecessary steps. Using Skynova's invoice template, you can easily edit your invoice on-site, email invoices directly to your customers, or quickly download or print a PDF. Our system also lets you see when they open them and can track paid and unpaid invoices, smoothing out and speeding up the billing process so you can worry less about payments and focus more on growing your business.
After you've provided professional services to a customer, it's important to send a bill in a timely manner. Skynova's free invoice template allows you to easily create and email invoices to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. To get started, follow the simple step-by-step guide below to make a simple service invoice today.
The first step to filling out the invoice template is to clearly identify your business. Enter your company name and address in the appropriate boxes so the customer will clearly recognize who is billing them for services. Next, enter the customer's name and address.
Be sure to double-check that there are no typos in either the customer or business information sections. If you deal with a customer exclusively online, it's OK to enter an email address and/or phone number in the address field instead. You may also want to include this contact information under a traditional mailing address for future reference for both you and the customer.
Invoice numbers help you easily identify and track sales invoices that you've made and sent to customers. To avoid confusion, each invoice number must be unique. Create a starting number for your first invoice and save it to your account. From this point on, Skynova's system will automatically create the next numbers in sequential order on the following invoices you create.
Also, our system won't allow you to save an invoice with a number you've already used. You'll never have to worry that you've accidentally duplicated an invoice number.
Now, it's time to determine and enter some important dates into your template. The first is an invoice date. This date is usually the day the invoice was created, unless your business has a more specific billing policy. The second date to enter is an invoice due date.
The invoice due date is the day by which the customer must pay the amount due on the invoice. This date is up to your discretion. Some companies require payment within 7 days and some allow 14 days or longer. Whatever your business's payment policy, it should be made clear to all parties from the beginning of the work agreement.
It's important to track any use of supplies, materials, or parts while performing services for a customer so you can easily provide details for these items on an invoice after the work is complete. Supply records ensure that you won't have to struggle to remember what was used for which customer and how much it cost to purchase it.
Refer to your supply records to enter accurate information about the cost of supplies on the invoice template. Our template provides space for you to itemize each item that was used. Enter a description, unit price, and the quantity used in the appropriate boxes. The total cost for each item will automatically tally in the "Amount" box.
You can list as many supplies as you would like. To add more lines to the invoice itemization, simply click the "+ New Line" button as many times as needed.
This step may not apply to all businesses, and even if it does apply to yours, you may choose not to charge for supplies on a sales invoice. If you decide to charge for supplies, materials, or parts, be sure to communicate these charges to customers before the services are performed. Surprises on bills are never a good thing. They often upset customers who weren't expecting these extra costs from the beginning.
As with supplies, labor costs may not apply to all service businesses using our invoice template. However, if you need to charge for labor costs, we do provide a space to enter and itemize them just like supplies, materials, and parts. It's crucial to track the amount of labor performed per customer, especially if you charge an hourly or a daily rate.
You can enter an hourly, daily, or fixed rate of labor on the invoice template. To enter the cost of hourly labor, choose hours from the drop-down menu under "Item." Enter a description of the work performed in the "Description" box and your hourly rate in the "Unit Price" box. Input the number of hours worked under "Quantity" and we'll automatically provide a total due under "Amount."
The method is similar when entering the cost of daily labor. Choose "Days" under "Item," add a description of the labor, and the daily rate under "Unit Price." Then, input the number of days worked, and the total due will appear under "Amount."
If you've agreed upon a fixed or flat rate for labor for a service, simply choose "Service" under "Item." Next, add a description of the work, and place the fixed or flat rate into the "Unit Price" box. Enter the number one under "Quantity," and the total cost of labor will show under "Amount."
If your business has provided more than one service, you can enter as many as necessary on the same invoice by clicking on the "+ New Line" button. As with other costs, be upfront with the customer about your rates and expected labor time.
Skynova's invoice template also has a place to list any customer discounts that you wish to provide. For example, your business may offer a new customer discount or a referral discount to drum up some more business.
To enter the discount on the invoice template, choose "Discount" from the drop-down list under "Item." Enter a description so the customer will understand what this line item is all about. Next, enter the amount of the discount under "Unit Price." It will appear as a negative number and will automatically be subtracted after the subtotal from the invoice total.
You can also use this part of the invoice to note if a customer has put down a deposit for your services. A deposit can be automatically deducted from the total amount due.
The "Notes" box in the bottom left corner of the invoice template is provided for your convenience. It's where you can enter any further information to the customer about your services, costs, or discounts. It's especially helpful if you need to explain an item that's listed above in more detail.
You can also use the "Notes" box for a reminder, a thank you, or some other personal touch that encourages good rapport between the customer and your business.
No matter what type of services you offer, these invoicing tips and best practices can apply to your small business. For instance, it's always best to be very clear about what your services will cost and when payments will be due prior to working with a customer. Explaining your billing policy before services are rendered sets expectations and makes it more likely that you'll get paid on time.
Avoid payment delays by providing detailed instructions about how to pay an invoice in the "Notes" section of the invoice. Payment methods and details could also be included in an email if you're sending an online invoice or in a cover letter if you've decided to print and mail the invoice.
Looking to get paid faster? Consider sending invoices through email and accepting credit card payments through Skynova's online payment feature. With online billing, you also don't have to worry about whether a customer has received an invoice or not. You'll be able to see in your account if and when a customer has opened their bill.
Don't delay — create and send invoices as soon as possible after services have been offered. The quicker you send an invoice, the quicker you'll get paid. Good cash flow is vital to small business growth and success. You don't want to be pushy but you do want to get compensated for all of your hard work.
No one likes paying a late fee, but sometimes life happens and payments get delayed. It's good to know how your business will handle this situation. Late payment terms set an expectation of what the customer will owe if the invoice isn't paid on time.
You can include these terms in the "Notes" section at the bottom of an invoice. Don't be afraid to do so; late fees are a typical business practice, usually assessed as a percentage of the total due. Noting late payment terms upfront encourages customers to pay their invoices on time.
Some businesses offer discounts on their services if invoices are paid promptly. If you're looking to increase your cash flow quickly, it may be worth offering an early-payment discount. Decide on the terms and include them on the invoice (along with the late payment terms).
Using your logo helps to build brand recognition among your customers (and potential customers). An invoice is a business document that should reflect your brand. Adding your company logo to an invoice template is a simple, yet important step.
Your logo also adds a little pizzazz to an otherwise boring financial document.
To add your logo to an invoice, go to the template and click on the link "Show Customization Options" and check the box next to "Logo." On the top right corner of the invoice, a space will appear that says "Your Logo Here." Click on the "Browse" button under this space and select the file containing your logo that you wish to upload. Other customization options on the template include adding a purchase order number or sales tax.
When you need to bill the same customer regularly, you can save a lot of time and reduce errors by setting up recurring invoices. Skynova provides a template to fill out that creates a recurring invoice. Simply select which customer to bill regularly, include as many details as needed on the invoice, and set a billing schedule.
You can choose the billing start date, frequency, duration, and delivery options. Our system allows you to invoice customers weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly, biannually, and annually. Once everything is set, we'll automatically create and send out invoices so you don't have to.
When creating an invoice for a customer, the last thing you want to be asking yourself is, "Did I already bill them for this service? Is there something I'm forgetting?" You also don't want to have overdue payments with no idea who still owes you what.
When you use Skynova products, you can easily keep track of all of your invoices. Our system allows you to manage your invoices by seeing the amount paid, balance due, and totals for any invoice. You can keep track of everything you've ever sent to customers and always have details about paid and unpaid invoices at your fingertips.
Once you create an invoice with our template, it's automatically saved to your account, tagged, and sorted. Your invoices are searchable so you can always go back to look something up. We also offer unlimited storage so you can create as many invoices as you need.
No matter what type of service you provide, whether it is auto repair or legal services, you want people to recognize that you're a professional. Something as simple as a well-crafted invoice shows others that you're a professional business owner and that your services are worth every penny.
Skynova's invoicing software helps you create dozens of types of invoices that look great and include all the key information your customers need. All invoices created using Skynova templates can be printed, downloaded as PDFs, or sent directly by email. We also offer free templates for service estimates and quotes.
Lessen your paperwork load and speed up your billing process by going digital with Skynova invoicing today. We've simplified the process so you can get paid and help your small business succeed faster than ever.