How to write an invoice (step-by-step for freelancers)

A great freelance invoice does two jobs at once: it tells your client exactly what they owe and how to pay, and it protects you if the conversation ever gets messy. Here's the order most invoices should follow and the small choices that make the biggest difference.

What to include on every invoice

• Your business name, address, and contact — including a tax/registration ID if you have one.
• Your client's name and address — the legal entity that will be paying you.
• A unique invoice number — sequential, never reused.
• Issue date and due date — be explicit. "Net 14" alone is ambiguous.
• Itemised line items — description, quantity, rate, and line total.
• Subtotal, tax, and total — broken out clearly.
• Payment instructions — bank account, payment link, or both.
• A short thank-you and a notes field — for PO numbers or context.

How to number invoices

Pick a simple format and stick to it. 2026-001, INV-1042, or 2026-04-001 all work. The only rules: it must be unique, sequential, and easy to sort. FoxIn auto-increments your invoice number for you so you never duplicate one by accident.

Setting payment terms

1. Default to Net 14 for new clients — Net 30 trains people to pay slowly.
2. Offer a small early-pay discount if cash flow matters more than margin.
3. Charge a clear late fee if your contract allows it (and call it out on the invoice).
4. Take a deposit — usually 30–50% — for jobs over a few thousand dollars.

How to send the invoice

Email a PDF, then follow up with a short message ("Invoice attached, due 14th, let me know if anything looks off"). For larger clients with an accounts department, CC the AP contact, not just your day-to-day client. Keep the subject line specific: "Invoice INV-1042 — Acme Ltd — due May 17".

Common mistakes to avoid

• Sending an invoice without a due date.
• Forgetting tax where it's required by law.
• Reusing an invoice number — it confuses both you and your client's accountant.
• Burying payment instructions in a note instead of putting them on the invoice itself.

Do this in FoxIn

Open FoxIn's invoicing features and tap New Invoice. Pick a saved client (or add a new one), add line items, and FoxIn handles numbering, tax, totals and a clean PDF for you. See pricing — your first 10 sends are free.