How to create an accounting invoice for services.

Learn how to create a standard invoice and what information to include for your accounting business.

Invoicing is an essential part of any business. An invoice is a professional document used to request payment in exchange for your services rendered. Let’s dive into how you create an invoice for bookkeeping services and what you’ll need to include to make sure you’re paid quickly and easily.

There are two main methods for creating invoices: to use invoicing software or to design your own as a shareable PDF.

Use software to create an invoice for accounting services.

Invoice software, also known as accounting software, can be used to generate invoices with your unique brand and is generally connected to your bank account to facilitate payments (although fees may apply). If you have to send out invoices often, this automated method often saves you time (and money).

Design a reusable accounting invoice template.

You can create invoices for bookkeeping services with a Word document, spreadsheet, or a downloadable template. Particularly, if you need help with bookkeeping invoice wording, online templates are a great place to start. That way, you can save them for future use, easily convert them to professional-looking PDFs with a PDF converter, and send them out in a safe read-only format.

What to customize on an invoice for bookkeeping services.

With a solid template in place, you can easily customize the look and layout of your invoice for accounting services. While we recommend keeping things simple and streamlined, here are a few key areas that you can change.

• Branding and logo. Be sure to include your company’s branding information so that recipients have a clear understanding of who is sending them the invoice in the first place.
• Colors and fonts. Keep these design elements minimal and on brand. Traditional sans serif fonts are the easiest to read. Most color schemes are black and white, but areas for emphasis can reflect a singular color that matches your brand.
• Contact information. Make sure the contact information on the invoice is updated and specific so that the vendor or client receiving the invoice knows who to reach out to in the event that they have questions.
• Custom fields. While most invoices will cover the basics, consider adding fields that reflect your business needs, such as purchase order numbers or additional items required for tax compliance.
• Custom language. Be sure to include personalized details regarding your business practices, such as net terms for payment and a clear description of the particular goods or services in question.

Another area to consider regarding the customization of an accounting services invoice template is removing anything irrelevant to your business practices from the template itself. This can include contact detail lines, extra fields, or boilerplate language not applicable to your company.

What to include in an accounting services invoice template.

Invoice formats vary based on the type of business and the services provided. However there are some items that every invoice should include. In general, provide the following:

• Company name and contact details
• Client name and contact details
• Invoice number
• Date of services rendered
• Hours worked and hourly rate, or flat project rate
• Subtotal
• Additional tax, fees, discounts as applicable
• Total amount due and due date
• Available payment methods
• Terms or other pertinent information

What to confirm before sending an invoice for accounting services.

With your invoice for accounting services ready to go, you’ll want to give everything a thorough review before officially sending it out. Beyond confirming the details included in the template that we outlined above, here are some steps to ensure you are sending out an understandable and trackable accounting services invoice template.

• Establish preferred payment methods. Don’t be shy about outlining how you prefer your customers and vendors to process payment.
• Set up automated reminders. With most invoices due within a set remittance period, you should prepare automated reminders to help keep payments on track and on time. Decide when to send an invoice reminder if payment hasn’t been received, and ensure the automation is set up properly before sending.
• Organize contact information. Making sure you have the right customer and vendor details in your CMS or accounting software will help streamline payments by contacting the right people the first time around.
• Confirm the terms. While templates include standard information, including remittance terms, make sure that this language reflects what was agreed upon with the client when the original contract or agreement was established.
• Proofread. Avoid sending an invoice or any corporate communications containing errors. Taking the time to double- or triple-check the invoice for accuracy, consistency, and proper grammar will present a more professional brand reputation to the recipients as well as underscore your trustworthiness.

Close accounting services invoices faster.

Legally binding digital signatures keep the business process moving along. Explore what more you can do with Adobe Acrobat to make signing fast and easy for you and your customers.