AvoHow to Make an Invoice: Four Ways (Template, Word, Excel, App) and What Goes on It
How to make an invoice four ways: a fillable PDF template in a minute, Word or Google Docs for a custom layout, Excel or Google Sheets for automatic totals, or an.
Pick the way that fits how often you invoice
| Way | Time per invoice | Best for | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fillable PDF template | 2–3 min | A few invoices a month; any device | Totals typed by hand |
| Word or Google Docs | 5 min | Custom layout, logo, letter-style invoices | Tables shift; no math |
| Excel or Google Sheets | 3–4 min | Totals, tax and a built-in log | Formulas can be overwritten |
| Invoice app | 1 min | Weekly invoicing; clients and items saved; pay links | Pick one with free documents and no watermark |
What goes on the invoice
- The word “Invoice” and a unique number (start at 1001 or 2026-001).
- Your name or business, address, phone, email, and license or tax ID if your trade uses one.
- The client's name and address, and their PO number if they gave one.
- Invoice date and due date (a real date).
- Line items: description, quantity, unit price, amount. One line per thing done or supplied; labor and materials separate.
- Subtotal, tax if any, credits (deposit) as negative lines, total due.
- Payment terms: when, how, late fee.
Way 1: fillable PDF template
- Download the template for your trade (or the general one), open it in Preview, Adobe Reader, Chrome or the iPhone Files app.
- Fill in your details once; save as “Invoice master.pdf”.
- For each job: client, number, dates, lines, total. Save a copy named by invoice number. Send it.
Way 2: Word or Google Docs
- Download the .docx template, save a master with your header and terms.
- Copy per invoice; fill in the table; add rows from the Table menu; type the totals.
- Save as PDF (File → Save As → PDF, or File → Download → PDF in Docs) and send the PDF, not the .docx.
Way 3: Excel or Google Sheets
- Download the .xlsx template; the amount, subtotal, tax and total cells are formulas.
- Set your tax rate once; type description, quantity and rate per line; the math updates.
- Print preview to one page, save as PDF, and log the invoice on the second tab.
Way 4: an invoice app
- Enter your business once; add clients and the items you bill often.
- For each job, pick the client, tap the items, adjust quantities; the app numbers the invoice, totals it, and makes the PDF.
- Send by email or text with a pay link from the job; mark it paid when the money lands and the receipt goes out automatically.
- Avo does this on the iPhone: your first three documents are free, full-quality PDF, no watermark.
Mistakes that delay payment
- No due date, or “on receipt”. Write a date.
- One lump-sum line. The client cannot approve what they cannot read.
- Missing PO number for a company client. Accounts payable rejects it.
- No payment method. Every extra step costs days.
- Sending it late. Invoice the same day.
Fill it on your iPhone in a minute instead
Avo keeps your clients and your usual line items, so the next invoice is three taps. Your first three documents are free, full-quality PDF, no watermark. Premium from $59.99/year if you invoice often.
Scan the code with your iPhone camera to open Avo in the App Store, or email yourself the link.
Questions
How do I make an invoice for free?
Download a free fillable PDF, Word or Excel template, fill in your details, add the job lines and total, and send it as a PDF. The templates on this site are free with no email or watermark. An app with free documents is the faster option if you invoice weekly.
How do I make an invoice in Word?
Use a .docx template with a line table, fill in the header and lines, type the totals, then File → Save As → PDF. See the Word invoice template page for the file and the steps.
How do I make an invoice in Excel?
Use an .xlsx template with formulas: type the description, quantity and rate per line and the amounts and totals calculate. Set the tax rate once. Save as PDF to send. See the Google Sheets invoice template page; the same file works in Excel.
Can I make an invoice on my phone?
Yes: a fillable PDF opens and fills in the iPhone Files app, or an invoice app does it in a minute with saved clients and a pay link. Word and Excel are awkward on a phone.
What is the easiest way to make an invoice?
If you invoice occasionally, the fillable PDF: nothing to install, two minutes. If you invoice every week, an app, because it remembers clients, items and numbers and sends from the job.