Free Invoice Template for Excel and PDF

How to fill in a free invoice template

An invoice is a request for payment that also serves as your record of the sale. Whichever free invoice template you download, fill it in from top to bottom in this order:

1. Add your details and logo. Your business name, address, email and phone go in the "From" block. In the Excel files, click the "Your Logo" box, delete the text and insert your image over it.
2. Number the invoice. Use a simple sequence such as INV-0001, INV-0002. Never reuse a number, even if you cancel an invoice, because gaps and duplicates are the first thing an accountant or tax office asks about.
3. Set the dates and terms. The invoice date is the day you issue it. "Net 30" means payment is due 30 days later, and the Excel template works out the due date for you. Change the formula if your terms are Net 14 or due on receipt.
4. Fill in "Bill to". Use the client's legal or company name and the address they want on their records. Add a purchase order number in the notes if they gave you one.
5. List each line item. One row per product, service or block of time, with quantity and unit price. Delete the sample rows first.
6. Set discount and tax. Enter a percentage in the yellow cells. Tax is calculated after the discount. Enter 0% if you don't charge sales tax.
7. Write payment instructions. Say exactly how to pay (bank transfer details, check payable to, or a payment link you already use) and ask for the invoice number as the reference.
8. Save as PDF and send. Keep the Excel original, export a PDF, and email the PDF so the client can't accidentally edit the numbers.

Which free invoice template fits your business

All four downloads share the same layout, so clients see a consistent document whichever you pick. The difference is in the line items.

The simple invoice template is the default. Each row is a description, a quantity and a unit price, which suits products, fixed-price projects and retainers. If you're not sure which to use, start here.

The freelance invoice template is built around time. Each row has a date, the work you did, hours as a decimal (1.5 for an hour and a half) and your hourly rate, and the template multiplies hours × rate for you. There's a project field at the top, which helps when one client has several jobs running at once.

The service invoice template is for jobs done at a customer's location. It adds a service date, a work order number and a service address, and its rows mix a call-out fee, labor hours and parts so the customer sees what each part of the bill covers. Payment terms default to due on receipt, which is common for home services.

The printable PDF has the same fields with blank lines. It's handy for writing an invoice on site, or for a business that sends only a few invoices a year.

What to include on an invoice

A simple invoice template is enough as long as it carries the information a client needs to pay you and you need to prove the sale later:

• The word "Invoice" and a unique invoice number
• Your business name and contact details, and the client's
• Invoice date and due date (or payment terms)
• A clear description of each item or service, with quantity, rate and amount
• Subtotal, any discount, tax shown separately, and the total due
• Deposits or payments already received, and the balance left to pay
• How to pay, and who to contact with questions

Some places require more, such as a tax registration number when you charge sales tax or VAT. Check the rules where you and your customer are based.

Worked example: a freelance invoice

Say you're a freelance designer billing a client for a week of work at $80 an hour. You took a $300 deposit upfront, and the client gets a 5% returning-customer discount. Here is how the freelance invoice template totals it:

The client sees exactly what they're paying for, what came off and what's left. Whether design services are taxable depends on your state, so check before setting tax to zero.

For a step-by-step walk-through with more examples, read our guide on how to make an invoice.

Excel or PDF: which invoice template should you use?

The invoice template Excel files are the better choice if you send more than a few invoices. The formulas remove arithmetic mistakes, you can copy last month's invoice and change a few lines, and the files open in Google Sheets, LibreOffice and Apple Numbers too.

The invoice template PDF suits one-off jobs, handwritten invoices at a job site, or anyone without a spreadsheet app. You can type into its fields in most PDF readers, but it won't add up the totals, so double-check your math.

If you want a finished PDF without opening any software, our free invoice generator lets you fill in the same fields in your browser and download the result.

Common invoicing mistakes to avoid

• Vague descriptions. "Consulting – $2,000" invites questions. "Strategy workshop, 2 sessions, Oct 7 and 9" gets paid.
• No due date. Without one, clients treat your invoice as "whenever." State a date, not just "Net 30."
• Mixing tax into prices. Show tax as its own line so the client can claim it back where allowed and you can report what you collected.
• Editing the formulas by accident. Type only in the yellow cells and item rows. If totals look wrong, download a fresh copy.
• Not tracking what's been paid. A folder of PDFs doesn't tell you who owes you what. Keep at least a simple list of invoice numbers, amounts, due dates and payment dates.

When to move from templates to invoicing software

A free invoice template works well for a handful of invoices a month. It starts to strain when you need to know, at a glance, which invoices are overdue, how much clients owe you in total (accounts receivable), and how your sales tie into your books.

That's the point to consider invoicing software. In PilotLedger, invoices use your item catalog and tax rates, carry your logo on branded PDF templates, are emailed with the PDF attached, and can be followed up with payment reminders. When you record a full or partial payment, it posts to your ledger automatically, and the Aged Receivables report shows who is late. On the Starter, Growth and Business plans, clients can view and download their invoices in the customer portal.

To be clear about the limits: PilotLedger doesn't take online card payments on invoices and doesn't send recurring invoices automatically, so you'd still collect payment by bank transfer, check or your existing payment provider. The Free plan covers 10 invoices a month, and the pricing page lists the paid plans.