6 Steps for Making a Flexible Invoice Template That Works

Need an invoice template that helps to get you paid?

In today’s hyper-digitalized age, online invoice templates have just about replaced our outdated paper system. With invoice templates, every freelancer can make innovative, aesthetically pleasing layout decisions, and create an invoice that encourages people to pay you. A flexible invoice template that is easy to understand ensures that recipients will perceive you in a more professional light and prevent late payments from occurring. These six tips for increasing the flexibility, effectiveness, and punctuality of your billing system can significantly up your invoice game.

Here are 6 Steps for Making a Flexible Invoice Template

1. Establish Legibility and Accuracy

The foremost important thing for any invoice is that it includes the right information. A clear layout, easy-to-read columns and headings, and legible fonts are all components of a strong invoice template that will communicate professionalism and credibility to your recipients. Legibility and accuracy also prevent mistakes or misunderstandings from occurring. Typos, forgotten figures, unclear payment instructions, or insufficient information will all contribute to a sense of confusion or mistrust from clients. If you don’t provide a solid, comprehensive format, it will limit flexibility and usability on your recipient’s end. Remember to always adopt a clear, cognizant, and accurate approach. Every invoice should clearly state why X equals Y and how the totals and taxes are calculated.

2. Personalize Your Template

Lots of savvy freelancers and companies are using personalization to improve the invoice experience and add a memorable touch to the otherwise somewhat clinical process of billing. Personalizing your invoice could mean adding a message of gratitude that includes the recipient’s name or adding their logo (besides yours) on the page. This can give a fun, striking, and unforgettable touch to your invoices that make clients feel seen, heard, and appreciated.

3. Offer Multiple Payment Options

One of the most effective ways to increase the flexibility of your invoice templates is to ensure that there are multiple payment options to choose from.

There are several other viable, professional alternatives that you can offer to ensure you cater to every client’s preferences:

• PayPal
• Bitcoin
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• QR codes

Providing multiple payment options communicates to clients that you are not only a progressive force to reckon with, but you also care about their individual needs. This shows awareness and consideration for your fellow professionals and can have a lasting impression on clients. Don’t forget to include your payment terms too, so there’s no uncertainty when payment is due.

4. Incentivize Prompt Payments

Late payments are no joke. Fortunately, you can encourage clients to pay on time by offering them creative (but enticing) forms of incentivization that inspire promptness. One way to do this is to offer a small, percentage-based discount on what they owe if they pay within a set period. You could add a clause to your invoice template that says, “Payments made within five days of receiving the invoice qualify for 5% off the total cost”. If you don’t fancy that option, offering coupons can have similarly promising effects. If you work with affiliate brands, getting them to donate coupons for fast payments would be a win-win situation for everyone. Get creative in your approach. Even a small discount or incentive adds value.

5. Send Automatic Reminders

Even when we try our best to stay on top of admin, sometimes important invoices simply slip through the cracks. To encourage clients to pay their bills on time, setting up an automatic notification system can be very effective. A straightforward, polite, and helpful automatic message that says something like, “Payment to X Company due in five days. Pay now?” allows busy professionals to be reminded of their financial obligations in a way that still provides flexibility and independence.

6. Be Extremely Punctual

It’s one thing to expect others to always pay you on time, but if you drop the ball yourself, blaming them isn’t justified. For clients to respect your payment deadlines, you need to respect their schedules. Respectful punctuality is a two-way street. As soon as a legitimate agreement has been made, fill in your invoice template and send it off to avoid stagnation. Delayed bills come across as unprofessional and will only further delay money finding its way into your account. If you are punctual with invoicing, they’ll (hopefully) be punctual with payment.

Summing Up…

When it comes down to it, clients only really want a few things from your invoice:

1. Accuracy
2. Flexibility
3. Professionalism

Ensuring your invoice template contains all the information for the smooth exchange of funds is critical for its success. With these helpful tips, you can confidently go forward by sending out your invoices. Knowing that recipients will get everything they need (and more) to pay you on time. Next up, you may want to explore a list of top websites that will pay you to write.