This is where you describe the goods and services provided. You would normally see something like the following examples: “Retainer for legal services (ten hours, senior associate)”; “Provision of professional services outlined in attached timesheet”; “Sale of Car: 1978 Fiat Panda registration number 123456”; “Painting of garage door, 123 Main Street, Little Bigtown”; “Performance of agreed services under our contract dated 01 July 2014”; “January retainer fees.” Alternatively if you want to itemize items with line totals you should look at our Services Invoice Template and our Sales Invoice Template.
Don’t forget, when dealing with cross-border transactions you should include the currency.
Typical payment might include the following: “Immediately on receipt of invoice”; “within 7 days”; “within one calendar month”; “50% deposit on receipt of invoice and 50% balance within 7 days of the completion of the work”; “$1000 (less $250 cash deposit) = $750 due immediately.”
Here you should list all the ways that you can be paid. If you accept payment by wire you should include your full bank coordinates as well as the bank’s name and address. Remember to check with your bank if there is a charge for inbound payment, especially if you are dealing in different currencies. You should also be sure to include any reference you wish the payee to include (such as “ensure that invoice number is referenced when making payment”). If you accept checks you may wish to specify “checks must be account payee only” and if you want to receive funds by Paypal be sure to include your Paypal email address.
If the invoice contains goods which need to be shipped (or items which need to be collected) you should include this on the invoice. For example: “Goods will ship within 48 hours of receiving cleared payment”; “Car can be collected from 1123 Sudden Valley Estates any time from noon next Thursday.”
NB: this proforma invoice is a non-fiscal document. It should not be used for accounting purposes and does not establish a contractual relationship between us and the party to whom it is addressed. On receipt of payment we will promptly issue a formal invoice for fiscal and accounting purposes.