What to include on an invoice (with a free generator)
A practical checklist of what an invoice should contain, how tax and discounts are usually calculated, and how to make a clean PDF in your browser.
Updated: 3 November 2026
An invoice is a request for payment, and it is also a record that you and your client may both need later. A clear invoice gets paid faster and avoids questions. This guide lists what an invoice normally contains, and shows how to make one without a subscription.
A note before you start
The legal requirements for invoices depend on your country, your type of business and whether you charge tax such as VAT. This article is general information, not tax or legal advice. If you are unsure what your invoices must contain, check the guidance from your tax authority or ask an accountant.
What to include
- The word “Invoice” and a unique invoice number. Numbers are usually sequential, so that no invoice goes missing.
- The issue date, and the payment due date or payment terms, such as “due in 14 days”.
- Your name or business name, address and contact details, and your tax or registration number if you have one.
- Your client’s name and address.
- A clear description of each product or service, with quantity and unit price.
- The subtotal, any discount or shipping, the tax rate and amount if you charge tax, and the total due, with the currency.
- How to pay: bank details or other payment methods, and any late-payment terms you have agreed.
Get the numbers right
Most mistakes are in the arithmetic. Decide whether your prices include tax or not, and whether tax applies to each line or to the whole invoice, and apply the same rule to every invoice. Discounts also catch people out: a 30% discount followed by a further 10% is a 37% discount in total, not 40%, so use the Discount Calculator to check stacked discounts and the Percentage Calculator for quick checks. Currencies also differ in decimals: the yen has none and the Kuwaiti dinar has three, and rounding should follow the currency.
Make the invoice
The Invoice Generator builds the invoice as you type. You can add your logo, tax or VAT, a discount, shipping and a deposit, choose the language and currency (including Arabic with right-to-left layout), and save it as a PDF. Nothing is uploaded or stored, there is no account and there is no watermark. It saves through your browser’s print dialog, and the page tells you so. Because nothing is stored, keep your own copy of each invoice you send.
Invoicing in another currency
If your client pays in a different currency, state the invoice currency clearly. For a rough idea of what the amount will be in your own currency, the Currency Converter (Manual Rate) uses an exchange rate you enter yourself from your bank or exchange office, because the rate you actually get depends on who handles the payment.
What the generator does not do
It does not create electronic invoices in the formats that some governments require, and it does not give tax advice. If your country requires e-invoicing or specific wording, check those rules first.