01What to write in the notes field on an invoice
Most invoice notes fields say "thank you for your business". That line has never once got an invoice paid faster.
Invoicing basics.
The documents themselves, and the rules they have to satisfy. These guides cover what a UK invoice has to show before a client can act on it, how a quote differs from an invoice, what changes when you bill under your own name, and how the whole process fits together from agreed price to recorded payment.
10 / Invoicing basics
Get the document right the first time.
10 guides in this category
Start here if you are setting up a billing routine for the first time, or checking that a template you inherited still holds up.
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02Invoice terms and conditions that actually do something
Most invoice terms are decoration. A dated deadline, a stated interest rate and a title clause are worth more than a page of small print nobody reads.
03Receipt or invoice? The difference, and when you need both
They are opposite documents doing opposite jobs, and using one where the other belongs is how a paid job ends up looking unpaid.
04VAT invoices: what changes when you register
Registration changes the document, not just the total. What a full VAT invoice has to carry, and the three details businesses most often get wrong.
05Credit notes: correcting an invoice you already sent
An issued invoice is a record, not a draft. A credit note is how you correct one without breaking the audit trail behind it.
06Pro forma invoice: what it is and when to send one
A document that looks exactly like an invoice, asks for nothing, and exists purely to let a client raise payment before the work is done.
07The complete guide to invoicing for UK service businesses
The whole process from agreed price to recorded payment, including what the document has to show, when to send it, how to chase it on a schedule, and what a late invoice legally entitles you to.
08Quote vs invoice: what is the difference?
A quote is a priced offer. An invoice is a request for payment. Getting the order right protects both the price you agreed and the money you are owed.
09How to invoice as a sole trader in the UK
The practical side of billing under your own name: what a sole trader invoice has to show, how to number it, and what changes once you register for VAT.
10What to include on an invoice in the UK
The details a UK invoice needs before a client can act on it, what changes when you are VAT registered, and how to keep every document consistent.
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