You’ve opened your own business – well done!

You've finally got a paying customer – hooray!

But now you need to send them an invoice, with all the right information on it … hmmmmm.

Your invoice must:

• Say 'invoice' on it

• Have a unique number. something like INV000001 (top tip, start at a higher number and then it looks like you've been really busy all along and have had lots of customers already!).

• Display your company name, address and contact information (phone number and/or email address usually).

• Display your client/ customer's name and address.

• A clear description of what you are charging your customer for. e.g. 'food' isn't really enough but 'delicious gin flavoured marshmallows' is a good description.

• The date of the supply of the goods or services.

• The date of the invoice. The two dates may not be the same, e.g. if you provide accounting services from 1-30 June, you may invoice on July 1st. If you're selling goods then the 2 dates are usually the same.

• The amounts being charged. If there's more than one item on the invoice then it's useful to show the individual item costs and total them at the bottom to show the overall cost.

• VAT (if you are VAT registered)

• The grand total of goods and VAT

NOTES:

Sole Traders

Your invoices must also

• Show your own name and any business name being used (if different to the name already shown per above)

• An address where legal documents can be delivered if you are using a business name (if different to the address already shown per above)

Limited Companies

• If your company is a limited company, you must include the full company name as it appears on the certificate of incorporation.

• If you decide to put names of your directors on your invoices, you must include the names of all directors.

Liz Hart is our very lovely resident accountant here at MoE. Liz specialises in supporting small businesses sort out their finances and make accounting a little sweeter- which she does so well through her business The Money Bee.