What to include on an invoice
A clear invoice gets paid faster. Make sure yours has:
- The word “Invoice” and a unique invoice number. Numbers help you and your customer refer to the right bill. Many countries, including all EU countries and the UK, require tax invoices to be numbered in sequence.
- Your business name and contact details, and your tax ID if you are registered for VAT, GST or sales tax.
- The customer’s name and address, and their tax ID for business-to-business sales where required.
- The date of issue and the due date, so there is no doubt about when payment is expected.
- Each item or service with its quantity, unit price and amount.
- Totals: subtotal, any discount, tax shown separately, and the amount due.
- How to pay: bank details, a mobile money number or a payment link.
SmallKits lays all of this out for you. Fill in the fields and the invoice updates as you type.
How to make an invoice
- Enter your business details and upload your logo. They are saved for next time.
- Add the customer’s name and, if you like, their email, phone and address.
- Check the invoice number, date of issue and due date. The due date follows your payment terms automatically.
- Add each item with its quantity and price. Add a discount or tax if you need them.
- Add your payment details once under Advanced settings. They appear on every invoice from then on.
- Choose a design and paper size, then click Download PDF.
Paid and unpaid invoices
Mark an invoice as Paid and it shows a small Paid label, the payment date and the amount paid, so it can double as proof of payment. Leave it as Unpaid and it shows the due date and the amount due. If you need a separate proof of payment, switch to the receipt generator; the customer and items stay as they are.
Payment terms that get you paid on time
State your terms in plain words, for example “Payment is due within 14 days of the invoice date.” Choose ready-made wording from the Terms menu, including payment on receipt, deposits and late fees. Short, specific terms and a visible due date are the simplest way to cut late payments.
Invoice numbering
Choose In sequence (INV-0001, INV-0002…) to meet tax rules in most countries, or Hard to guess (INV-2610-K7QP) if you would rather customers could not count your sales. Either way the next number is filled in for you.
A worked example
Amina runs a small design studio in Nairobi. She finished a logo and a five-page website for a bakery and agreed a price of KSh 180,000, with hosting at KSh 2,500 a month for a year. Her invoice looks like this:
| Description | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logo and brand identity | 1 | KSh 60,000 | KSh 60,000 |
| Website design and build (5 pages) | 1 | KSh 120,000 | KSh 120,000 |
| Hosting, monthly | 12 | KSh 2,500 | KSh 30,000 |
The subtotal is KSh 210,000. She is VAT-registered, so 16% VAT of KSh 33,600 is added on its own line, and the amount due is KSh 243,600. Her M-Pesa Paybill and bank details sit under the totals, and the due date is 14 days after the date of issue. Because she is registered for VAT in Kenya, she also issues the tax invoice through KRA’s eTIMS and attaches this invoice as the customer-friendly version.
Country notes
United Kingdom: a VAT invoice must show your VAT number, a unique sequential number, the tax point, a description, the VAT rate and the VAT amount. Businesses below the VAT threshold should not show VAT at all. European Union: invoices need sequential numbering and, for business customers in another EU country, both VAT numbers and the words “reverse charge” where it applies. India: GST invoices need your GSTIN, the customer’s GSTIN for B2B sales, HSN or SAC codes and the place of supply; large businesses must use e-invoicing. United States: there is no federal invoice format; state sales tax applies to many goods and some services. Nigeria and South Africa: VAT-registered suppliers must show their tax number and the VAT separately.
Common mistakes that delay payment
- No due date, or “due on receipt” with no date, so the invoice sits in a pile.
- Missing payment details. Every extra step between reading and paying costs you days.
- The wrong contact. Ask who processes invoices and send it to them, not just to the person you worked with.
- Reusing or skipping invoice numbers, which causes problems at tax time.
- Waiting weeks to invoice after the work is done. Invoice the same day if you can.
When an invoice is late, use the payment reminder to send a polite note by WhatsApp or email in seconds.
Updated 2026-10-29