Sometimes, you can't beat old tech. In this case, the old tech we are talking about isn't tech at all. It is the tried and true paper and pen (or pencil).
If you don't have access to a device, or you like it old school, we are going to show you how to create an invoice with paper and pen, including all of the required information.
Let's get started!
Check out our video below that shows you how to create an invoice using only a piece of paper and a pen. Or in our case, a sharpie. Apologies in advance for the chicken scratch!
To start, get your supplies together. You guessed it, you are going to need a piece of paper and a pen, or pencil. We also recommend a ruler for straight lines and a calculator to do your calculations.
Creating an invoice with paper and pen is relatively straightforward. Next, we are going to show you the required fields and information you need to add to your invoice.
Below is a list showing the required information to include on your invoice. Some information is optional.
It is good practice to include the name on the document that says what the document is. In our case, that is Invoice. We recommend placing it in the top left.
Include you or your companies name, address, phone number, and email address.
Include your client's name, address, phone number, and email address.
The issued date is the date you issued or created the invoice.
The due date is the date that payment is due for the invoice.
The invoice number is a unique number to help you keep track of your invoice. Always use a unique number for each invoice.
A reference number is an optional field you can use to include additional information.
Line items are single entries on an invoice. They include the following:
You can have as many line items as you need on an invoice.
The subtotal is the total of all of your line items.
Taxes are where you include any taxes. Add a line for each tax that includes the tax name, tax rate, and tax number (optional but may be required by your tax authority)
Discounts are used if you are offering your client a reduction in cost for any reason. Include the discount name and the amount or percent of the discount.
Deposits are used when you require a deposit before starting a job or to secure the purchase.
If you receive any payments, add them on their own line to the invoice.
The amount due displays the total owing minus any discounts and payments.
The notes are a good area to thank you client for their business as well as mention any other details, like how they can make payments.
Terms describe the terms of the invoice. This is a good place to describe what happens when payments are late as well as any other pertinent information.
Now that you have all of your information together, we are going to show you how to create your invoice following the steps below:
Step 1: Enter the word Invoice in the top left of your paper.
Step 2: Next, enter you or your companies information in the top right, under the header From. Include your name, address, and phone number.
Step 3: Now enter your clients information near the top left. Add the heading Bill To, then enter your client's name, address, and phone number below.
Step 4: Add your Issued date and Due date in the middle top section between you and your client's info.
Step 5: Add an invoice number.
Step 6: Add a line below the information.
Step 7: Now we are going to add your line items. First create a header with Item, Rate, Qty, and Line total.
Step 8: Under the Item heading add your line item name and description (optional).
Step 9: Add the item rate.
Step 10: Add the item quantity.
Step 11: Multiple the item rate by the item quantity to get your line total.
Step 12: Add additional line items as needed.
Step 13: Add a 1/2 length line going from the middle of the paper to the right side.
Step 14: Below that line add the word Subtotal, near the middle of the paper.
Step 15: Add the line items to get your subtotal and place that on the far right.
Step 16: Add a discount and tax if needed (optional).
Step 17: Add another 1/2 length line below.
Step 18: Now add the word Total below your line.
Step 19: Sum your subtotal, discount, and taxes, to get your total.
Step 20: Add the total on the far right.
Step 21: Now add a notes section.
Step 22: And a terms section.
Step 23: Now you are done and can share the invoice with your client.
There you have it. How to create an invoice using paper and pen. It is a bit tedious, but it gets the job done. This method works best if you don't have access to a device to create an invoice on.
The downsides to this method are it takes time and you have to perform the calculations yourself.
It took us about ten minutes to create an invoice this way and you can likely do it quicker. You can also speed things up by using a calculator.
If you want a far more easier way to create invoices, check out the Invoicer.ai - Invoice Creator now!
