Invoice Mistakes You Didn't Know You Were Making (and How to Fix Them)

Invoicing surely is not the most appealing task when running a business. But it will help you get one of the most appealing things in Business- Money. You must already know how important invoices are, any issues with them will affect your cash flow. That is why keeping mistakes away from your invoice is paramount to your business.

Here are some common mistakes to be mindful of when working on your next invoice.

Missing Information

Unknowlingly you could be omitting vital information from your invoice like company name, address, contact details, and invoice number among other things. Any of these missing from your invoice could cause a delay in payment and further confusion.

Fix: Make sure to create a template with all the necessary information and edit it whenever you need to send an invoice, this will ensure that you don’t miss out on any crucial details.

Vague Descriptions

If you were going through an invoice that you were sent and came across something like- “Services Provided - Rs. 2000,” how would you interpret it? If it was a single job it wouldn’t matter much, but what if the invoice had multiple items? It would be a pain for the client. If you came back to it after a couple of months you would be stumped too.

Fix: Accurately describe everything listed in the invoice, anyone reading it should be able to understand it.

Typos

Don’t miss typos as small things, they can cause you serious problems. Any miscalculation or typo will cost you both your reputation and payment. They will affect your taxes too, and if things go wrong there, the legal implications are self-explanatory.

Fix: Double-check everything on the invoice before sending it to your client. Make use of proofreading and invoicing tools. Invoicing tools with built-in calculations are a great investment, they will reduce the human error in your invoices.

Due Date

Don’t play the humble salesman, give your client a clear due date for the invoice payment. This will provide them with a solid deadline and keep them from forgetting your payment.

Fix: Mention the due date on the invoice, and make it easy to find. Adding the accepted payment methods along with it will make it convenient both for your client and you.

Design

If you are using a ragtag, dull, or outdated design for your invoice, it is time to change it up. A clean design will not only make your invoice easy to read, it will create a positive impression on your client. Remember, invoices can also be used for branding, that’s another reason for you to make it visually appealing.

Fix: Make use of invoice-creating tools to create clean and professional-looking invoices. If you have some time on your hands, you can refer to some good invoice designs on the internet and create your own.

Avoiding these mistakes will help you communicate your work to your client better. Especially for your first-time client, your invoice will help showcase your professionalism and create a better impression of you, making the chance of them returning to you higher.