5 checks and messages you can copy
Three checklists you can copy, and two messages for when you find a mistake. This is not tax advice. Replace every [BRACKET] with a real fact.
- Before you send an invoice[ ] My name and address, and the client's [ ] Invoice number, and I have not used it before [ ] Invoice date and due date [ ] Each line matches the quote or the agreement [ ] Quantity x price is right on every line [ ] Subtotal, discount and tax work out [ ] Currency is shown [ ] Payment details are right [ ] The total matches my own working
- Before you pay an invoice[ ] I know this supplier and the work was done [ ] The lines match the quote or order [ ] I have not paid this invoice before [ ] The totals work out [ ] The bank details match the last invoice. If they changed, I phoned a number I already had to check.
- The sums, step by step1. For each line, multiply quantity by unit price. 2. Add the lines to get the subtotal. 3. Take off any discount. 4. Work out the tax on the amount, at the rate shown on the invoice. 5. Add the tax to get the total. 6. Compare your total with the one on the invoice. If they differ, find the line that does not match.
- Pointing out a mistake on an invoice you receivedSubject: Invoice [NUMBER]: a question on line [LINE]Hi [FIRST NAME], Thank you for invoice [NUMBER]. Line [LINE] shows [WHAT IT SHOWS], but the quote said [WHAT IT SAID]. Could you check it and send a corrected invoice? I will pay it within [TERMS] of receiving the corrected one. [YOUR NAME]
- Correcting your own invoiceSubject: Corrected invoice [NUMBER]Hi [FIRST NAME], I made a mistake on invoice [NUMBER]: [WHAT WAS WRONG]. The corrected invoice is attached. Please pay that one and ignore the first. Sorry for the trouble. [YOUR NAME]
What to avoid
- Do not trust a total you have not worked out yourself.
- Do not pay to new bank details because an email says so. Phone a number you already had.
- Do not reuse an invoice number. It makes records hard to follow.
- Do not write "services rendered". Say what was done and when.
- Do not guess a tax rate. Check what applies to you with your tax office or an accountant.
What the free tool adds
It is free. It does the sums for you.
Invoice Checker
What you give it: An invoice, yours or one you received, as text. It cannot read a picture or a scan.
What you get: Every line, the subtotal, the discount, the tax and the total worked out again, and every difference listed. It lists common fields that are missing and flags date, currency and rounding problems. No tax advice. Without a code tool it shows the sums by hand and says they need checking.
Questions people ask
What should an invoice include?
At least who is billing whom, an invoice number, the dates, what was done or sold, the amounts and how to pay. What else you need depends on your country and your tax status, so check with your tax office.
How do I check the maths?
Multiply each line, add the lines, take off any discount, add tax, and compare with the total. The checklist above has the steps.
What if an invoice has a mistake?
Ask for a corrected invoice, and say which line is wrong and what it should say. Keep both copies.
Can I just send a note instead of a new invoice?
Ask your accountant. A corrected invoice is the usual way, and it keeps your records clear.
How do I spot a fake invoice?
Check that you know the supplier, that the work was done, and that the bank details match what you have used before. If anything is new, phone to check.