{"id":26870,"date":"2024-06-14T13:45:55","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T11:45:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/?p=26870"},"modified":"2026-03-16T11:56:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T09:56:00","slug":"professional-invoices-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/business\/professional-invoices-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Steps to Professional Client Invoices that Encourage Payment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Do you want your clients to remember you and request your services more than once? Do you also want them to pay on time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Silly us \u2014 of course you do!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What if we told you that you can get recurring customers <em>and<\/em> on-time payments simply by <strong>changing your invoices<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s take a look at how to make a professional invoice that drives customer loyalty in 3 foolproof steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to create a professional invoice\" width=\"422\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nZkt1o8PDbE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"step-1-identify-invoice-type-fit-for-your-industry\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #1: Identify invoice type fit for your industry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First, you should know that not all invoices are created equal. Before figuring out how to write an invoice, you should determine the <strong>type of invoice.<\/strong> This way, you\u2019ll know what invoice format you need and what information to include.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some common types of invoices:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Standard invoices <\/strong>\u2014 the<strong> <\/strong>most widespread invoice type that is suitable for most industries and billing methods,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pro forma invoices <\/strong>\u2014 used before the services have been provided to present a cost estimate,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Timesheet invoices <\/strong>\u2014 used by service providers who bill hourly, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recurring invoices <\/strong>\u2014 used when one fixed price is always offered for a particular service.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating invoices from scratch is a lot of admin work. However, invoicing is quick and easy with Clockify \u2014 a <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/time-tracking-invoicing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">feature-packed time tracking and invoicing software<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a powerful solution, Clockify by <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAKE.com<\/a> gives you plenty of options to enter or import different elements so that you can <strong>adjust your invoice<\/strong> according to the <strong>type<\/strong> you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clockify lets you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Insert <\/strong>business information,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Add<\/strong> client details,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Create <\/strong>custom fields (e.g. for expenses), and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Import<\/strong> tracked time and expenses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1025\" height=\"701\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Custom-fields.png\" alt=\"Custom fields\" class=\"wp-image-26872\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Custom-fields.png 1025w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Custom-fields-439x300.png 439w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Custom-fields-921x630.png 921w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Custom-fields-768x525.png 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Custom-fields-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1025px) 100vw, 1025px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Creating custom fields in Clockify<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>You only need to enter the data about your business and clients the first time. After that, client-related and all other information \u2014 including <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/managing-tasks\/expense-tracking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tracked expenses<\/a> and hours \u2014 is easy to <strong>import<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By changing field names and creating custom fields, you can make your invoice fit any of the most common types in your industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, if you need a template for a particular type of invoice, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/invoice-templates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Clockify\u2019s free invoice templates<\/strong><\/a> that include invoices like this one:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"779\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Clockify-invoice-template.jpg\" alt=\"Clockify invoice template\" class=\"wp-image-26873\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Clockify-invoice-template.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Clockify-invoice-template-462x300.jpg 462w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Clockify-invoice-template-970x630.jpg 970w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Clockify-invoice-template-768x499.jpg 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Clockify-invoice-template-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Clockify\u2019s multipurpose invoice template<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.clockify.me\/en\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get started with Clockify<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"step-2-include-only-relevant-information-for-faster-payment\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #2: Include only relevant information for faster payment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The key to creating a professional business invoice is to include all the relevant facts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For illustration, an invoice that lacks important information leads to clients contacting you to ask for details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or worse \u2014 they may give up entirely and skip the <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/business\/ask-for-payment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">payment<\/a> this time around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, a lengthy, overly detailed invoice may deter clients from reading it. To avoid clients skipping crucial information, <strong>keep the invoice to one or two pages<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, the invoice should be short with all the essential elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Description of services provided,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your business name and address,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Client\u2019s name and address,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Invoice number,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Date of issuing the invoice,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Payment due date,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Subtotal,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tax, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Total amount due.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Having to remember to include all this data when creating each invoice isn\u2019t practical and can lead to errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s where <strong>Clockify<\/strong> by CAKE.com comes to the rescue.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"485\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-example.png\" alt=\"Invoice example\" class=\"wp-image-26874\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-example.png 960w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-example-594x300.png 594w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-example-768x388.png 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-example-18x9.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Clockify invoice example<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>With Clockify, you\u2019ll never forget to insert crucial details again.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The app\u2019s interface is straightforward and intuitive, and it asks for relevant information when you\u2019re creating the invoice, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Client,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Currency, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Issue and due dates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"994\" height=\"1014\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Create-invoice.png\" alt=\"Create invoice\" class=\"wp-image-26875\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Create-invoice.png 994w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Create-invoice-294x300.png 294w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Create-invoice-618x630.png 618w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Create-invoice-768x783.png 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Create-invoice-12x12.png 12w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 994px) 100vw, 994px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Creating an invoice in Clockify<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1 <\/strong><strong>CLOCKIFY PRO TIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to learn about someone else\u2019s experience of invoicing with Clockify, you can read about how Rachael McDiarmid, the Director of RM Marketing Services, uses the popular invoicing and time tracking software:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/customer-stories\/rachael-mcdiarmid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How Rachael McDiarmid uses Clockify for time tracking and invoicing<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"step-3-design-your-invoice-to-make-it-compelling\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step #3: Design your invoice to make it compelling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you use a generic invoice format for all clients, this proves to the client that you\u2019re not serious about your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And if you don\u2019t care enough about your brand, why should they?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Customizing<\/strong> <strong>your invoices<\/strong> is an effective way to have <strong>your brand stand out<\/strong>. If you have a particular layout clients can associate with your brand, they\u2019re more likely to remember you when they need similar services again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clockify\u2019s invoice templates are easy to edit, so you can adjust them according to your needs and preferences hassle-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you opt to <a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/features\/invoicing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">generate your invoices using Clockify<\/a>, you can easily:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Attach<\/strong> your logo,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Change<\/strong> label names, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Choose<\/strong> what field you want to be displayed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"470\" height=\"451\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-customization.png\" alt=\"Invoice customization\" class=\"wp-image-26876\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-customization.png 470w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-customization-313x300.png 313w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-customization-13x12.png 13w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Invoice customization in Clockify<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If you work with international clients, you\u2019ll need your invoices to be translated. With Clockify by CAKE.com, you can quickly <strong>add translations <\/strong>of all the fields you would like to include in your invoice. Simply type in the translation for each field name and it will show up on the invoice.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"926\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-translations.jpg\" alt=\"Invoice translations\" class=\"wp-image-26877\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-translations.jpg 926w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-translations-271x300.jpg 271w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-translations-570x630.jpg 570w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-translations-768x849.jpg 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Invoice-translations-11x12.jpg 11w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 926px) 100vw, 926px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Translating invoice fields in Clockify<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, if you&#8217;d like to make use of the invoicing feature in Clockify, you need to subscribe to the Standard plan. Take a look at what Standard plan in Clockify also has to offer, besides Invoicing:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"898\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Clockify-pricing.jpg\" alt=\"Clockify pricing\" class=\"wp-image-26657\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Clockify-pricing.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Clockify-pricing-401x300.jpg 401w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Clockify-pricing-842x630.jpg 842w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Clockify-pricing-768x575.jpg 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Clockify-pricing-16x12.jpg 16w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Clockify pricing &amp; plans<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Finally, don&#8217;t miss to check out our newest <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/bundle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bundle plan<\/a>, offering Clockify with 2 more apps at a special price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"banner banner-dark clockify-gradient-bundle\">\n    <div class=\"banner-text lg:pr-[6rem]\">\n        <span class=\"h4 text-lg translation-block mb-0\">Free time tracker<\/span>\n        <p class=\"translation-block mt-1 mb-3\">Time tracking software used by millions. Clockify is a time tracker and timesheet app that lets you track work hours across projects.<\/p>\n\n        <div class=\"banner-buttons d-flex gap-4 align-items-center translation-block justify-content-center justify-content-sm-start\">\n            <a class=\"bg-white rounded px-3 py-1 text-gray-dark\" href=\"https:\/\/app.clockify.me\/en\/signup\" target=\"_blank\">Sign up<\/a>\n\n                            <a class=\"button-2\" href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/apps\" target=\"_blank\">Learn more<\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"banner-image banner-image-bottom \">\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/clockify\/bundle@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Illustration\"  media=\"(min-width: 1022px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/clockify\/bundle.png\"  alt=\"Illustration\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n    \n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"clockify-by-cake-com-create-powerful-invoices-with-ease\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Clockify by CAKE.com: Create powerful invoices with ease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see, invoicing doesn\u2019t have to be a complex, time-consuming task \u2014 not when you have Clockify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This time tracker is an all-around solution that makes creating, designing, and sending invoices a breeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enter relevant information only the first time, and easily <strong>add<\/strong>, <strong>import<\/strong>, and <strong>edit<\/strong> entries afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And just like that, all your invoices will have a professional-looking, recognizable format that drives customer loyalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.clockify.me\/en\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Create compelling invoices now<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to create professional-looking invoices to ensure customer loyalty and timely payments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":26880,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26870","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/50"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26870"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26870\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37010,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26870\/revisions\/37010"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}