Self-employed invoice templates

Being self-employed has its benefits. You can set your own hours, choose the people you work with, follow your passion, the list goes on. But being your own boss also means that you’re in charge of your invoicing and accounting. Although not as thrilling as running your business, these are unavoidable and necessary tasks.

Invoicing is not only for receiving payment but also for keeping accurate records of your sales for tax purposes. Moreover, it can help you to control your cash flow which is essential if your line of work involves longer projects or bulk payments. 

Invoicing might seem complex to a new business owner, but rest assured that it doesn’t have to be! Using the right tools, you can create and send an invoice in less than 1 minute.

This article explains how self-employed businesses and freelancers can create invoices and what they need to include on them. A sample invoice and free Word, Excel and PDF invoice templates are also provided.

Choose the best invoice template for your business

Since you’re solely responsible for gaining clients and managing your business, you likely don’t have a lot of time to spend on administrative tasks like invoicing. To get started invoicing fast, you should choose a template that works best for you. Everybody works in different ways, so a template that is simple and intuitive for you may not be as easy for other professionals. 

The first step is deciding which type of software you want to use. There’s Word and Excel or a variety of different types of invoicing software. If you prefer Word or Excel to create invoices, you can find our free downloadable invoice templates below. However, there are several key advantages of using invoicing software that may support your business in the long term. 

Invoicing software includes a selection of professional templates so you can simply plug in your details and get started. You can also upload a logo or images if you wish. Another benefit of using invoicing software is that most of them are cloud-based, meaning that your data will never be lost even if your computer crashes. 

Regardless of the type of software you decide on, you'll also need to make sure that your invoices are in the correct format for your country. 

Make sure your invoice is compliant

Invoices are official requests for payment. They are sent to a customer after the business has completed the requested work and it is now time for the customer to pay up. Since they're legal documents, they require certain information to be valid in the UK. Invoice requirements differ based on your business structure and VAT status. However, all UK invoices must include:

• A unique invoice number

• Your business’s name, address, and contact details

• Your customer’s name and address

• The invoice date

• A clear breakdown of the products or services you are charging for

• The amount(s) of each product or service

• The total amount due

Additional fields are required for corporations and VAT-registered businesses:

• Limited companies must include their full company name as it appears on their certificate of incorporation. Although not legally required, most limited companies opt to include their Company Registration Number (CRN) as well.

• VAT-registered businesses must issue VAT invoices which need to include their VAT number and a breakdown of the VAT charged.

Customise your invoices to showcase your brand

Many self-employed workers are in creative or specialised industries. Invoices need to include certain information, but they don’t need to be boring! Consider customising your invoice template to showcase your expertise or market your business.

Including a logo, images and a unique colour scheme on your invoices will set you apart from your competitors and make your business more recognisable and professional. 

While you can certainly design your own invoice template, invoicing software can help make this simple with premade templates. 

Sample self-employed invoice

Still confused about invoicing? No worries - below, we’ve provided a sample invoice for a self-employed graphic designer. It's customised to suit their work and includes all of the mandatory information as well as additional bank information and payment terms. 

Free Excel self-employed invoice templates

Ready to start invoicing? Download our free Excel invoice templates below. There are two tabs in the file, one for VAT invoices, and another for non-VAT invoices. 

Formulas have been added to the file so your totals and VAT calculate automatically. Simply plug in your business details and upload your logo, and you’re all set to create professional invoices. 

Free Word self-employed invoice templates

If Word is your software of choice, you can download our free, customisable invoice templates below. Choose the correct format for your business, there is one for VAT-registered companies and one for non-VAT-registered companies.

You can add your logo and business details, but be advised that the totals do not calculate automatically with Word. 

Invoicing software for small businesses

Looking for a professional cloud-based invoicing solution? SumUp Invoices is invoicing software that lets you create professional invoices quickly. 

Using our premade invoice template, you just need to plug in the fields and send it directly to your customer’s email. The software is updated regularly so you can rest assured that your invoices will always be compliant. 

You have the choice to include an online payment link to your invoices so your customers can pay instantly online, or to enter your bank details to receive bank transfers. 

Send your first invoice in under 1 minute.