General Invoice Template

Create a professional invoice for any industry with our general invoice template. This flexible format works for services, products, hourly work, and project billing—complete with itemized line items, taxes, discounts, and clear payment terms. Download instantly in PDF, Word, or Excel format.

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Industry Standard

From

Branding & Authorization

Services

$250.00
$180.00

Invoice Details

Tax, Discount & Shipping

Payment Methods

Bill to

Subtotal$430.00
Total (USD)$430.00

What to Include on a General Invoice

A general invoice template should be clear, complete, and easy to approve. Whether you’re billing for services or products, include the core details every client expects.

Business details
  • Business name, email, phone
  • Address (recommended for receipts and bookkeeping)
  • Tax ID/VAT number (if applicable)
Client details
  • Client/company name
  • Billing address
  • Contact person/department (optional)
Invoice details
  • Invoice number
  • Invoice date and due date
  • Payment terms (Due on receipt, Net 7, Net 14, Net 30)
  • Currency
Itemized charges
  • Descriptions that match what was delivered
  • Quantity (hours/units)
  • Rate (hourly/unit price)
  • Line totals
Totals and payment
  • Subtotal, tax, discounts, total due
  • Payment instructions and accepted methods

General Invoice Template for Services vs Products

A general invoice works for both services and products—you just adjust how you write the line items.

For services
  • Use hours, sessions, or milestones as quantities
  • Separate “labor” from “materials” when relevant
  • Add a service period for monthly/weekly billing
  • Include deliverables or scope references (e.g., “Phase 2: Implementation”)
For products
  • Include item names/SKUs in descriptions
  • Use unit quantities and unit pricing
  • Add shipping/handling as separate line items
  • Note delivery terms if relevant (pickup, delivery date, carrier)
This keeps invoices consistent and helps clients reconcile payments quickly.

How to Write Clear Invoice Line Items

The fastest way to reduce disputes is to write line items that clearly describe what the client is paying for.

Good line item examples
  • “Consulting — Monthly Support (10 hours)”
  • “Installation Labor — On-site (6 hours)”
  • “Design — Brand Guidelines (final PDF)”
  • “Product — Item Name / SKU (12 units)”
  • “Shipping — Standard delivery”
Tips
  • Match wording to your quote/contract
  • Add dates or service periods when useful
  • Keep each line item focused on one thing (don’t bundle unrelated work)
  • Use an optional “discount” line rather than changing rates silently

Payment Terms and Policies for General Invoices

General invoices should make payment expectations obvious.

Common terms
  • Due on receipt (simple and direct)
  • Net 7 / Net 14 (common for freelancers and services)
  • Net 30 (common for B2B clients)
Helpful policies
  • Deposit/retainer credit line (if already paid)
  • Late fee language (only if enforced)
  • Scope-change note (“additional work billed separately”)
  • Payment instructions (bank transfer details, payment link, etc.)
Clear payment terms reduce delays and increase on-time payments.

Frequently Asked Questions