Free Excel invoice template: how to fill in an invoice properly
An invoice is the proof of what you sold and of what the customer owes. With the free Excel template on this page, the amounts calculate themselves: you only fill in the yellow cells.
What an invoice contains
The exact rules depend on each country, but an invoice generally contains the same elements:
- The seller’s name, address and registration references (company number, tax number, depending on your country).
- The customer’s name and address.
- A unique invoice number, the date and, if needed, the due date.
- The detail of the items: description, quantity, unit price, discount.
- The subtotal, any tax (VAT or equivalent) and the total due.
- The payment terms and method.
Downloading and filling in the template
The yellow cells are for you to fill in: contact details, item lines, tax rate. The grey cells calculate themselves: amount of each line, subtotal, tax, total due, deposit and balance due. Twenty lines are provided; add more by copying the last line and its formulas.
Numbering and filing your invoices
- Number them in order, with no gaps or duplicates (001, 002, 003…).
- Keep a copy of every invoice, on paper or as a PDF.
- A wrong invoice is not erased: it is corrected with a corrective invoice or credit note, according to your country’s rules.
- Keep your invoices for as long as your country requires.
Invoice, till receipt or delivery note?
A till receipt proves a sale at the counter. An invoice is mainly requested by businesses and by customers who want to deduct the purchase. A delivery note proves the goods were handed over: see the free delivery note template. Requirements vary by country: ask your accountant or the tax authority.
Finding your figures with Kaislo
Kaislo keeps the history of your sales with the seller, the time and the payment method, your customers’ credit book and reports you can export to Excel and PDF. You can easily find the amounts to copy onto an invoice.
Sales, stock, customer credit and evening accounts in one place, on phone or computer. 30-day free trial.
Free Excel invoice template: how to fill in an invoice properly
Is an invoice compulsory?
It depends on your country and the customer. Businesses almost always require an invoice; for individuals a receipt is often enough. Check with your accountant or the tax authority.
How do you calculate the total with tax?
The template does it for you: enter the tax rate and it adds the tax to the subtotal. Leave the rate empty if you do not charge tax.
Can you use the template on a phone?
Yes, with a spreadsheet app (Excel, Google Sheets…). On a computer, printing is already set to one A4 page.