INVOICE CHECKLIST ================= Disclaimer — not legal advice. This template is provided free of charge, as is and with no warranty of any kind, and using it creates no attorney-client relationship. It is jurisdiction-neutral: you are responsible for adapting it, for your own legal and tax compliance, and for having a qualified professional in your jurisdiction review it before you rely on it. Full terms: https://trycolo.co/terms-of-use Invoice number: [INVOICE NUMBER] | Client: [CLIENT LEGAL ENTITY] | Amount: [CURRENCY] [TOTAL] Checked by: [YOUR NAME] | Date: [DATE] Run this before every invoice you send. If a box cannot be ticked, fix it before sending, not after the invoice bounces. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Identity ----------- - [ ] Document is clearly labeled INVOICE (not quote, estimate or proforma) - [ ] Invoice number is unique and next in your sequence: [FORMAT, e.g. 2026-041] - [ ] Issue date is today's date (or the agreed invoice date) - [ ] Your legal business name, address and contact details - [ ] Your tax / VAT / GST registration number, if registered: [NUMBER] - [ ] Company registration number, if your country requires it - [ ] Client's legal entity name (the company that pays, not your contact's name) - [ ] Client's billing address, as given by their finance team - [ ] Client's tax ID, if required for this type of invoice: [NUMBER] 2. References ------------- - [ ] Purchase order (PO) number, if the client uses POs: [PO NUMBER] - [ ] Contract, SOW or proposal reference: [REFERENCE] - [ ] Project name the client will recognize: [PROJECT] - [ ] Billing period for time-based or retainer work: [START] to [END] - [ ] Milestone or payment stage, if billing in stages: [STAGE N OF N] 3. Line items ------------- - [ ] Each item describes a specific deliverable or service, not "services rendered" - [ ] Quantities, units (hours, days, items) and rates shown - [ ] Line totals calculated correctly - [ ] Amounts match the PO, proposal or contract - [ ] Extras and change orders listed separately with dates and approvals - [ ] Expenses listed separately, at cost or as agreed, with receipts available - [ ] Deposits or earlier payments credited by invoice number 4. Totals and tax ----------------- - [ ] Subtotal correct - [ ] Discounts shown as separate lines - [ ] Tax line shown at [TAX RATE]%, if you charge tax, with the tax type named - [ ] If no tax is charged, any wording required for that situation included: [WORDING CONFIRMED BY ACCOUNTANT] - [ ] Total due clearly shown, with currency code - [ ] Currency matches the contract - [ ] Totals rechecked once against a calculator or your invoicing tool 5. Payment information ---------------------- - [ ] Due date shown as a date, not just "Net 14": [DATE] - [ ] Payment terms stated: [NET N DAYS] - [ ] Late payment terms as agreed in your contract: [TERMS, or "none"] - [ ] Bank details complete: account name, bank, account number / IBAN, SWIFT / routing - [ ] Card or online payment link included and tested: [LINK] - [ ] Payment reference to quote: the invoice number - [ ] For international clients: instruction on who pays transfer fees 6. Delivery ----------- - [ ] Sending to the billing / accounts payable email: [EMAIL] - [ ] Day-to-day contact copied: [NAME] - [ ] Subject line includes invoice number, client and amount: "Invoice [NUMBER] — [CLIENT] — [AMOUNT]" - [ ] PDF attached and opens correctly, or payment link included - [ ] Short cover note: what the invoice covers and the due date - [ ] Any required supporting documents attached: [TIMESHEET / RECEIPTS / DELIVERY CONFIRMATION] - [ ] Client's supplier portal used, if they require one: [PORTAL] 7. After sending ---------------- - [ ] Invoice recorded in your books or invoicing tool as sent - [ ] Reminder set for [3] days before the due date - [ ] Follow-up set for the day after the due date if unpaid - [ ] Copy saved in [LOCATION] for your records ------------------------------------------------------------ First invoice to a new client — extra checks -------------------------------------------- - [ ] Billing entity, address and AP email confirmed in writing during onboarding - [ ] PO requirement asked about before invoicing - [ ] Supplier or vendor setup forms completed, if requested: [FORMS] - [ ] Tax forms the client needs from you supplied, if requested: [FORMS] - [ ] Payment terms in the contract match the invoice If you find a mistake after sending ----------------------------------- - [ ] Do not edit and resend the same invoice number - [ ] Amount too high or wrong entity: issue a credit note, then a corrected invoice if needed - [ ] Amount too low: issue an additional invoice for the difference - [ ] Tell the client what changed and why ------------------------------------------------------------ How to use this template 1. Keep a copy beside your invoice template and run it before every send. 2. Confirm the local legal requirements once with your accountant and add them to section 1. 3. Collect entity, AP email and PO rules during onboarding so section 2 is never a scramble. 4. Treat the reminder dates in section 7 as part of sending the invoice. Template provided by Colo (trycolo.co). Not legal advice — review with a qualified professional in your jurisdiction.