Do you already know how to write an invoice but still need to figure out how to email it to your clients?
Sending an invoice via email is a convenient and efficient way to get paid. This guide will provide tips and templates for creating professional invoice emails.
We’ll cover what information to include, how to format your email, and how to streamline the invoicing process for your business.
Whether you’re a small business owner or freelancer, our free invoice email template will help you get paid faster.
What is an Invoice Email?
An invoice email is the digital equivalent of a traditional paper invoice. It's a professionally communicated email from a business to a client or customer, letting them know their invoice is due for payment.
The email can also indicate a few details on the goods or services provided and the amount owed, so the client instantly knows what you are invoicing them for.
Invoice emails facilitate transparent transactions, maintain financial records, and ensure timely payment.
The standard format of the attached invoice in your email is a PDF file. Attached PDF files make it easy for your clients to open the invoice immediately on their computers or mobile devices, process it, or upload it accordingly for their accounting needs.
Read on to learn what a professional email invoice format includes.
Components of an Email Invoice Format
A simple email invoice blueprint of components to complement your professionalism in your invoicing process includes:
- Subject Line: Clear and concise, indicating the purpose of the email.
- Greeting: Personalized and friendly, addressing the recipient by name.
- Introduction: Briefly acknowledge the recent transaction or service provided.
- Invoice Details: Include invoice number, date, due date, and payment terms.
- Itemized List(can be left out): List products/services with prices and quantities.
- Total Amount Due: Summarize the total amount, including taxes/discounts.
- Payment Instructions: Provide clear payment instructions and deadlines.
- Contact Information: Include your contact details for queries.
- Closing: End professionally, expressing gratitude or regards.
- Branding Elements: Add company logo for brand recognition.
Your invoice email components may vary based on your application.
Now, let’s jump into the steps for writing an invoice email. We will provide you with a free invoice email template that you can adapt to your needs.
Steps for Writing an Invoice Email
Want to streamline your invoicing process and save time and money on printing and mailing costs? Sending invoices via email can be a convenient and efficient option.
Before diving into the specific steps of writing an invoice email, it’s essential to understand the benefits of sending invoices electronically.
Not only does sending invoices via email save time and paper, but it also allows for easy tracking and payment.
Plus, with electronic invoicing software, you can automate the invoicing process and request payments automatically.
1. Attach the Invoice to Your Email
First, before doing anything else, attach your invoice to the email you want to send out to your clients.
It has happened to many of us even more than once to send out an invoice email and forgot to attach the particular invoice. In cases like this, you will likely experience a delayed payment since you know you have to follow up with your client and send them an email again.
If you make it a habit to always have your invoice attached at the very moment you create a new email thread, then this won’t be an issue for you.
Before attaching invoices, make sure that your file is a PDF since that’s the most common format companies use to process invoices.
2. Write a Descriptive Subject Line
When sending an invoice email, it is important to include a clear and descriptive subject line.
An effective subject line for an invoice email should include the word "invoice," the invoice number, and a brief description of the goods or services provided.
A concise subject line, at most 50 characters, is recommended to ensure it is not truncated or overlooked. For example, "Invoice #123456 - Website Design Services" clearly and accurately conveys the content of the email.
By following these guidelines, you can create a subject line that is informative and attention-grabbing, which helps to ensure that your invoice email gets the attention it deserves.
This will increase the chance that you will receive payment faster.
3. Keep Your Invoice Emails Simple but Professional
When you send an invoice email, it is a good idea to use a professional and visually appealing format for your invoice emails.
You can use a pre-designed invoice email template we will share with you in the next section, or create your own custom layout, but keep it clean and organized.
Use only a few colors or font styles since you don’t want your emails to look cluttered and unprofessional.
The key to creating simple but professional invoice emails is to focus on conveying the necessary information clearly and concisely while presenting the information in a visually appealing way.
By following these tips, you can create effective invoice emails that help you avoid late payments.
4. Use an Invoice Email Template
Invoice email templates are a convenient and efficient way to help you send invoices - especially if you work with multiple clients.
An email invoice template is a pre-designed structure that includes a brief text in the body of the email which will let the client know that your email is intended to request payment for the goods sold or services completed.
Here is a free email template with a proper invoice email message example that you can use to send an invoice to your clients:
Email Subject Line: {{Invoice number}} - {{Short Description of Services or Goods}} .
Hi {{client name}},
The {{services completed or goods sold}} have been completed(or delivered for goods) successfully.
In line with the work completed, I have attached the invoice as follows:
- {{Invoice number}},
- {{Services or goods sold}}
- {{Invoice due date}}
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about the attached invoice.
Thank you for doing business with us.
Best Regards,
{{Your email signature}}
The likelihood of receiving payment will be higher with a short email subject line and concise invoice email message.
5. Follow Up with a Past Due Invoice Email
While sending a well-written and correctly formatted invoice email is the way to go, it's not always the case that the client makes the payment before the invoice due date.
This could happen because your client is too busy and overlooked your email, or the email simply wasn’t sent at the right time.
That’s why sending a follow-up email for past-due invoices is always important.
We created a past-due invoice email template for you to use if you are struggling with late payments:
Email Subject Line: Overdue Invoice Notice - {{Invoice Number}} for {{client name}}
Hi {{client name}},
This is a friendly payment reminder on the payment for invoice number {{number of invoice}}, for {{services completed or goods sold}}.
For your convenience, we attached the invoice again to this email, where you can find all the payment information.
If you still need to pay, please do so via one of the payment options provided in the pending invoice.
Looking forward to your payment and continuing to do business together.
{{Your email signature}}
Follow-ups on late payments highly increase the likelihood of you getting paid faster than not sending a follow-up invoice email.
Automate Sending Invoices and Invoice Emails with Portant
Sending multiple emails to clients regarding a payment deadline or due date can be resource-hungry and time-consuming if you do it manually.
If you are a startup or freelancer that invoices clients repeatedly, saving money is even more crucial due to budgeting and keeping a positive cash flow.
Fortunately, that’s what Portant specialises in. From generating invoices in batches using their free templates and sending them within a few minutes, Portant takes care of your whole invoicing system.
Start automating the boring stuff today, and focus on growing your business instead.
Create your free account here, and you will be sending invoices in a few clicks.
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