A personal invoice is used by freelancers, independent contractors, consultants, and single-member LLCs to bill customers on a per-product or service basis. The billing document is used for person-to-person transactions that may or may not include private information regarding the services performed. Examples of individuals that may prefer a personal invoice over a commercialized invoice include craftspersons selling items in a farmer’s market or fair, medical professionals wanting to keep the invoice subdued and intimate with their patients, or a local handyman charging for miscellaneous services to a long-time client.

Fields to Include

When writing a personal invoice to a customer, it comes highly suggested that the inclusion of any extra or non-pertinent fields is avoided. Aside from whether the seller/provider is crafting an invoice using a platform such as Microsoft Word or through the invoice creator found above, the basic fields and information that a personal invoice should contain include:

• Contact information of the provider – The full name and billing address are often enough. Including a means of contact, such as an email or phone number is also recommended for giving customers a means of reaching out for any questions regarding the invoice or service/product provided.
• Name & address of the customer – Including the customer’s contact information on the invoice is important for two (2) reasons: 1) It ensures the invoice is given to the correct customer, and 2) it provides the freelancer/contractor with sufficient details for referencing past transactions.
• List of services performed/items sold – The “meat and potatoes” of the invoice. This should include the number of hours performed (or products sold), the cost of an hour of work (or the cost per item), and the total amount per type of work or merchandise sold. The total invoice amount should be included below the line items.
• Payment information – State what types of payment(s) are accepted, where the payment should be sent, and the number of days or weeks the client has to pay for the entirety of the invoice.
• Notes – Including a section where notes can be recorded gives a chance for the issuer to inform the client of how the job went, info on the good(s) sold, and a personal note to the client for using their services or products.

Ways to Make an Invoice more Personal

To give an invoice a personal touch, professionals should consider adding their signature to the invoice, attaching a hand-written note or letter, using a friendly, relaxed font (utilizing a font with serif and curved edges can help to achieve this). Notwithstanding, freelancers and contractors should be very careful with font choice, as many fonts can exude an unprofessional vibe to clients and customers. Recommended fonts that balance a sense of respectability and warmth include Arial, Calibri, PT Sans, and Tahoma.