Invoicing is a vital aspect of all businesses. While it can be a time-consuming administrative task, getting it right can bring a lot of benefits to your organization. Efficient invoicing can ensure a good cash-flow and build a better business relationship with your clients by reducing misunderstandings. As a small business owner, it is crucial to have invoices that reflect your professionalism, but at the same time are clear and easy-to-understand for your customers.
If you’ve been looking for the perfect Adobe Illustrator invoice template you have probably come across thousands of options out there, and while most can do the job just fine, there’s a smarter way to go about it. Why settle for a simple invoice template, when you can have a complete invoicing process that adds value to your business and helps you get paid faster with minimal effort?
Bonsai's free invoice templates are here to save the day!
Work Smart With Bonsai’s Free Invoice Templates
Stop wasting your time scrolling through endless random Illustrator invoice templates and instead, download Bonsai's smart free invoice templates. We offer fully customizable invoice templates that will easily meet your business needs, ensuring professional invoices, no matter what industry you're in.
With a few simple tweaks, you can create an efficient invoice template that you'll be able to easily edit and fill in within minutes whenever it's time to get paid. But how is this different than your average Illustrator invoice template? Read on to find out why Bonsai is the smart invoicing solution for your freelance gig or small business.
Save Time
With Bonsai, you will not only find the best free invoice templates, but you can automate your whole invoicing process to save you time and seamlessly keep track of your business finances. Automatically send payment reminders, schedule recurring invoices, apply late fees to overdue accounts and even get viewing notifications so you can ensure your client is not missing any of your invoices. Spend less time following up on your invoices and invest it in growing your business.
Get Paid Faster
Bonsai's invoice templates allow you to add multiple payment options and direct links to process payments through our platform using credit cards, bank transfer, PayPal and more. You can also set up the options to get partial payments splitting your invoices according to the project arrangements with your clients. The easier it is for your customers to pay, the more likely it is for you to receive prompt payments.
Do Business On-The-Go
In today's on-the-go world, you'll hardly find your clients sitting in their office waiting for an invoice to come through. But they'll always have their phone handy, and you want your invoices to be there too. With Bonsai you'll get mobile-compatible invoice templates to ensure your customers can see your invoices anywhere, anytime, which will also increase your chances of getting paid faster.
This will also make your life easier as you can simply create and send professional invoices via email from your phone or mobile device, saving you valuable time which you can dedicate to growing your company.
Get Extra Help
Aside from all these invoicing tools, Bonsai offers you an efficient accounting software which you can use to track your business expenses, identify write-offs, monthly profits, and estimate taxes. Additionally, take advantage of time tracking tools, fully-customizable contract templates, client proposals, and even a fuss-free freelancer checking account to keep all of your business finances in the same place.
Elements of Professional Invoice Templates
There are some essential elements you must include on your invoice template to ensure professional and efficient invoices every time. You must cover all important business details and keep your invoice as detailed as possible as well as easy-to-read for your clients. Take a minute to go over these basic must-have elements of your invoice template.
- Your business' full name and contact details such as phone number, address, email address and website.
- Branding elements like your company logo, registered trademarks, or any industry-related imagery to make your invoice stand out and look more professional.
- A unique invoice number to make it easier to identify and help you keep track of customer's payments.
- Your customer's information such as full name, phone number, billing address and email address. You may also include a client ID number if applicable.
- Invoice date (when the invoice was sent out) and the payment due date.
- An itemized list and brief description of all the services provided, quantity, unit prices as well as the total cost for each.
- The final amount due, making sure to separate total cost before taxes (subtotal), the applicable taxes and the total due after taxes. You may also include any discount provided along with a short description (for example, a loyal customer discount).
- A list of all accepted payment methods including account numbers and account holder's name. You must also mention your payment terms such as late fees or early payment incentives.
- Adding a personal note or thank you message at the end of your invoice templates can bring great benefits to your business such as improving customer relationships and even getting paid faster.
Last Minute Invoicing Tips
Now that you know what essential elements to look for in your free invoice template, let's go over some best practices to help you improve your invoicing process.
Use Space Wisely
If your invoice has a lot of free space, you are probably missing out on a valuable advertising opportunity! Get creative and use your invoices to provide customers with additional information about the services or products you offer, an upcoming promotion or even encourage referrals by offering discounts on future services. You're already taking the time to send something out right? Might as well spread the word about your amazing business.
Be Clear About Your Payment Terms
Make sure your invoice template includes all the information your clients need to make payments on time and avoid misunderstandings. Don't forget to clearly state when the payment is expected and what penalties may apply in case of a missed deadline. Even if this was previously discussed with your customers, there's no harm in including a friendly reminder.
Follow Up
Just as you might need a reminder to send out your invoices, your clients would probably appreciate a reminder to pay them. Don't wait until the invoice is late to reach out. It's a good practice to follow up with your client a couple of days before the due date to encourage a prompt payment. Of course if the payment is not made on time don't hesitate to send an email to let them know they've incurred a late fee and a payment is expected ASAP.