An invoice is the document that tells your customer what they bought, how much they owe and when to pay. A clear one gets paid faster and saves you from awkward follow-up messages. Whether you sell coffee, solar panels or tailoring services, the basics are the same.
What to put on every invoice
- Your business details: business name, address, TIN and how to reach you.
- Your customer's details: their name or company, and their address and TIN if they are a business.
- An invoice number: unique, and in order. More on this below.
- The date it was issued and the due date. "Due in 15 days" is easy to forget; a date is not.
- What you sold: one line per product or service, with quantity, unit price and line total.
- Discounts and tax, shown separately so the customer can see how you got to the total.
- The total amount due in pesos.
- How to pay: bank account, GCash number or other details, and what reference to use.
If your business is registered with the BIR, your invoices also have to follow its invoicing rules, for example what must be printed on them and how they are numbered. These rules were updated by the Ease of Paying Taxes Act in 2024, so confirm the current requirements with your accountant or your Revenue District Office.
Number your invoices in order
Give every invoice its own number and never reuse one, even if an invoice is cancelled. A simple pattern such as
INV-2026-0001, INV-2026-0002 makes it easy to see if one is missing and to find an invoice when a
customer calls. In a spreadsheet this is where mistakes creep in: two people copy the same row and both send "invoice 37".
Set clear payment terms
Agree on terms before you send the invoice: payment on delivery, 15 days or 30 days are common. Put the due date on the invoice itself. If you accept partial payments, say so, and keep a record of every amount received so you always know the balance.
Keep track of who still owes you
The invoice is only half the job. Once a week, look at every invoice that is not fully paid and sort it by how late it is. Customers who are 1 to 30 days late usually need a friendly reminder; anything over 60 days needs a phone call. Record each payment the day it arrives, including partial payments, so your list is always right.
Small things that get you paid sooner
- Send the invoice the same day you deliver, while the work is fresh in the customer's mind.
- Send a PDF, not an editable file, so the numbers cannot change by accident.
- Attach the purchase order or delivery receipt if the customer uses one. Their accounts team will thank you.
- Use the same layout every time, with your logo, so your invoice is easy to recognise in a busy inbox.
How PrimerLedger helps
In PrimerLedger you pick the customer and the products, and the invoice number, totals and due date are filled in for you. You download a PDF with your logo, TIN, address, bank or GCash details and signature. When money comes in, you record the payment, in full or in parts, and the invoice moves from Unpaid to Partial to Paid. Overdue invoices are flagged, and the aging report shows who owes what, by how long. See invoices and payments for the details.
PrimerLedger keeps your records and shows the tax on your invoices. It does not file BIR returns. BIR does not accredit invoicing software: your business holds its own registration and permits, so check with your accountant how your invoices fit them. If your business must switch to e-invoicing by December 31, 2026, read the plain-English guide to e-invoicing.