If you see a need for invoice forms in your industry, you have many options. You will find that in order to sell a product or service, you will need some type of invoicing form. When it comes to these forms, all of your choices involve sitting at your office computer and simply selecting the type you would like. Choose the style that would work best with your company, and enjoy the benefits of business invoice forms.

It is best to know as much as possible about using invoice forms before selecting a particular type, so get some knowledge about your options online. Choose from the following types:

1. Find free blank invoice forms online that can then be printed.

2. Create your own personalized invoices after buying software specifically used for invoice forms.

3. Use existing programs on your computer to create invoice forms.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a template for a commercial invoice form for free online

If you want a simple format for your invoicing forms, you can often find templates for free or very inexpensive online. This option may not be creative, but it is free and simple to do. For these reasons, it is a popular route to take, as you simply have to supply the paper to print out your new invoice business forms.

I recommend: Check out qarchive.org for a free template to use with Excel. Read reviews like the one at rbytes reviews to decide if certain templates are worth downloading.

Consider billing invoice form software

If you plan to be using invoice forms for a while, it might be worth it to buy invoice form software. This allows you to customize your invoicing forms, adding only the spaces and columns you need for your company. This is both creative and professional.

I recommend: FreshBooks is a software you can use to create your own invoice forms. SmartDraw works similarly. You can check out TopTenReviews in order to compare notable features of different software packages that offer custom invoice forms.

Use existing software on your computer to make printable invoice forms

Whether you want to make and print out blank invoice forms to fill in with pen later or just want to type all the information into the form immediately, you can use basic computing programs to do so. You probably have programs like Microsoft Excel or Word, to name a few. No matter which program you typically use, there are a few popular simple solutions available when you want to make your own business invoice forms.

I recommend: Learn to create your own invoice forms using Microsoft Word at TechRepublic. Check out Microsoft to find the many types of invoices you can create using Microsoft Office.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You may be able to find blank invoice forms at your local office supply stores. They are usually basic, and not customizable or free, but they will work if you do not have access to your computer.

Some may define an invoice form as a vendor or a supplier's detailed commercial document, most commonly known as a bill, for goods and/or services rendered.

Elements of invoicing forms at their most basic may include the following:

1. The word "invoice."
2. A designated commercial invoice form reference number.
3. A designated date of the invoice form.
4. The names and contact information for both buyer and seller.
5. The price of goods or services tendered (plus taxes, if necessary).
6. The payment method (if necessary).

Invoice forms delivery platforms currently available include the following:

1. Vendor business invoicing forms for online transactions.
2. Vendor business invoice forms for mobile device transactions.
3. Commercial invoice form creation software.
4. Traditional paper blank invoice forms.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Create your own invoice forms from invoice form template software products

Computer industry giants and smaller software developers sell invoice creation features as part of a business software suite or as a stand-alone software product.

I recommend: CNET Networks, Inc. offers a variety of free and shareware Word-compatible templates via its CNET Download.com website. You can also download Word and Excel compatible printable invoice forms templates from Microsoft Corporation (some of these templates can be downloaded for free). Deluxe Enterprise Operations, Inc. sells QuickBooks-, Quicken-, and Microsoft Money-compatible invoice templates (click on the "Computer Forms" link)

Create your own billing invoice form via online vendors and services

Online companies often offer online invoice forms creation as a primary feature of their online transaction services.

I recommend: From iPayables, inc., InvoiceWorks allows users to create their own business invoices online and process them electronically. The Council for Electronic Billing and Payment (CEBP) offers its in-depth study (PDF) of the technology of online invoicing and transactions. See a list of CEBP member companies that offer online invoicing.

Buy traditional paper invoice forms

Paper blank invoice forms are usually sold in pads of various sizes at major office supply chains, as well as at mom and pop stationer store.

I recommend: Deluxe Enterprise Operations, Inc. also sells traditional paper invoices (click on "Manual Forms" link), or you can buy paper invoices from one of the major office suppliers, like Office Depot, Inc. or Staples, Inc.. Buy paper invoice forms directly from manufacturers, among them the Adams brand by Cardinal Brands, Inc., or Rediform (click on "Business Forms")

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Note that because electronic billing and payment are part of an emerging technology, there may be some security risks to consider.
• •  While using freeware and shareware products can save money on invoice forms, be aware that some freeware and shareware products may only be in beta stages and can be buggy or at risk.

Purchasing invoice business forms can get expensive for any company, which is why many firms are now choosing to create their own. If you are interested in crafting customized printable invoice forms on your office computer, know that there are many venues from which to obtain information. While in-depth invoice forms education and training is not necessarily needed to get started, you will need to learn the basics.

Fortunately, plenty of help exists when it comes to making your own standard invoice form. Consider the following paths to training assistance depending on your preferences:

1. Find as many examples of invoicing forms as possible to get an idea of what to include in your document.
2. Download free templates that you can customize in order to get a head start making business invoice forms.
3. Read books and websites about creating personalized invoices.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn from sample invoice forms online

One way to decide where to start is to constantly study other forms online. Take note of what is included on such forms, and then decide what specific categories your business will need. You can study real invoices from companies, or just find examples.

I recommend: Amigos Library Services provides an example of an invoice. Create an invoice similar to one that a computer programmer would provide by checking out PCEsoft.com.

Find free templates online that allow you to create blank invoice forms

There are many companies that offer templates to go with popular computer programs that you might already have. Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel are two such programs. You can download the basic templates and add to them as you see fit to create a free, customized invoice form. If you prefer to make your own invoice from scratch, practicing changing existing templates can lead you to eventual success.

I recommend: BrotherSoft.com offers a free Excel template. Graytex.com allows Internet users to download their Microsoft Word template and add to it as needed.

Study literature that focuses on creating personalized invoice form for your company

Many books and manuals can be found at the library or online that provide in-depth instructions on creating a quality commercial invoice form. Even websites that simply provide tips can be helpful to those new to the world of invoicing. Simply make sure the source is reputable and use the tips that apply to your specific situation.

I recommend: TechRepublic provides tips for creating an invoice using Microsoft Word. Get tips on myriad aspects of invoicing at tech-faq.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are still apprehensive about tackling this project, consider allowing your company accountant to make a customized billing invoice form. Most accountants know the basics of what should appear on a professional invoice form.

Whether you sell a product or a service, you will need invoice forms at some point. You might decide to simply buy invoice forms from an office supply store to save time. If you are more interested in saving money, you could make them yourself on your computer. No matter what route you choose to go, knowing the key terms of invoice forms will be helpful in your search for the perfect form for your business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Invoice

Anytime you sell a product or service, you will need to supply the customer with an invoice. An invoice typically shows your company contact information, the date, a description of the product or service sold and the price.

I recommend: Global Importers Database defines an invoice.

Sample invoice

You can look at a sample invoice before making your own. A sample invoice can show you what information to include on an invoice, as well as how to format it.

I recommend: American Electric Power provides a sample invoice and defines the fields you might find on an invoice.

Electronic invoice

An electronic invoice is created on a computer and shared electronically. Since many people store all of their files online, an electronic invoice does not have to be printed out, and is usually just emailed to the parties involved in the transaction.

I recommend: The e-Invoicing blog describes an electronic invoice.

Invoice template

An invoice template is a free blank form you can find online. You can either print it out or keep it on the PC, but all you have to do is fill in your company information to customize the template.

I recommend: Office-Kit.com provides an example of an invoice template, along with the benefits of such a tool.

Carbonless paper

If you plan to print out your own invoice forms, you should use carbonless paper in order to have more than one copy of your invoice. This way, you can give your customer a copy while keeping one for your records.

I recommend: Graytex Papers discusses carbonless paper and provides directions for printing out your own forms on this type of paper.

Invoice software

Many business owners now use invoice software to create invoice forms and keep them organized. Such software often allows users to keep a separate file for each client, letting them easily access any invoice years later.

I recommend: Top Listings Confidential discusses the benefits of invoicing software for your business.