Simple Business Invoice Template
A simple bold black and white business invoice with nothing on the page it does not need; quantity, unit price and line totals
Preview
This invoice gets its structure from four blocks rather than from lines drawn around the data: a black masthead filling the top left, a small black tab on the right edge level with the invoice number, a black THANK YOU panel in the bottom right, and a hairline rule down the right edge that closes along the foot of the page.
Everything between them is plain. The customer and terms strips carry no rules at all, and the items table is ruled in exactly three places: a heavier line above the column headings, a lighter one beneath them, and a lighter one closing the table under the last row. Nothing separates one item from the next. The effect is a page that looks composed rather than decorated, and it prints cleanly on any printer because nothing about it is subtle.
Get a working Excel file
Answer the questions and download a real .xlsx with the formulas still in it or a .pdf.
What is on the invoice
- A black masthead in the top left, with your company name and who cheques should be payable to
- The invoice number and date on the right, the number set large
- A customer strip: name, customer ID, address and phone
- A terms strip: salesperson, job, payment terms and due date
- An items table: quantity, description, unit price and line total, with room for twelve rows
- A totals block: subtotal, sales tax rate and total
- A footer with your contact details and a THANK YOU block
How to create your Business Invoice
Open the template and click Generate.
Enter your company name and who payment should be made out to.
Add the invoice title and date.
Fill in the customer strip and the terms strip.
Add one row per item, with quantity and unit price.
Set your sales tax rate, or leave it at zero.
Add your contact details for the footer, then generate and download.
Limitations
The items table holds twelve rows. The totals sit below it, so a thirteenth line would land on top of them. For a longer order, group related items onto one line, or send a delivery note with the full detail and invoice against it. You can also download the excel and edit.
Who is this for
Small businesses selling goods or services to other businesses. Suppliers, trades, studios, clinics and agencies who want an invoice that looks professional.
Note: This template is provided for convenience and general information only and is not legal, tax or accounting advice. What an invoice must show, which tax you must charge and how long you must keep records depend on where you and your customer are based. Check your local rules or ask your accountant. An invoice must reflect goods or services genuinely supplied.
- Professional formatting and layout
- Easy customization with guided questions
- Multiple export formats: pdf, xlsx
- Legally reviewed and compliant
- Instant download after generation
What file do I get, and can I edit it afterwards?
You get an Excel file (.xlsx) or PDF if you want. The Excel file is fully editable. Change a quantity and the line total, the subtotal and the total all recalculate, because they are real formulas rather than numbers baked in at generation time. Print it to PDF when you are ready to send it.
Does it show the tax as a separate amount?
No. The totals block shows the subtotal, the tax rate and the total, and the rate is applied to the subtotal inside the total formula. If you need the tax stated as its own figure, which some jurisdictions require on a tax invoice, add it manually or another invoice template, which carries a separate tax line.
How do I enter the sales tax rate?
As a plain number. Type 6.25 for six and a quarter percent, not 0.0625. The cell displays it as 6.25% and the total applies it to the subtotal behind the scenes. If the sale is not taxable, leave it at zero.
How many lines can I add?
Twelve. The totals sit below the items table, so a thirteenth line would overwrite them. The limit is a property of the layout rather than an arbitrary cap. For a longer order, group related items onto one line, or send a delivery note carrying the full detail and invoice against it.
How do I show a discount?
Put it in the items table as its own line with a negative unit price, for example a quantity of 1 at -75.00 described as 'New customer discount'. It then sits in the detail where the customer can see what it applies to, rather than appearing as an unexplained reduction in the totals. The subtotal picks it up automatically.
What are the Customer ID and Job fields for?
Matching. A customer ID lets your customer's accounts system tie the invoice to your account without a person deciding who you are, and the job field tells them which budget it belongs to. If you invoice the same organisation more than once, filling these in is the cheapest thing you can do to get paid sooner. If you do not use codes, put an account name or a purchase order number in instead.
Is this for goods or for services?
Either, as long as what you are selling has a quantity and a unit price. Units, sessions, days, licences and physical goods all work. If you bill hours at varying rates, the timesheet invoice template fits better because it carries hours and a rate on every line. If you bill a whole project for a single agreed price, the classic freelancer invoice is simpler.
How do I show my currency?
Enter it as a symbol and it is applied to the number format of every money cell, so figures display as $612.40 without you typing the symbol into each one. That also keeps them as numbers rather than text, which is what lets the sums work. For overseas customers, use the symbol they will recognise and consider naming the currency in your payment instruction.
Can I add my logo?
No. It is a spreadsheet template and the generator fills cell values rather than placing images, so your company name is set large in white on the black masthead instead. That is the design rather than a limitation. If a logo matters to you, use one of the HTML invoice templates, which place your logo from your company profile and produce a PDF.
Will the black areas eat my printer ink?
They use more than a plain white invoice, yes. The masthead and the THANK YOU block are solid, so a page costs a little more on an inkjet than a minimal layout would. They are corner blocks rather than a full band, so it is not extravagant. If you print in volume, most people send this one as a PDF and keep printing for the occasional file copy. If you want the lightest option, the classic freelancer invoice is almost entirely white.
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