Download a free Excel invoice template

Learn how to make an invoice in Excel using our free template. Pay only when you get paid.

Follow these simple steps to build an invoice with your company’s logo and contact information, a list of the products or services you provided, and the payment due date. You can even set up partial payments and give your customers the option to tip.

Plus, once you customize our invoice template for your business, you’ll be able to send invoices that follow a consistent, professional look.

How to customize an Excel invoice template

One of the biggest benefits of our free Excel invoice template is the ability to choose and customize the design, layout, and stylistic features.

You can personalize your template further by adding your company logo and modifying anything in the initial template. This can be done by using the upper toolbar, which includes easy-access buttons for invoice font type and size, invoice color, and more.

At a minimum, your Excel invoice template should include basic information about your business as well as the details of the service you’re providing to your customer.

What to include on an invoice?

Start by downloading our sample Excel invoice template or create one using our invoice template generator. Then customize your template following the instructions below. (Note that this downloadable Excel invoice template doesn’t include PayPal Invoicing built-in features.)

1. Your contact information: Include your company’s name, phone number, email address, and company website.
2. Your client's information: Make sure to include at least an email address and a phone number. A physical mailing address is nice to have.
3. Invoice #: There are multiple ways to assign invoice numbers. The simplest is chronological and by breaking your invoice number into multiple parts, like using a unique customer number with a variable project number. So, when Jane Doe (customer number 25) makes another purchase or hires you for another job (the fifth one this year), you could list that as #25-0005.
4. Invoice date: This should be the day you send out the invoice, not the day you created it. Make sure your invoice date, payment terms, and due date line up. For instance, if your payment terms are 30 days, then the due date should be exactly 30 days from the day you sent the bill. And, use this date format on your Excel template to solve for international differences: Month (spelled out), date, year. (Example: December 28, 2022)

Tip: With PayPal Invoicing, we’ll automatically help you calculate the due date. And if you’re sending internationally, we’ll automatically display the invoice date in the proper format for your customer.

Supplying as much information about the products or services provided helps avoid any potential delays in getting paid. You also want to be as transparent as possible when sending a bill, specifying not only your rates but also the terms for payments. Make sure to break down the total amount due by stating the subtotal as well as any taxes or fees.

In addition to your company information listed above, your template should generally include the following:

1. Service details: Be as clear as possible when describing the product or service you provided.
2. Service date: Including a service date is optional, but if you decide to note it, this would be the date you performed the service.
3. Description: Be specific. For example, if you're a dog walker, you may want to say something like, “Walked Jack the beagle from 2-2:30pm on May 5.” Being clear and descriptive lets your customers know what you're billing them for, and that can save you time in follow-up questions. Using Excel for your template allows you to make space for longer descriptions, if necessary.
4. Billing rate: Depending on the service you provide, you may want to bill by hours, quantity, or even a flat rate—look for a tool that gives you the flexibility to bill whichever way your business needs and allows you to include items like sales tax.
5. Notes: Many companies who have been in business for a long time rely on client loyalty, so adding personal touches can go a long way. Whether you add a note that says, “Thank you for your business” or “Hope to see you again,” including this section on your Excel template can help you make a lasting impression.
6. Terms and conditions: Include payment terms in your terms and conditions (or notes) section and remember to mention your terms for late or early payments. Also, if you’re sending a bill to an international customer or vendor, clarify which currency you’re billing in and add any local or industry-related requirements to your Excel sheet.

Give your completed template a quick read through before you send it. Keep an eye out for typos, and make sure you didn’t miss anything.

1. Preview: Whether you're sending a PDF, an Excel file, or a Word document, preview the invoice to see what your customers will receive.
2. Send: Make sure your email has a clear, descriptive, and accurate subject line. If you’re using PayPal Invoicing, you can simply click ‘Send’ to have PayPal send your invoice, or you can select “Share link myself” to share the invoice link in your own email, text, or chat message.
3. Get paid: With PayPal Invoicing, your customers will automatically have the option to pay you online.

Pros and cons of Excel invoicing

Our invoice template in Excel is great for business owners who are looking for a professional-looking, downloadable template in Microsoft Excel. Easy to build, save, and reuse, this invoice template is also best for those that use automatic formulas when billing. However, keep in mind that Excel invoicing requires a more manual and potentially error-prone process compared to automatic invoicing services.

Besides our Excel invoice template, you can create an invoice using our free Word invoice template. You can also turn your Excel or Word invoice into a PDF by simply saving your file as a “PDF” as the last step.

Note: Some industries may require mentioning specific terms and conditions on your Microsoft Excel invoice, so be sure to check the special requirements for your business.