How to Create a Graphic Design Invoice [Free Templates]

Whether you’re a one-person design studio or you work with a team, you need to provide your clients with a graphic design invoice to get paid on time. But what is a graphic design invoice exactly, and how do you create this important document?

Regardless of the services you provide, whether logo design or video making, a graphic design invoice tells your clients exactly how much they owe you.

Although making one might seem difficult or time-consuming, it doesn’t have to be! This article will tell you everything about this key document and show you how to make one using our online generator without breaking a sweat!

So, read on and get all the answers you need!

What is a Graphic Design Invoice?

As its name suggests, a graphic design invoice is a document used by graphic designers. It outlines the payment terms they’ve agreed to with the client regarding the project they’re working on.

This legal paper also contains a breakdown of the services they provide and other important details, such as their contact information, taxes, etc.

As a graphic designer, you can use this type of invoice for various projects and services, such as:

• Logo design
• Web design
• Video making
• Infographics
• Website graphics
• And and illustrations
• Brochures
• T-shirt or product design
• Social media graphics
• Corporate presentations
• Marketing materials
• User interface graphic design
• Brochure and magazine cover design

Invoices are beneficial to graphic designers, as they allow them to stay in control of their clients' accounts, know when payments are due or overdue, monitor their business growth, and easily file the W-2 form when it’s time to report taxes.

Filing Taxes as a Graphic Designer

As a graphic designer, you also need to fill out a 1099 tax return form every year by the 31st of January. For this, you’ll need to enter each tax you’ve paid throughout the fiscal year and send it to the IRS.

If you want to get this important document and fill it out hassle-free, use our online form generator. We’ll provide you with a 1099 form tailored to your business needs, so you don’t have to make one on your own from scratch!

What to Include in Your Graphic Design Invoice

To ensure you get paid correctly and on time, you need to include the right type of information in your graphic design invoice. Check out which details go into a standard graphic design invoice in the section below.

#1. Your and Your Client’s Details

When filling out your graphic design invoice, you must make sure to include your business information, such as your name, phone number, contact addresses, etc. Then, you need to enter the same information for your client.

As a graphic designer, you should also include a logo in your invoice. It will make your business stand out from the rest of the competition and help your clients easily recognize and remember your brand.

#2. Date and Unique Invoice Number

Besides your and your client’s information, you need to specify the date when you wrote and handed out the graphic design invoice.

Once you add the date to your invoice, you must give a unique number to the document, which is required by law in some states. A numbering system will help you when you’re looking for a specific invoice and make organization much simpler.

The best way to organize your invoices is to number them in chronological order. For example, use “001” for the first, “002” for the second, etc. This way, you’ll be less likely to lose your invoices, and finding a specific one in the sea of other invoices will be much easier.

You can also add the last two numbers of the year the invoice was issued in front of the three-digit number. For example, if the invoice was written in 2022, simply add 22 in front of “001”, so it looks something like this in the end “22002”

#3. Breakdown the Your Services

This is one of the most important sections of your graphic invoice, as you need to provide your client with a breakdown of the services you’re billing them for. You need to be as specific as possible here to avoid any mix-up with the client.

So, list every service you provide, specify the amount of money you’re looking to get for every item, and include tax next to each entry.

#4. Payment Terms

After detailing the services you provide to the client in your graphic design invoice, you must add the payment details. Choose your preferred payment method (e.g., credit cards, PayPal, cash, etc.) and the payment due date.

Then, you need to clearly specify how much your client owes you in total, so you should also write down the net price of your services and goods. This is the total sum before taxes are deducted or any discounts are added.

#5. Thank-You Note

Last but not least, although it is not required, you should add a personalized thank-you note for the client in the “Additional Notes” section. This way, you’ll ensure the tone of the invoice is friendly and show that you appreciate their trust.

You can also offer discounts to future projects and ask for additional feedback, which can help you improve your company.

How to Make a Graphic Design Invoice

To make a graphic design invoice, you can either use software like Word or Excel and write this document from scratch or have it made by an online generator.

Keep in mind that the first method is time-consuming and can be quite difficult, especially if it's your first time invoicing. For this reason, you should use an online invoice generator. It’s efficient, easy to use, and can provide you with a personalized document in no time.

Here’s how it works:

1. Fill in the blank fields in the template
2. Preview your graphic design invoice
3. Download your document in PDF form

Graphic Design Invoice Best Practices

Now that you know what to include in your graphic design invoice and how to make one easily, here are some things you should keep in mind when it comes to invoicing:

• Ask for an upfront payment. In cases where you’re working with a new client, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask for an upfront payment. Once you establish a business relationship, you can receive money once you complete your work.

• Send your invoices on time. To get paid on time, you should send your invoices as soon as you’re done with the job. On the other hand, if you’re asking for an advanced payment, you should submit the invoice beforehand.

• Send a follow-up invoice. In case your client is late with the payment, sending them a follow-up invoice will remind them that they owe you money. In case they refuse to pay you, you can use the invoices as proof and file a case against them in court.

• Double-check the client’s details. When you’re filling out your graphic design invoice, you should ask your clients what name they want to appear on the invoice, their contact information, etc. Make sure there are no typos or any other types of mistakes before you save the invoice and hand it to the client.

• Keep a copy of every invoice. You need to file a 1099 form annually for tax purposes, for which you’ll need your invoices at hand. That’s why you should store them somewhere safe, such as a file cabinet. Still, the best way to do it is to collect them digitally on an online drive so that you can easily access them at any point in the future.

• Accept various payment methods. The best way to ensure you get paid by the clients is to accept various payment methods. Don’t just opt for cash or credit card payments, as services such as PayPal are getting more popular by the day.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re providing web design services or you’re a professional illustrator, you’ll need to provide your clients with an adequate graphic design invoice. We hope that we managed to prove to you that the invoicing doesn’t have to be difficult even if you thought otherwise!

With our online invoice generator, you’ll be able to create this document in no time. So, check out what we have to offer and use our templates to create a tailor-made invoice!

Key Takeaways

• A graphic design invoice is a document that outlines the payment terms for various design services, such as logo design, illustrations, etc.
• Besides the payment terms, a graphic design invoice must include your and your client’s details, a breakdown of your services, and a thank you note.
• When invoicing as a graphic designer, you should ask for upfront payments, double-check your client’s details, and send your invoices on time.
• The best way to make a graphic design invoice is to use an online generator.