How to Make an Invoice on Google Docs for Small Businesses

Creating invoices usually feels like a time sink for your business. You’re either battling inaccuracy or a lack of professionalism.

But you’re not alone—many small business owners and entrepreneurs struggle with manual invoice generation. Luckily, Google Docs offers a quick and simple solution to your invoicing challenges.

Google Docs provides free templates that help you generate professional invoices, and customize them to your brand.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to make an invoice on Google Docs, turning what was once a headache into a quick, efficient process.

How to Make an Invoice on Google Docs in 7 Steps

To create an invoice in Google Sheets or Google Docs, you need to learn to utilize the platform’s intuitive features, such as formatting options, formulas, and tables, to reflect your business’s professionalism.

Follow the 7 important steps mentioned to make an invoice on Docs:

Step 1: Sign in to Gmail

First things first—you need to have a Gmail account to access Google Docs and its template library. If you don’t have an account, you can quickly create and get started. If you already have one, you can open Docs on your browser using your Gmail credentials.

Step 2: Access the template gallery

After you have logged in, open Google Docs. At the top of the page, you will find a template gallery, which consists of templates for several document types. You can narrow down your search, and type “invoice” in the search bar in the template gallery.

Step 3: Choose the preferred template

After browsing through different templates on the template gallery, select an invoice template that suits your business’s recognition. Click on the template for a full view.

Selecting your preferred invoice template means the template has what a small business owner needs for proper invoicing.

You can also download a Google Doc template from InvoiceOwl’s template library and get started with invoice creation. Once you’ve selected the best template, save it by clicking the title box and giving your document a unique name. To name the document, click on the title box and type the name.

Step 4: Create a new invoice

Once you choose the invoice template in Google Docs, go to “File” and click on “Save as Copy” to create a new copy of the invoice. Do this every time you create a new invoice from the template, so you don’t save on the existing invoice.

After you’ve created a new copy of the blank invoice template, edit all the required fields so the project details will be reflected. You must always include this information in every invoice you generate.

Here are the following: 

• Business/brand logo: Add a business or brand logo to ensure professionalism & consistency.
• Contact information: Include the brand’s name, address, phone number, and contact details.
• Customer information: Add the customer’s contact information, as well as their name.
• Invoice date: Specify the date on which the invoice is created.
• Invoice number: Assign a unique invoice number for reference.
• Service details: List each service provided, including hours worked, and hourly rates, if applicable.
• Subtotal: Display the sum of all the listed services in an organized table format.
• Total amount due: Show the final fee after calculating the subtotal.
• Due date: Clearly state the date on which the payment will be due.
• Payment terms & policies: Outline your payment terms and policies, including all the acceptable payment methods (PayPal, bank transfers, and credit cards).

Step 5: Customize the invoice template

Customization is the key to turning an invoice template into a brand invoice. Follow a specific format for your brand, such as adding logos, colors, and fonts that differentiate your invoices from others and even give a professional look to your brand.

A well-branded invoice can act as a marketing tool in addition to being a method for receiving payments.

Step 6: Select a unique means of identification for your invoices

To avoid confusion, it’s important to use a consistent naming convention for each invoice.

You must name each new invoice so you don’t mix them up. When creating a new invoice, label it clearly with a unique identifier, such as an invoice number or project name. After naming them, you can organize all your invoices in specific folders within Google Drive for easy access and management.

A common way of naming the template invoice is by using the invoice number and date, or the customer’s name. For instance, if you created an invoice in March 2024 with an invoice number of 112, the name of the invoice could be “Invoice112_0324.” You can add the customer’s name at the end to get started.

Step 7: Submit the invoice

After you’ve created the invoice for your customers and you’re satisfied with the layout, you can share it with them using the free Google Docs invoice templates.

On the upper right-hand side, click the blue “Share” button from the invoice template for Docs that directs you to share the “File.” Type in your client’s email address and complete it with a friendly note, then click “Done” to get paid.

Make sure the email address is accurate before you proceed.

You can also download the invoice template to Google Drive and send it via email to your clients to get paid. The preferred format, in this case, would be PDF so that no one can edit the free Google Docs invoice template.

When you are ready to send the invoice template from Docs, you’ll find a free Google Docs invoice template in the Downloads folder of your PC. After saving it to your drive, where your invoice template for Docs is kept, you can now send it to get paid.

To see how to create an invoice in Docs practically, give this video a good watch.

Importance of Using Google Docs Invoice Templates for Small Businesses

The convenience of generating invoices cannot be ignored. Check out some of the top ways Google Docs invoice templates are helpful for American solopreneurs and small businesses across online retailers, plumbing, or home services.

Some of the notable benefits are:

1. Free & accessible

Google Docs is practically accessible to everyone. It is free to use, making it a cost-effective option for small businesses that need to create professional invoices. It doesn’t require technical expertise or other tools for invoice generation.

2. Easy customization

Google Docs are easy to use and edit. Customize templates with your business branding, payment terms, and essential legal disclaimers to ensure compliance with U.S. regulations such as GDPR and CCPA for data protection. It helps you give all your invoices a personalized touch.

3. Real-time collaboration

Google Docs makes it easy for you to share and add users to a particular invoice. It helps you collaborate with team members in real-time and makes it easier to review, update, or share invoices instantly.

4. Cloud-based convenience

Google Docs template is cloud-based. This allows you to create, edit, and send invoices from anywhere, on any device, without worrying about file loss. You don’t have to save the invoices on any device as they are directly saved on your Google Drive.

5. Organized invoicing

Since Docs saves invoices on Drive itself, it avoids the unnecessary clutter on your desktop. You can easily create folders, and categorize them by their dates, clients, or types of services. It also helps convert files into PDF, Word, and Rich Text Format (rtf.), allowing you to save and organize the invoices in a format of your choosing.

5 Essential Tips to Make an Invoice in Google Docs

While creating an invoice template in Google Docs, follow the mentioned tips for superior invoice generation and faster payments. Find the 5 key tips:

1. Use a professional template

Since Docs is a free product, you’ll find a lot of other small businesses relying on it to generate invoices. Branding consistency using a professional template is the key to stand apart. Stick to a standard layout with the same fonts, colors, and overall structure across all invoices.

A professional template will not just ensure consistency across invoices but will reinforce your brand identity and also help customers recognize your invoices and make them look more trustworthy.

2. Customize with the brand

Tables in invoices make it easy for you to break down the costs and make your invoices more transparent. It shows the clients what services they are paying for and the rate per hour/quantity.

In Docs, you can add tables by clicking ‘Insert’ and ‘Add table’. Add the services, quantities, rates, and totals. Customize the table according to your brand colors and you’re good to go. You can also use Google Sheets to add tables.

3. Review contact information

Proofread all contact information before you send the invoice. Incorrect details such as wrong emails or typos in addresses can cause payment delays. Google Docs makes it easy to review and update these details before sending.

Keep an eye out for accuracy to avoid any confusion or missed payments.

4. Mobile-friendly design

Since most clients are accessing documents on mobile devices, it’s crucial to ensure your invoice templates are mobile-friendly. Docs automatically adjust to different screen sizes, but it’s a good idea to keep your layout simple, avoid large images, and use clear fonts that are easy to read on smaller screens.

These factors ensure that your esteemed clients can view, approve, and pay your invoices quickly, regardless of their device.

5. Add payment terms

By adding payment terms, you’re avoiding back and forth with your clients and paving the way for faster payments. It also clears misunderstandings and improves your cash flows. Be clear about your payment expectations by including detailed payment terms in every invoice.

Docs allow you to easily customize sections for due dates, preferred payment methods such as PayPal, credit cards, bank transfers, etc, and any late fees.

An Alternative to Creating Invoices on Google Docs

While Google Docs and Google Sheets invoice templates are both great ways to get started, they’re still outdated in some aspects.

An invoice generation tool like InvoiceOwl automates the process to a great extent, so you don’t have to enter the data manually every time and add e-signatures wherever needed.

Let’s check out the invoice-generating features that benefit U.S. small businesses across home contractors, HVAC, and SaaS providers.

1. Real-time notifications

Invoice-generating tools automate the process of invoice generation, create reports, and set auto-reminders and notifications to a great extent. The real-time notifications help you stay updated on when invoices have been received, paid, and much more.

2. Record-keeping

If you’re just going to generate invoices a few times, Docs is perfect. But as a small business, you have multiple clients, and generating multiple invoices weekly is tough. Invoice generation tools like InvoiceOwl offer built-in record-keeping features that eliminate paperwork. Users can store, track, and categorize all invoices in one place. Quickly access past invoices, view payment histories, and generate financial reports, and stay on top of outstanding payments.

3. E-signatures

You still have to manually sign the invoices if you create them in Docs. Invoice-generating tools allow you to send invoices with integrated eSignature capabilities. Thus, clients can approve and sign invoices digitally from their devices. This not only speeds up the approval process but also adds a layer of security.

4. Manage multiple clients

Managing multiple clients on Docs eventually becomes a hassle. InvoiceOwl allows you to manage and access estimates and invoices for several firms or organizations within one tool. It allows you to easily manage clients’ details, view outstanding invoices, and send auto-reminders for follow-ups with just a few clicks.

Save Time with Automated Invoicing and Simplify Payment Management

Generating invoices on Docs is a breeze since it’s straightforward and budget-friendly for small businesses. With customizable templates and the flexibility to add tables, logos, and payment terms, Google Docs can certainly get the job done.

However, as your business grows and you begin managing more clients, handling multiple invoices manually can become time-consuming and error-prone.

InvoiceOwl is the best platform to automate your estimates and invoice generation. Imagine automating your invoicing process with features like e-signatures, managing multiple accounts, and auto-save all your invoices.

Small service-based businesses, such as plumbers, electricians, and graphic designers, can easily download pre-designed templates for Docs on InvoiceOwl and get started with invoice generation. Try the tool for free to see how it can save you time and effort.