Invoice Generator Skill

Overview

I help freelancers and small businesses create professional invoices quickly. Just tell me the details, and I'll generate a complete, properly formatted invoice.

What I can do:

Create professional invoices in multiple formats
Calculate taxes (VAT, GST, sales tax)
Handle multiple currencies
Support various payment terms
Generate in English or Chinese

What I cannot do:

File taxes for you
Guarantee compliance with all local regulations
Process actual payments

How to Use Me

Step 1: Provide Basic Info

Tell me:

Your business details (name, address, tax ID if needed)
Client details (name, address)
Items/services (description, quantity, rate)
Invoice number (or I'll suggest one)
Payment terms (due date, accepted methods)

Step 2: I'll Generate

I'll create a complete invoice with:

Professional layout
Proper calculations
Payment instructions
Terms and conditions

Step 3: Export

Copy the output to your preferred tool:

Paste into Word/Google Docs
Use the markdown version
Request HTML for web display

Invoice Components

Required Elements

| Element | Description | Example | |---------|-------------|---------| | Invoice Number | Unique identifier | INV-2026-0001 | | Date | Issue date | January 29, 2026 | | Due Date | Payment deadline | February 28, 2026 | | From | Your business info | Company name, address | | Bill To | Client info | Client name, address | | Line Items | Services/products | Description, qty, rate, amount | | Total | Sum due | Amount with currency |

Optional Elements

| Element | When to Include | |---------|-----------------| | Tax ID | Required in many countries for B2B | | PO Number | If client provided purchase order | | Tax Breakdown | When charging VAT/GST/Sales Tax | | Late Fee Terms | If you charge for late payment | | Bank Details | For wire transfers | | Payment Link | For online payment |

Tax Guidance by Region

United States

No federal invoice requirements, but good practices:

Include your EIN if B2B
State sales tax if applicable (varies by state)
1099 reporting if paying contractors $600+

Sales Tax Rates (examples): | State | Rate | Notes | |-------|------|-------| | California | 7.25% base | Up to 10.75% with local | | Texas | 6.25% base | Up to 8.25% with local | | New York | 4% state | Up to 8.875% with local | | Oregon | 0% | No sales tax |

European Union

VAT Invoice Requirements:

Must include VAT number if registered
Reverse charge for B2B cross-border
Sequential invoice numbering required

Standard VAT Rates: | Country | Rate | |---------|------| | Germany | 19% | | France | 20% | | UK (post-Brexit) | 20% | | Netherlands | 21% | | Ireland | 23% |

Reverse Charge: For B2B services in EU, buyer may handle VAT. Include "Reverse Charge - VAT to be paid by recipient."

China

Invoice Requirements:

Regular invoice vs. VAT special invoice (fapiao)
Tax registration number required
Official invoices must be issued through tax authority system

VAT Rates: | Type | Rate | |------|------| | General Goods | 13% | | Services | 6% | | Small-scale Taxpayer | 3% |

Australia

GST Requirements:

10% GST on most goods/services
Must include ABN if registered
GST-free for exports

Payment Terms Reference

Common Terms

| Term | Meaning | |------|---------| | Due on Receipt | Pay immediately | | Net 15 | Due within 15 days | | Net 30 | Due within 30 days (most common) | | Net 60 | Due within 60 days | | 2/10 Net 30 | 2% discount if paid in 10 days, otherwise due in 30 |

Late Payment Policies

Example language:

"Invoices not paid within [X] days will incur a late fee of [1.5%] per month on the outstanding balance."

Legal maximums vary:

US: Generally up to 18-24% annually
UK: 8% + Bank of England base rate
EU: ECB rate + 8%

Output Format

Markdown Invoice

# INVOICE

**Invoice Number:** INV-2026-0042
**Date:** January 29, 2026
**Due Date:** February 28, 2026

---

## From
[Your Business Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Email]
[Tax ID: XXX-XX-XXXX]

## Bill To
[Client Name]
[Client Address]
[Client Email]

---

## Items

| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|-------------|-----|------|--------|
| [Service 1] | 10 hrs | $100/hr | $1,000.00 |
| [Service 2] | 1 | $500 | $500.00 |

---

|  | |
|---|---|
| **Subtotal** | $1,500.00 |
| **Tax (10%)** | $150.00 |
| **Total Due** | **$1,650.00** |

---

## Payment Details

**Bank Transfer:**
Bank: [Bank Name]
Account: [Account Number]
Routing: [Routing Number]

**Or pay online:** [Payment Link]

---

**Payment Terms:** Net 30
**Late Fee:** 1.5% per month on overdue balance

Thank you for your business!

Examples

Example 1: Simple Freelance Invoice

User: Create an invoice for 20 hours of web development at $75/hour for Acme Corp. I'm John Smith, based in Austin, TX.

Me:

INVOICE

Invoice Number: INV-2026-0001 Date: January 29, 2026 Due Date: February 28, 2026

From

John Smith Austin, TX 78701 john@example.com

Bill To

Acme Corp [Client Address]

Items

| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount | |-------------|-----|------|--------| | Web Development Services | 20 hrs | $75.00/hr | $1,500.00 |

| | | |---|---| | Total Due | $1,500.00 USD |

Payment Terms: Net 30

Example 2: With VAT (UK)

User: Invoice for consulting services to a UK client, £2000, need to add VAT

Me:

| | | |---|---| | Subtotal | £2,000.00 | | VAT (20%) | £400.00 | | Total Due | £2,400.00 GBP |

VAT Registration: GB123456789

Example 3: Multiple Line Items

User: Invoice for: Logo design $500, Brand guidelines $1200, Business card design $300. Client is StartupXYZ.

Me:

| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount | |-------------|-----|------|--------| | Logo Design | 1 | $500.00 | $500.00 | | Brand Guidelines Document | 1 | $1,200.00 | $1,200.00 | | Business Card Design | 1 | $300.00 | $300.00 |

| | | |---|---| | Total Due | $2,000.00 USD |

Invoice Numbering Best Practices

Format Options

| Format | Example | Best For | |--------|---------|----------| | Sequential | 001, 002, 003 | Simple, low volume | | Year-Seq | 2026-001 | Easy to track by year | | Client-Seq | ACME-001 | Multiple clients | | Date-Seq | 20260129-01 | Date-based tracking |

Tips

Never reuse invoice numbers
Keep numbers sequential (gaps may raise audit questions)
Include prefix for different services if needed

Tips for Better Results

Provide complete info - The more details, the better the invoice
Specify currency - USD, EUR, GBP, CNY, etc.
Include tax requirements - Tell me if you need VAT/GST
Mention payment methods - Bank, PayPal, Stripe, etc.
Request specific format - Markdown, HTML, or plain text

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Missing due date - Always specify when payment is expected
Vague descriptions - "Consulting" is worse than "Marketing strategy consulting - Q1 campaign planning"
Wrong calculations - I'll double-check, but verify final numbers
Missing tax info - Required for B2B in many countries
No payment instructions - Make it easy to pay you!

Limitations

I generate text invoices, not PDFs directly
Tax calculations are estimates - verify with accountant
Can't integrate with accounting software
Don't know your specific local requirements

Languages

Works with multiple languages including English and Chinese. Just specify your preferred language when requesting an invoice.

Built by the Claude Office Skills community. Get paid faster!