How to make a invoice in one minute
- Choose European Union under Country preset. Currency becomes EUR, Paper size A4, Date format DD/MM/YYYY, and both ID labels read VAT ID.
- Fill in From with your name, address and VAT ID, then Bill to with the customer's name, address and VAT ID. You can check their number on the EU's VIES service.
- Type your VAT rate under Totals; the preset starts at 20% and rates differ by member state. For a reverse-charge sale, set the rate to 0% and switch on the reverse-charge note.
- Add Line items: Description, Qty, Unit and Rate. The taxable amount, the VAT per rate and the total update in the preview as you type.
- Set the Invoice number, Date and Due date, add Payment details such as your bank name and IBAN, then press Download PDF.
What an intra-EU VAT invoice must show
The EU preset carries a six-item checklist that covers the usual contents of a full VAT invoice, and each item maps to a field in the editor. Member states add details of their own, so treat the list as the common core. Presets are starting points — confirm current rates and requirements with your tax authority.
Your name, address and VAT identification number. These go in the From block, where the ID label reads VAT ID, and are kept in your business profile.
The customer’s name, address and VAT ID. The Bill to block has a VAT ID field of its own. For a business customer in another member state the number is what makes a reverse-charge invoice work, and you can check it on the EU’s VIES service. A private customer has no VAT ID, so leave the field empty.
Invoice date and a sequential number. The Date prints as DD/MM/YYYY; the Invoice number counts up from your last one and the editor warns if you reuse a number.
Quantity and nature of the goods or services. One line per item with a Description, Qty, Unit and Rate. Describe the supply plainly (“Consulting, March, 12 hours”) so its nature is clear.
The VAT rate and amount per rate, the taxable amount and the total. The totals block shows the subtotal (the taxable amount), each VAT line with its rate and amount, and the total. For an invoice that mixes rates, add a second tax line and tick, per line item, which rate applies.
A reverse-charge or exemption note where no VAT is charged. When you charge no VAT you have to say why. The reverse-charge toggle prints the preset’s wording; for another exemption, type the reference in Notes.
The preset also selects EUR, A4 paper and a notes line, “Payment due within 30 days. Please reference the invoice number.” Some member states also want the date of supply when it differs from the invoice date, or a specific mention for small businesses exempt from VAT; the rules where you are registered decide that, not the editor.
How the VAT invoice generator handles reverse charge
Reverse charge means the customer, not the supplier, accounts for the VAT on a sale. It is the normal position for many business-to-business services supplied to a customer in another member state, which is why the EU preset has a dedicated toggle. Switch it on and the PDF carries the note “Reverse charge (Article 196 of Council Directive 2006/112/EC): VAT to be accounted for by the recipient.” Set the VAT rate to 0% at the same time so the total equals the taxable amount, and make sure the customer’s VAT ID is in Bill to.
For domestic sales you type the rate yourself. The preset cannot know which member state you are registered in, so the VAT line starts at 20% as a placeholder; replace it with the rate that applies to you and it is remembered with the document. Up to three tax lines are available for invoices that mix rates, and a tax-inclusive toggle back-calculates the VAT from prices you have quoted gross.
Goods sent to a business in another member state are usually an intra-Community supply rather than a reverse-charge service, with its own exemption wording; the editor gives you the Notes box, and your tax authority tells you which wording applies.
Your data stays on your device
Your VAT IDs, customer records and invoices stay in this browser; nothing is sent to a server in any member state or anywhere else. The PDF is generated in your browser by a small worker; nothing is uploaded, and there is no account to create. Drafts, clients and your business profile live in your browser's local storage (IndexedDB), and one button under "Your data" deletes all of it. To verify, open your browser's developer tools, watch the Network tab while you fill in and download a document, and note that no request carries your details. Read the privacy policy and how it works for the details.
Templates, currencies and PDF output
| Templates | Classic, Modern, Minimal, Compact, Ledger, Receipt (6 layouts; accent colour and logo are yours). Prefilled invoice and receipt templates by trade open in the same editor. |
|---|---|
| Currencies | 68 ISO currencies with the right symbol and decimals, for example USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, AUD, INR and JPY; the European Union preset picks the default. Country presets also set the tax lines and ID labels. |
| Paper sizes | A4 and US Letter; page numbers on multi-page documents |
| Numbering | Sequential per type, default prefix INV-0001, editable |
| Output | PDF download (text stays selectable), print, or a prefilled email with the PDF attached by you; file name Invoice-number-client.pdf |
Frequently asked questions
What does reverse charge mean on an invoice?
It means the customer accounts for the VAT instead of the supplier. You invoice without VAT, state that the reverse charge applies and quote the customer's VAT ID; the customer then declares the VAT in their own country. The EU preset prints the Article 196 wording when you switch on the toggle, and you set the VAT rate on the invoice to 0%.
Which VAT rate should I type?
The rate for the member state where the VAT is due and for the kind of goods or services you sell. Standard rates across the EU range from 17% to 27%, and most countries also have reduced rates. The preset starts at 20% only as a placeholder. Your tax authority's rate list is the source; the editor prints what you enter.
Do I charge VAT to a business customer in another EU country?
Often not. For most services to a VAT-registered business elsewhere in the EU the reverse charge applies and you invoice without VAT. For goods, an intra-Community supply can be exempt subject to conditions such as proof of transport. There are exceptions in both cases, so confirm the treatment for your sale with your tax authority before you issue the invoice.
I am under the small business exemption. Can I still use this?
Yes. Remove the VAT line under Totals so the invoice shows net amounts only, leave the VAT ID field empty if you have no number, and add the exemption wording your country requires in Notes. The heading stays Invoice. The exemption threshold and the exact wording vary by member state, so take them from your tax authority.
Can I invoice in a currency other than euro?
Yes. Change Currency in the document settings and the amounts are formatted for that currency; EUR is only the preset default. Many member states require the VAT amount to be shown in their national currency even when the invoice is in another one, so if you charge VAT on a foreign-currency invoice, check that rule and add the converted VAT amount in Notes if needed.
Is a PDF an e-invoice under EU rules?
No. An e-invoice in the EU sense is a structured, machine-readable file, usually XML in a format that follows the EN 16931 standard, exchanged through a network. A PDF is a picture of an invoice. Some member states already require structured e-invoices for domestic business sales, and EU-wide rules for intra-EU trade are on the way. This tool makes PDFs only.
Does the EU preset work for UK or Swiss customers?
Not as it stands. The United Kingdom and Switzerland are outside the EU VAT area, so intra-EU rules such as the Article 196 reverse charge do not apply to them. For a UK customer use the UK preset; for other countries outside the EU, sales are often outside the scope of your VAT or zero-rated, but the conditions depend on where you are registered.
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Last updated 2026-09-27. Presets are starting points — confirm current rates and requirements with your tax authority. PDF engine: pdfmake (MIT); fonts: Inter and Noto Sans (SIL Open Font License).