How to make a invoice in one minute
- Three sample lines are prefilled: hourly labor, materials at cost plus 10% and a bin rental. Replace each Description, Qty, Unit and Rate with this job's figures.
- Fill in From with your business and Bill to with the client or general contractor. Type the property address in the Job site field so it prints on the invoice.
- Set Invoice number, Date and Terms (the prefilled terms say 30 days). Put the contract or purchase order number in Reference / PO number.
- Under Totals, add your Tax lines, enter any deposit received in Amount paid and retention as a Discount applied after tax, so Balance due is what is payable now.
- Update Notes with the stage this invoice covers (2 of 3 in the sample), add Payment details and press Download PDF.
How to invoice for contractor work
A contractor’s invoice has three kinds of line, and the sample shows one of each: 32 hours of framing and drywall in a basement office at 65 per hour; drywall sheets, screws, tape and compound as one materials lot at 612.40, with receipts attached; and a waste disposal bin rental at 180 as equipment. Keep that separation. Clients want to see what the hours cost and what the materials cost, and tax authorities often treat the two differently.
When you bill materials at cost plus a markup, say so: the prefilled Notes read “Materials billed at cost plus 10%”, and listing or attaching receipts avoids questions about the figure. Split the lot into items with quantities when a client wants detail.
Most contract work is billed in stages. A progress invoice references the contract and states which stage it covers; the sample says “Progress invoice 2 of 3”. Number it in the same sequence as everything else and put the contract number in Reference / PO number so the client’s accounts team can match it.
Retention (or holdback) is the share, often 5–10%, that the client keeps until final inspection. The prefilled terms hold 5%. Show it as a deduction so the balance due is clear: enter it as a Discount under Totals, switched to apply after tax, and label it in Notes. Invoice the retained amount separately once the work is signed off.
The Job site field prints above the line items; fill it in when the work address differs from the billing address or the client owns several properties.
What the contractor invoice template prefills
Three example lines with quantities, units and rates, a Job site field, progress notes and terms that ask for payment within 30 days with 5% retention. From, Bill to, taxes and payment details are yours to add. Rewrite each description with the room, task and stage rather than a general label, and keep hrs as the unit for labor.
Your data stays on your device
Contractor invoices, job sites and client details are stored in this browser only, never on a server. 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. 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
Should labor and materials be on separate lines?
Yes. Clients want to see what the hours cost and what the materials cost, and tax authorities often treat the two differently. Keep labor on an hrs line with the rate per hour and list materials as a lot or by item with quantities. Equipment such as a bin gets its own line.
How do I bill a progress or milestone invoice?
Invoice each stage of the contract as it is completed, numbered in sequence like any other invoice. Say which stage it is in Notes (the sample reads Progress invoice 2 of 3) and put the contract number in Reference / PO number. Each invoice carries only that stage's labor, materials and equipment.
How do I show retention on a contractor invoice?
Retention, also called holdback, is a percentage (often 5–10%) the client keeps until final inspection. Enter it as a Discount under Totals, switched to apply after tax, and state in Notes that the deduction is retention. Balance due then shows what is payable now; invoice the retained amount after sign-off.
Do I charge tax on materials?
Rules differ by state, province and country, and some tax materials but not labor. Because each line has a checkbox per tax line, you can apply tax to the materials line only, or to everything. If you paid tax when buying the materials, say so in the description. Confirm what applies with your tax authority.
Hourly or fixed price for contractor work?
Small and unpredictable jobs suit hourly billing with materials at cost, as in the sample. Larger jobs are usually a fixed contract price split into stages, invoiced as progress invoices. Either way, keep labor, materials and equipment on separate lines so the client can see what changed if the scope moves.
How do I send the invoice and record the payment?
Press Download PDF and attach the file to an email, or use Email to open your mail app with the subject prefilled. When the money arrives, open the invoice from Recent documents and press Mark as paid; the editor offers a matching receipt. For the next stage, press Duplicate.
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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).