Invoices are used in businesses all over the world, no matter what country or type of business you are in. Whether you need sole trader invoice templates or ones for your construction or retail business, this document is important for the health of your business.
The type of business (such as sole traders, limited liability partnerships, private limited companies, etc) is one consideration when choosing the type of invoice you give your clients.
But in addition to invoice differences based on the type or industry of the business, there are also other types of invoices.
You may come across or need to issue the following types of popular invoices in the UK:
- Purchase or sales invoice - the invoice received by the buyer is called a purchase invoice, but the seller would call it a sales invoice.
- Tax invoice - this invoice includes the VAT amount for the services or goods provided, and is issued by tax registered companies.
- Past due invoice - this invoice is sent if the buyer has not paid their invoice past the deadline.
- Interim and final invoice - for services or goods provided over a long period of time, an interim invoice may be sent monthly, with the last one called the final invoice.
- Recurring invoice - subscriptions and leases may be issued recurring invoices as they are typically charged the same amount over a long period of time.
- Pro forma and commercial invoice - while the pro forma invoice is not a legal document, it is given to help the buyer calculate the customs cost of a shipment of goods; the commercial invoice is given when the transaction is final.