Invoicing Made Easy: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Create an Invoice in Excel

In today’s article, we will discuss creating an invoice in Excel. Before diving into the steps, let’s explore why Excel is famous for creating invoices and other financial documents.

Microsoft Excel has become one of the go-to tools for individuals, businesses, and educators worldwide due to its ease of use and versatility. While other software options may be available with similar features, Excel remains the top choice for many users. According to data from the G2 website, Excel is the most popular spreadsheet software, as evidenced by high levels of customer satisfaction.

In addition to its widespread usage among individuals, Excel is also widely adopted by companies across various industries. Data from Statista shows that over 731,000 companies in the United States alone use Excel for accounting purposes. Furthermore, numerous large corporations such as PayPal, Deloitte, and U.S. Bank have all integrated Excel into their financial operations.
Now that we understand some of the reasons behind Excel’s popularity let’s move on to creating an invoice in Excel. Don’t worry; we will share sample invoices in Excel along with an excel invoice template too! Stay tuned!

How to Create an Invoice from an Excel Template (Windows)?

If you want to design customized invoice templates using Excel on your Windows PC, keep reading to learn about the seven easy steps to create invoices through the powerful Excel program effectively.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have gained valuable insight and hands-on experience in crafting professional invoices quickly and efficiently using professional invoice format in Excel.

Also, if any of the invoice templates don’t match your business style – you can always create your own invoice template.

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Open a Blank Workbook in Excel

Want to create invoices? Opening a fresh workbook or blank template in Excel is the first step in making an invoice.

When Excel pops up, go to the program’s main window and pick the “File” tab, then “New.”

As shown in the below image you can select any Excel invoice template available from Microsoft. You can type a specific template name (if you already know) in the search bar. If you want to create your own template then start with a blank spreadsheet.

Step 2: Enter Your Company Details & Branding

After completing Step 1, your invoice template is ready for customization with your business data and branding. There has to be a menu bar across the top of the screen with options like “File,” “Home,” “Insert,” “Design,” “Formulas,” and so on.

To add business logo and images to your invoice, click the “Insert” tab and drop in pictures, logos, and new text fields in current invoice template.

Don’t forget to customize your invoice header. Provide a proper invoice date, business contact details, client’s contact details and other necessary invoice details.

Step 3: Add Product/Service Detail

After introducing your business and its brand, it’s time to describe the goods and services you provide in your sales invoices or service invoices. The item summary, number, price per unit, and total lines may be seen by selecting cells in columns A through D.

After you’ve completed those four sections, click “Enter” to go to the next row, where you may add another line item. Don’t forget to add unit price if you have sold any material.

The above image shows an itemized list. If you are in the business of product sales then it is a preferred template for you. In which you can always fix your business contact information.

Step 4: Calculate Tax and Subtotal

Excel’s in-built features simplify calculating tax and providing a subtotal for an invoice. First, create two new columns (E and F) after completing the information in columns A through D.

To add the amounts in column E, begin row 5 with the excel’s SUM function and an apostrophe (‘) before each cell reference, as in: ‘=’A5′-A6’. If you want the sum of cells A5 through C5 to appear in cell E5, you will enter =SUM(A5:C5).

For every cell in column E, use this formula. Then, in column F, multiply the prices from column D by the values from column E (‘=F5*E5’). For example, to enter the formula =B5*E5 in cell F5, you would replace B5*E5 with the whole formula.

To reiterate, this formula should be used for each entry in column F. By getting the subtotal excluding tax, deducting the total from columns F through E: =SUM(F5:F9)-SUM(E5:E9). Enter the formula into G5, then paste it along the rest of column G. The tax portion of the total is included in this computation.

Taxes can be sales tax, vat or GST.

Step 5: Apply Discounts and Finalize Amounts

Applying discounts is simple once you’ve calculated the subtotal in your Excel templates. Adjust the amounts in either column E or F based on any values provided by your client.

Step 6: Generate Invoice Preview

Now you have everything set up – it’s time to preview your finished invoice. You can format the table as desired, including borders and shading.

Step 7: Save and Send Invoice

Finally, save your invoice with a relevant filename.

Saving Your Invoice:

1. Select “File” and then click “Save As.”
2. Choose a location where you want to save the File.
3. Give your invoice a meaningful name that includes the date, client name, and invoice number.
4. Choose the file format for your invoice, such as PDF file, DOCX, or XPS.

Sending Your Invoice:

1. After saving your invoice, consider attaching supporting documents or files related to the services rendered.
2. Select “File” > “Share” to share your completed invoice digitally through email or other methods. (Your billing date and send date can be different)
3. Alternatively, if you need to send a physical copy, select “Print” to produce a hard copy of the invoice. Make one final check for typos before sending anything to the printer.
4. Once printed, package the invoice and any accompanying paperwork and send it to the client via postal mail or courier service.
5. Keep a record of your invoices, both digital and physical copies, for future reference and accounting purposes.

How to Make an Invoice from an Excel Template (Mac)?

Creating invoices is crucial for freelancers, small business owners, or anyone who provides goods or services. And the majority of them use manual bill format.

But Now is the time to use invoice template using microsoft excel or any other free invoice template website.

Fortunately, you don’t necessarily need specialized software like QuickBooks or FreshBooks to generate invoices online. Instead, you can use a professional invoice format in Excel available on various websites to get started.

This guide explains how to make bills in Excel using Mac, or how to use invoice template focusing specifically on customization options and adding product lines.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to How to create an invoice in Excel on Mac (using an Excel template):

1. Get A Template

Download Excel invoice templates from trusted sources like Office.com, Vertex42, or InvoiceTemplate.com. Ensure that the template is compatible with macOS and supports the latest version of Excel.

2. Load the Template in Mac Excel

Open Excel on your Mac and double-click the downloaded template file (.xlsx extension). The spreadsheet will now launch with the invoice form displayed. If the form doesn’t appear automatically, go to View > Master Document to access the invoice layout.

3. Customize The Invoice According To Your Needs

Change the heading on the invoice to reflect the new firm name, address, and contact details. Altering the text’s typeface, color scheme, and orientation to represent your company better is also recommended.

If you want to change some text’s font, size, or format, click on the Home tab in the ribbon bar.

Make sure the billing information in the next part should be accurate and the due date shall be also mentioned in the invoice.

4. Fill In The Bill-To And Ship-To Details

Confirm the accuracy of customers’ personal information, such as name, physical and billing addresses, phone numbers, and emails. Any discrepancies found during verification must be rectified immediately. Remember to include the correct contact information to ensure clarity and speed.

5. Add Products or Services

What details should I include under the ‘Product Name’ column? Ensure that the product names listed accurately reflect the items being supplied. Be specific about variations or models to avoid confusion later. Use clear, concise language to describe the products.

6. Format The Table or Grid

Using a conditional format, coloring, or borders, you can make the item listing more appealing and easier to read by using a conditional format, coloring, or borders. You can adjust the distance between rows and columns and combine cells according to your needs.

7. Calculate Totals And Apply Discounts

Add up the totals for each item (materials, time, mileage, etc.) and any taxes that could be due. You may use Excel’s in-built functions or mathematical operators to do this. When in doubt, open the sample invoice in Excel.

a. Subtotal

Determine the sum of all items excluding taxes and discounts. You can do this manually by entering the formula `=SUM(D6:F6)` in cell G6 (assuming your item listing starts in cells D6 to F6).

b. Tax

Compute the tax amount based on your region’s regulations or agreed-upon rate. For simplicity, assume a flat 8% tax. In cell H6, input `=G6*0.08`. You can then copy this formula across rows to calculate taxes for other items.

c. Total

Combine both the subtotal and tax values to obtain the total. In cell I6, use the formula `=H6+G6`. Again, copy this formula downwards for subsequent rows.

d. Discount

Offer a reduction in the total amount based on negotiations or promotions. Let’s say you give a 5% discount on the subtotal before tax. In cell J6, use the formula `=MAX(G6-(G6*(J6/100)),0)`.

This ensures the discount is at most 5%. Copy this formula across rows for other items, but remember to adjust the percentage value accordingly.

8. Generate The Final Invoice

With all relevant details filled in, organize the content of your invoice. Ensure the headlines and section breaks stand out and the spacing is exactly right. You might also include additional notes, payment terms, or payment methods.

9. Preview And Export The Invoice

Review your work carefully, checking for typos, incorrect numbers, or missing details.

Finally, consider printing, saving, or sharing the invoice digitally, depending on your client’s preferences. Some useful file formats for distribution are PDF and Word (.docx).

You can create an invoice template in Microsoft Excel on your Mac by following these steps. Although it may take some time initially to customize everything, future invoices will only require minor updates.

Keep track of changes to your template and backup copies regularly to avoid losing important data due to unexpected errors or software crashes.

How to Create an Invoice in Excel from Moon Invoice?

To create an invoice in Microsoft Excel using Moon Invoice (an online invoice maker), follow these steps:

Step 1: Open a new or existing Excel workbook. Ensure that Column A is blank, as we will import data from Moon Invoice later (Yes, do the billing in Excel sheet).

Step 2: Add headers to your spreadsheet. Start with the date at the top left corner, followed by “Invoice Number,” “Client Name,” “Description,” “Quantity,” “Rate,” and “Total.” Adjust font size, style, and alignment as per your preference.

Step 3: Import data from Moon Invoice. Sign in to your account on mooninvoice.com and navigate to the “Invoices” tab. Select the invoice you wish to generate an Excel file for. Click on the three vertical dots beside the invoice number and choose “Export to CSV.”

Step 4: Load the imported data into your Excel sheet. Return to your Excel workbook and click Data > From Text/CSV. Browse to the location where you saved the Moon Invoice CSV file and ensure the format matches your spreadsheet (i.e., starting from row 2). Click OK to load the data into Excel.

Step 5: Remove excess columns. Depending on your Moon Invoice settings, extra columns might contain unnecessary information. Right-click any column header and choose “Delete” or “Hide” to remove unwanted columns. Ensure your spreadsheet now has the same structure as your initial headers.

Step 6: Update invoice details. Verify that the imported data corresponds to your original spreadsheet. Edit any discrepancies manually or through the Formula Bar.

Step 7: Summarize totals and add logos or images. After calculating subtotals and tax, insert a row below the last item. Use the SUM formula to gather all relevant amounts, e.g., `=SUM(F2:G2)`. Align the text, bold fonts, or apply different background colors to distinguish this row. If desired, upload company logos or product pictures by right-clicking a cell and selecting “Insert Image.”

Step 8: Customize the layout. Adjust formatting, borders, and font sizes throughout the invoice. Consider adding page Breaks (`Page Layout > Breaks`) before and after the invoice table to prevent accidental edits when printing or emailing. You can also adjust column widths to better display longer descriptions or quantities.

Step 9: Insert your business information. Add your company logo, address, phone number, email, and website URL to the top portion of the invoice. This personalizes the document and makes it easier for clients to reach you for support or feedback. Center align these details, and use bullet points or horizontal lines to separate sections visually.

Step 10: Apply for discounts or credits. Modify prices or apply promotional codes to specific items or the invoice when appropriate. Utilize conditional formatting to highlight discounted rows or particular shade areas to emphasize price reductions. You can create separate formulas to compute partial refunds or offer early bird discounts based on dates.

Step 11: Export your finished invoice. Choose File > Save As and rename your spreadsheet with a descriptive title. Pick a suitable file type (e.g., .xlsx) and enable macros and password protection if required.

Remember to keep backups of your templates and adjust formatting to maintain consistent branding across multiple clients or projects. Regularly upgrading your invoice templates ensures they stay current and connected with your developing company’s demands.

Additionally, having backup copies helps protect against unforeseen circumstances such as hardware failures or cyber-attacks. Store your templates locally or within encrypted cloud storage solutions, so you can access them whenever needed.

Download Free Excel Invoice Templates for Business

Many downloads premade Excel invoice templates from various sources online to create professionally designed invoices without starting from scratch. One popular provider is Moon Invoice, which provides a diverse range of free invoice templates accessible in several file types, including Excel, Word, and PDF.

These templates cater to various industries and businesses, making finding one that fits your requirements simple.

Automate Invoice Management with Moon Invoice

So, that is it from my end regarding How to create an invoice in Excel. To generate invoices online using Microsoft Excel and professional invoice format in Excel is a popular method among businesses globally. Not only does Excel possess various features, but it also offers numerous advantages when creating invoices for your organization.

Whether you prefer utilizing preexisting invoice templates or developing customized Excel ones, this platform provides exceptional versatility in managing your invoicing process.

However, if you seek robust invoice templates to enhance your billing procedures and accelerate payment processing, consider exploring Moon Invoice’s comprehensive collection as an online invoice maker.

Our assortment of invoice templates caters to diverse industries and business needs, ensuring you find one tailored to suit your requirements perfectly. By adopting these efficient templates, you can focus on growing your venture rather than being bogged down by administrative tasks.

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