What does a deposit invoice look like?

Business
1

I’m about to give my first deposit invoice for a project, but I don’t know what its meant to look like, nor what the final invoice would look like.

Is it meant to be like this?

Invoice

  1. {{Description}} {{Price}}
  2. {{Description}} {{Price}}
  3. {{Description}} {{Price}}
    {{Subtotal}}
    {{Total}}

{{DEPOSIT DUE}} <—where does this go?

Also, is the final invoice like this?

Invoice

  1. {{Description}} {{Price}}
  2. {{Description}} {{Price}}
  3. {{Description}} {{Price}}
    Less Deposit (-) {{Deposit}}
    Subtotal: {{Subtotal}}
    Total: {{Total}}

Do you word the first invoice “deposit invoice”, if so - what do you label the last invoice?

2

I don’t call my invoices “Deposit Invoice” and “Final Invoice” or anything like that.

If I’m requiring a 50% deposit, I just note “50% Deposit” in the item description. Then I put a quantity of .5 and use the full price as the unit price.

So, for example, it’s something like this…

Invoice

  1. {{Description (with text describing 50% Deposit) }} {{QTY (.5) }} {{Unit Price (100% of bid price) }} {{Price (50% of bid price) }}

  2. {{Description (with text describing 50% Deposit) }} {{QTY (.5) }} {{Unit Price (100% of bid price) }} {{Price (50% of bid price) }}

  3. {{Description (with text describing 50% Deposit) }} {{QTY (.5) }} {{Unit Price (100% of bid price) }} {{Price (50% of bid price) }}

{{Subtotal}}

{{Total}}

As I said, that’s how I do it. There are numerous other ways though. I have some vendors that write their invoices up a little differently.

3

Intial Deposit Invoice

To: Joe Bloggs

For services to the bloggs.com website:

Item 1: £3000
Item 2: £500

Total: £3500
50% Deposit Due: £1750

Total Now Due: £1750

Balancing Invoice:

To: Joe Bloggs

For services to the bloggs.com website:

Item 1: £3000
Item 2: £500
Work carred out beyond original spec: £1000

Total: £4500
Deposit Paid, thank you: £1750

Total Now Due: £2750

4

I make up seperate invoices for each milestone.

Ie: if the total amount is $100 and I require 20%, I’ll send an invoice for $20 that says “Project - 20% Deposit” in the description.

I’ve had clients take their time between milestones so it’s almost like “little projects”. Easier for me to monitor cashflow that way.

-Costas

5

Thanks Shadowbox, that’s exactly what I was after!

Thanks a lot!