If you are a business owner, preparing invoices for customers who owe you money is a task you must learn how to do. An invoice is a document with your business name that states the customer’s name and amount due. Businesses prepare invoices in several ways. If your business has an accounting program used to track transactions, you can print invoices directly from that. If you do not have a program capable of doing this, you can easily create invoices with a word processing program.

Open a blank document. Using a word processing program, open a blank page, name it and save the file.

Use letterhead if you have it. If not, insert your company name, address, phone number and email address at the top of the document. Letterhead works the best because it normally also has your company logo on it. If your logo is available on your computer, insert it onto the invoice.

Date and label the invoice. Title the page by typing “Invoice” at the top of the document below your company information. This informs the customer that this is a bill he must pay. Place the invoice date at upper right corner of the page as well. Include a unique number also at the top, called an invoice number. When the customer pays the bill or calls with a question, this is the reference number she will use.

Include the customer’s name. Place the customer’s information including name, address and phone number below the invoice number and date.

Write in the details of the bill. Itemize the goods or services sold to the customer along with the costs and quantities.

Place a total at the bottom. Add up all charges and at the bottom of the invoice write “Total” next to the total amount due.

Include the payment terms. Businesses must include payment terms on invoices to let the customer know when the bill is due. Common payment terms are n/30. This means that the total bill is due within 30 days of the invoice date.

Print and mail the invoice. Print two copies of the document. Mail one to the customer and keep the other one for your records. Save the invoice on the computer as well.