Hey guys, my client is asking for an involce.. what to do?

[5W0L3]

I usually do paid gigs for parties etc. and no one has asked me of a receipt yet.. but a couple is enquiring me to do an engagement party shoot for them and are asking me if I can give them an invoice..

What should I tell them? Can a contract typed on A4 paper which is signed off by both parties regarding the details of the event and the money charged be considered as an "invoice"?

My location is Australia.

[siddr20]

Have an invoice and contract separate.

In the invoice write 'TAX INVOICE #...' somewhere. Just do a basic one, with client details, your bank account details, price/payment plan..

Contract - Have all your terms and conditions in here.

Very important to have a contract made up, even if you just photographing parties no matter how small or big. If you getting paid then protect yourself!!

[5W0L3]

Originally Posted by siddr20

Have an invoice and contract separate.

In the invoice write 'TAX INVOICE #...' somewhere. Just do a basic one, with client details, your bank account details, price/payment plan..

Contract - Have all your terms and conditions in here.

Very important to have a contract made up, even if you just photographing parties no matter how small or big. If you getting paid then protect yourself!!

Hey thanks for the prompt reply.. what kind of details do you guys include in the contract/ invoice?

[Christopher Steven b]

Look up ASMP and find their sample invoice there (at least the last time I checked it was there). I found it extremely helpful in putting mine together.

How have you been running a business without giving out some kind of receipt ?

[amirg]

A wedding or event photography contract should include all the information regarding the wedding ceremony/reception locations and schedules, client's name and contact information, the inclusions (photography, DVD, album, etc.), deposit/retainer and payment schedule, cancellation clause and liability limit among other things. Just do a search and you will find plenty of samples.

[scorpio_e]

You can even download a sample invoice from Microsoft and edit to your needs. Usually companies are looking for an invoice so they can deduct it as a business expense.

I have all of the terms and conditions in my contract. We both sign off on the contract.

[Todd Lambert]

Looks like it's time to get serious and get your ducks in a row.

You should want to provide an invoice for CYA issues and for tax purposes.

[TheBrick3]

They're probably just asking an invoice because their organization requires it to process payment so they have somesort of backup that tells them the employee isn't pocketing the money.

As mentioned, Microsoft Office has an invoice template. They're are generally no formal requirements for an invoice. I know a graphic designer who will just send an e-mail with the subject line INVOICE and body text of something like:

Client: Joe Blow
Invoice #: 5678

Logo design: $400

Total: $400

[PeaceFire]

I invoice through PayPal. Even if they pay using other methods they can still keep the PayPal invoice for their records. However note that many do not like PayPal for various reasons so be careful if you go that route!

[davisphotos]

You should have a contract that covers payment details anyway, so look at this as a good chance to get your financial and legal house in order. PPA & ASMP offer free contracts to members, and some commercial sites also sell sample contracts.

[5W0L3]

For now I downloaded a template from microsoft website and sent my client a receipt by editing that template for my business.

Just wondering if anyone has used BILLINGS software on mac?.. everyone I know is recommending it, just wondering if its worth the $40 cost.

[banquetbear]

http://www.ato.gov.au/content/downlo...0913n12358.pdf

WHAT IS A VALID TAX INVOICE?
A valid tax invoice is a document that meets all of the following
requirements:
n it is issued by the supplier, unless it is an RCTI (in which case
it is issued by the recipient)
n it contains enough information to enable the following to be
clearly identified
– the supplier’s identity and ABN
– a brief description of what is sold, including the quantity
(if applicable) and the price of what is sold
– the extent to which each sale is a taxable sale – this can
be shown separately or, if the GST to be paid is exactly
one-eleventh of the total price, as a statement such as
‘total price includes GST’
– the date the document is issued
– the amount of GST (if any) payable for each sale
– if the document was issued by the recipient and GST
is payable for any sale – that the GST is payable by
the supplier
– that the document was intended to be a tax invoice or
an RCTI if it was issued by the recipient.

...I would recommend speaking to an expert on Australian tax laws before proceeding any further: and I wouldn't rely on using templates unless you understand what you are doing. Also stop using Tax Invoice and Receipt interchangeably: they are different things.

[tim]

Doesn't have to be super fancy. Your business name (often on letterhead), their name, date, lines/table of description of services with price, total, how much tax is included, payment instructions and payment terms. I may have missed something. Google for a template.

[MichaelAnthonyPhotography]

Studio Cloud is free and provides crm solutions as well as billing and invoicing