With this short guide you will learn how to make an invoice.
You will also understand, what you need to consider when making an invoice.
Table of contents
What is an invoice?
An invoice is a document that indicates the sale or purchase of a product or service.
- The seller can be an association, a company, or an individual who sells a product or service. The seller sends the invoice to the customer.
- The customer can be an association, a company, or an individual, who is the buyer and payer of the product or service. The customer pays the invoice.
For the invoice to be sent, it must be legally created according to the law.
Example of an invoice
Here is an example of an invoice
The sender of the invoice, i.e. the seller, is an association called Example ry.
The recipient of the invoice, i.e., the customer, is a company named Business Oy.
Ry means a registered association, i.e., an official association.
Oy tarkoittaa osakeyhtiötä, eli yritystä.
All the information in the example invoice is fictitious.
Always fill out the invoice carefully with the correct information.
INVOICE
Bill information
| Date (the day when the invoice is sent) | 01.01.2025 | Payment term (The agreed amount of time in which to pay the invoice, usually 7, 14 or 30 days) | 14 days net |
Bill number (according to the association's invoice numbering) | 12345 | Due date (the last day when the invoice should be paid, bill date+ payment term) | 14.01.2025 |
Reference number (the number that links the payment to the correct invoice) | 123456789 | ||
Sender's information
| Bill sender's name | Example ry | Business ID | 1234567-8 |
| Email | example@example.fi | Phone number | +358 12 345 6789 |
| Postal address | Example street 1, 00100 Helsinki | ||
| Bank account number (IBAN) | FI01 0101 0101 0101 01 | ||
Payer's information
| Payer's name | Business Oy |
| Payer's address | Business house, Business street 1, 00100 Helsinki |
| Payer's Business ID | 1234567-0 |
Reference Example ry / Workshop
Item(s) (product or service + additional details) | Quantity / Unit | Unit price EUR | VAT % | Total |
| Workshop 30.11.2024, in the Workshop room | 1 | 900,00 EUR | 25,50 | 1129,50 EUR |
| Total | 1129,50 EUR | |||
The price of the workshop was 900 EUR, to which VAT (25.50%) was added, making the total price 1129.50 EUR.
The company received the invoice on 01.01.2025, so the invoice must be paid to "Example ry" by 14.01.2025 at the latest.
What information should you write on an invoice?
| English term | Information | Finnish translation |
|---|---|---|
| Date | The day when the invoice is sent | Päiväys |
| Payment term | The agreed amount of time in which to pay the invoice, it is usually 7, 14 or 30 days | Maksuehto |
| Due date | The due date is calculated by adding the number of days agreed in the payment term to the date the invoice is sent (bill date + payment term) | Eräpäivä |
| Bill number | Invoice numbers are optional. Documenting the number of invoices you have sent per year can help make financial management easier | Laskunumero |
| Reference number | Reference numbers are between 4 - 20 numbers long. They make it easier to connect a received payment to an invoice. Reference numbers are generated automatically by invoicing services or you can create a reference number by using a reference calculator (in Finnish: viitenumerolaskuri). When paying an invoice with a reference number, you include the reference in the bank transaction. Reference numbers are optional | Viitenumero |
| Sender's information | The person or organisation sending the invoice will provide their name and contact information, business ID (in Finnish: Y-tunnus) and the bank account number to which the amount should be paid | Sender’s information |
| Payer's information | The name, address and business ID of the person or organisation paying the amount will be mentioned on the invoice for reference | Payer’s information |
| Item(s) | A list of items or services provided should be documented on the invoice. This information should include the name of the item or service, cost per item and number of items. Whether VAT is added to the cost should be noted here and the total cost should be calculated. | Nimike |
The association materials in plain language have been produced by Moniheli and Selkokulttuuri ry.
