How To Send An Invoice Via Email: A Comprehensive Guide

So far, we’ve learned how to calculate billable hours and how to define billable rates. Before that, we had also dived into the world of invoicing and explored everything you need to know about how to write an invoice for your freelance work. To complete the holy invoicing trinity, we will now show you how to send an invoice via email. We know it sounds simple, but there is much to be done before your invoice email reaches your client’s inbox.

To the “invoice by mail” advocates:

Sending an invoice by post is not practical anymore. Paper does not have the same power as it used to. It can be lost, stained, and falsified. This guide is a chance to learn how to send an invoice via email. Give it a try and see if it works for your business needs. But first things first, let’s define what an invoice email is.

What is an invoice email?

An invoice email is a digital way of sending invoices to your clients to ensure you get paid on time and without complications. Your invoice email should be informative, concise, and short. Therefore, it would be best if you had a well-thought plan on how to write an invoice email like a pro. The advice that follows can limit the number of outstanding payments that haunt you professionally.

How to send an invoice via email step by step

Now that you know what an invoice email is, let’s see how you can actually write one from start to finish. Are you taking notes?

Pay attention to your subject line

The subject line is the first and most important thing your client will see. If you make it efficient and to the point, then the chances that your invoice will be paid on time increase. The email subject for your invoices has to include the invoice number, project name, and company name. This will also help you file your invoices if you don’t have an invoicing and billing platform.

Choose the right recipient(s)

When writing an invoice email, be sure to send it to the right people, which means including all the appropriate recipients. For example, if you’re sending an invoice email to a corporation, then you should cc the respective department, the person that assigned you the project, and the accounting department.

Always attach your invoice

Never forget to include the invoice in your email! If you have created it in Word, you should turn it into a PDF. Then, attach it and name it with the respective invoice number and your business name. This way, when the client downloads it, it will still be clear who the sender of the invoice was.

Work on your email body

Sending an invoice email without a text to accompany it is a job half done. Ιt is ill-mannered and unprofessional. That text though, should not be something long and pompous. An invoice email needs to be informative and straightforward. You should let your client know about the issued invoice and ask them politely to honor their end of the deal while thanking them for the collaboration.

An invoice email template

The following invoice email template is just a suggestion on how to write an invoice email. You can always add your twist and extra information you want to include in your invoice email. You could always insert an email template like this in your invoicing software, but we’ll see this in more detail later on.

Hi (name of the company owner/contact person),

I hope this email finds you well. I am contacting you to inform you about invoice #20/0001 in regards to the project we’ve finished for you.

Please find attached the invoice for your payment. The amount to be paid is _____ and it’s due by ______ (full date).

You can carry out the payment by clicking the link here or choose any of the other ways of payment we’ve provided. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.

It was a pleasure doing business with you.

(Your name/ company name/ email address/ phone number)

More invoice-related emails to keep in mind

Apart from the primary email, you may also need to send some additional emails to achieve your goal and get paid.

The first one is the payment reminder email, which is sent before the due period is over. Sending a reminder can save you from the pain of having outstanding invoices. Following that is the past due invoice email, which you must send when your client has not settled their debts within the limits you’ve set.

To learn how to send these types of emails, read our article, how to politely ask for payment with email samples. There, you can find multiple invoice email templates for every stage of the payment process.

On a happier note, there is also a third kind of email, the “Thank you, dear client, for paying your invoice” email. Typically, you send that when the amount due has been paid on time. It’s an email to express your gratitude for your client’s professionalism and punctuality.

Do you feel like automating your workflow?

If the answer is yes, read on.

Let’s explore why using invoicing and billing software to send your invoice emails is better than doing it by post or by a simple email. Generally, invoicing and billing software streamlines your processes, and invoice emails are no exceptions. Plus, by using one, you learn how to send an invoice email in the right way before automating it.

In your invoicing software, you will find various invoicing templates to choose from, with most of the information auto-filled. You also have an invoice email template that can be customized by you. After that, your email template text will be sent to your clients with a few clicks.

Invoicing platforms give you the option to have a full agenda with all your clients and their email addresses. If you have registered just one email address for a business, then the system can autofill that address. Thus, saving you the trouble of searching when sending an invoice email.

The greatest reward that invoicing software gives you is the option to send a secure link for fast payment to your clients. Then, they will be able to choose the payment gateway of their choice (credit card, Paypal, Stripe, etc.). When a payment is due, outstanding, or paid, you will get automatic reminders. Bonus software featurette, you also get notifications when your clients open your invoices/estimates, and every time they make any changes to their information via the client portal, the intercommunication zone between you and your clients.

Elorus, as an invoicing and time-tracking platform, has a free plan always available for professionals that want to strengthen their business and streamline their working processes. Sign up for free and check out Elorus’s features, firsthand.