Plumber Invoice Template For Use In Australia

The way you write each invoice for your plumbing business is important for a number of reasons. A well-structured invoice reflects positively on your business, helps you comply with government regulations, and might even help you get paid faster.

 

How can an invoice template make my business look professional?

Imagine this customer experience. You do an excellent job, you double check your work, you clean up after yourself, and you leave. Then sometime later your customer receives a poorly designed and somewhat grubby handwritten invoice. 

 

What does that say about your workmanship? 

 

A job isn't complete until you've been paid, so it's well worth making sure the whole end-to-end experience is a good one – and that includes providing professional-looking paperwork, from quotes to invoices. These items should be clear and easy to understand, making them more attractive to respond to. And remember, when it comes to invoicing, a fast response means faster payment and that delivers improved cash flow.

 

So, if you’re looking around for an invoice template for your plumbing business, make sure it’s well-structured and leaves a good impression.

Are there specific requirements for a tax invoice template?

Yes, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) specifies that the following must feature on your sole trader, partnership or other small business invoices – if you are registered for and are charging GST:

 

• The words ‘Tax invoice' in a heading at the top
• Your business name and/or your trading name 
• Information about the goods and services provided, including quantities 
• Your Australian business number (ABN)
• The date the invoice is issued
• The GST amount(s) either for each line item or as a whole.

 

If your invoice is for a total of less than $1,000 and everything is subject to 10% GST, you can feature the tax as a single amount using a phrase such as ‘Total price includes GST'.

 

If the invoice is for more than $1,000, you should feature the GST amount beside each item. If you're not charging GST, just use the heading ‘Invoice' and a phrase such as ‘GST has not been charged'.

 

For most businesses, you’re obliged to register for GST once your turnover reaches $75,000 in the previous 12 months. Find out about this and other matters – such as business registrations – in our  Business basics for sole traders article.

Where can I get an invoice template for my plumbing business?

A quick online search will reveal plenty of downloadable options in standard formats such as Word and Excel. Just make sure you’re using an invoice template that's designed for a business in Australia.

 

If you use accounting software such as MYOB or Xero, you may be able to use one of their invoice templates, as long as it’s appropriate to your plumbing trade.

How can a plumbing invoice help get me paid faster?

The way you write invoices for your plumbing company and what you include in them may help encourage prompt payments. Here are 5 tips: 

 

1. Feature the name of the person most likely to approve payment
2. Send the invoice to that person
3. Ask the recipient to call you with any queries, and provide both your mobile number and your email address plus an appropriate message
4. Clearly state the date that payment is due
5. Make it simple for your customer to pay you and consider offering a choice payment methods, which we cover in the next section.

What payment methods could I offer?

Customers like choice, so helping them pay you the way they want to may speed up payments. Options you could feature on your plumbing invoices include:

 

• Paying you in person by debit or credit card via the Westpac EFTPOS Air mobile app, which you can have on your compatible¹ smartphone or tablet. You can also use the app to generate and send invoices
• Bank-to-bank transfer (listing your bank account BSB and account number on your invoices)
• Bank-to-bank transfer using PayID® (featuring just the ABN or mobile number you've registered for the service – so you don't have to share your bank account details)
• Paying by post with a cheque.

 

Or paying you with cash of course, which you can also track through the EFTPOS Air app.