Professional Invoice Generator

When a basic invoice isn't enough

A simple invoice — company, client, a few lines, one tax rate — covers a lot of freelance work. But real billing gets messier: you discount a loyal client, you operate in euros, your jurisdiction layers two taxes, the client demands a purchase-order number, and your accountant needs to see whether each invoice is a draft, sent, or paid. This professional generator is built for exactly those cases. It adds a branded logo, multiple named tax rates, both per-line and whole-order discounts, multi-currency formatting, status tracking, and a dedicated payment-details footer — all rendered into a live preview you can print to PDF. Everything happens in your browser; no invoice data is uploaded.

How the totals are layered

The order of operations matters when discounts and several taxes are involved, and this tool follows the convention accountants expect:

1. Each line amount is quantity × unit price × (1 − line discount%). The per-line discount lets you mark down a single item without touching the rest.
2. Subtotal is the sum of every line amount.
3. Order discount comes off the subtotal next, as either a percentage or a fixed amount, giving the discounted base.
4. Taxes apply to that discounted base — every tax rate is calculated on the after-discount figure, not the gross subtotal, which is what stops a customer being taxed on money they were never charged.
5. Grand total is the discounted base plus the sum of all taxes.

Because tax sits on top of the post-discount amount, the sequence is deliberate: discount first, then tax. Reversing it would overcharge.

A worked example with two taxes and a discount

Say you bill two line items: 10 hours of consulting at $120 (no line discount) for $1,200, and a $300 software setup with a 10% line discount, which becomes $270. The subtotal is $1,470. You apply a 5% order discount: 1470 × 0.05 = $73.50 off, leaving $1,396.50. Now two taxes apply to that base — a 5% GST ($69.83) and a 7% PST ($97.76). The grand total is 1396.50 + 69.83 + 97.76 = $1,564.09. The preview shows each tax on its own line with its name and rate, so the client sees precisely how the figure was built.

The features that make it "pro"

• Multiple named tax rates. Add up to three taxes, each with its own label and percentage — essential anywhere a sale carries combined federal and regional tax (GST/PST, state/county, or two VAT components) that must appear separately.
• Two levels of discount. A per-line discount marks down individual items; a separate order-level discount (percentage or fixed) reduces the whole bill. They stack in the right order automatically.
• Multi-currency. Switch the symbol among nine currencies — dollar, euro, pound, yen, won, rupee, and the Australian, Canadian, and Swiss variants — and every amount in the preview reformats instantly.
• Logo branding. Upload an image and it appears at the top of the invoice. The file is read locally as a data URL and embedded directly, so it never leaves your device.
• Status and PO number. A Draft / Sent / Paid badge tracks the invoice's lifecycle, and a dedicated PO Number field handles clients whose accounts-payable process requires one to release payment.
• Payment instructions footer. A separate footer block holds bank details — account, IBAN, SWIFT — or accepted payment methods, kept visually distinct from the general notes.
• Auto-incrementing numbers. The invoice number is remembered in your browser, and "New Invoice" bumps it automatically so you never accidentally reuse one.

Print and PDF without a server

The "Print / PDF" button opens your browser's own print dialog, where you can save to PDF. A print stylesheet hides every editing control and toolbar, leaving only the clean invoice preview on the page — so the PDF looks like a finished document, not a screenshot of a web form. Because the rendering is done by your browser, the saved file matches the on-screen preview exactly, and no third-party service ever sees your client's details.

Practical tips

• Name your taxes correctly. Generic "Tax" lines confuse clients in multi-tax regions. Label them precisely — "VAT 20%", "GST 5%", "PST 7%" — so the breakdown is self-explanatory and audit-friendly.
• Decide where a discount belongs. A one-off goodwill reduction on the whole job belongs in the order discount; a markdown on a specific product belongs on that line. Putting it in the right place keeps your records honest.
• Match the currency to the client, not yourself. Invoice in the currency the client pays in to avoid exchange disputes, and state it clearly since the symbol alone (e.g. $) is shared by several currencies.
• Use the status badge as a tracker. Mark an invoice Sent the moment it goes out and Paid when funds clear, then save a PDF of each state if you need a paper trail.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying tax before the discount. Done by hand, it's an easy slip that overcharges the client. This tool always discounts first, then taxes — trust the order it uses.
• Stacking a line discount and an order discount unintentionally. If you've already marked an item down per line, adding a big order discount on top can cut the price further than you meant. Check the subtotal in the preview before sending.
• Assuming the draft is saved everywhere. Only the invoice number persists between sessions; the form contents live in the open page. Save a PDF of anything you need to keep, because navigating away or starting a new invoice clears the fields.
• Leaving the payment footer blank. A common cause of late payment is a client not knowing how to pay. Fill in bank or payment details every time.