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A Breakdown of Invoice Payment Terms

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Why are invoice payment terms important? An invoice serves as an invaluable billing tool for any business. If you want to get paid for your products or services, you'll need to ensure you're invoices include several crucial details, including specific payment terms.

Here, we describe what invoice payment terms are and how they serve to improve your business and your bottom line.

What Are Invoice Payment Terms?

Simply put, invoice payment terms state the terms of the invoice. The conditions of transactions are not the same for every business. Even if they were, they need to be accurately recorded for your client to reference.

An invoice is never totally void of helpful information besides the amount due and the due date. When a client receives it, they will see some details that include the following:

  • Business details (Name, address, contact information)
  • Details of the client or customer (Name, address, contact information, account number)
  • Details of the product or service, including taxes and any discounts
  • Invoice number
  • Acceptable payment methods
  • Terms of sale (date of service, cost, quantity, any credits)
  • Late payment penalties
  • Warranty terms, if applicable
  • Return or replacement policy, if applicable
  • Shipping costs, if applicable
  • Payment terms of conditions

What Are Common or Standard Invoice Payment Conditions?

There are several payment conditions that businesses choose. They have abbreviations, such as:

  • PIA: Payment in Advance
  • COD: Cash on Delivery or Payable on Receipt
  • Net 7, Net 10, Net 30: Advance payment with an offering of credit that states the number of days when payment is due after the date of the invoice or sales bill

The Benefits of Using Payment Terms in Every Invoice

There are very tangible benefits of using payment terms in every invoice. For you, that means better business from having a stronger business-client relationship.

Those benefits are:

 • Simple, polite language

 • A clear understanding of payment terms and conditions

 • An explanation of governing laws in case of disputes in transactions

 • Smooth operations

 • Consequences in case of non-compliance

Small businesses will benefit from invoice payment terms the most. Unlike larger companies, they rely on a consistent cash flow to keep operations running.

Invoice Due Date

The invoice due date differs from the invoice date, which tells the client or customer when the invoice was issued. Instead, it is the final piece of information for invoice payment terms. It tells the client or customer the date the business expects to get the payment from them. 

Because it can be hard to calculate the invoice due date, it is helpful to state it outright. That way, there's no confusion, and the client or customer will know the due date as soon as they read the invoice. 

The invoice due date is the latest date acceptable for payment without any penalties. If the client or customer makes regularly scheduled payments, there's a payment grace period, starting from the last billing cycle date to the invoice due date. 

How to Improve Your Invoice Payment Terms

You've heard the saying, "If it's not broke, don't fix it." Still, there's no harm in improving something that could be better, especially concerning billing and payments. Doing so makes those processes seamless for both you and your clients.

If you've been wondering how to improve your invoice payment terms, here are some ways you can do precisely that:

  • Create clear payment terms. If you have already, see if you can make them even simpler to understand. Using a well-balanced tone and informal language is a great way to make clients feel comfortable and get the point across.
  • Design invoices well and customize them for every client.
  • Include complete and relevant information. 
  • Send invoices to your clients as soon as possible. Consistency translates to professionalism and faster payments.
  • Follow up with reminders about the invoice. Doing so will encourage clients to avoid late payments and other penalties.
  • Use digital tools. Online payments are convenient and fast, and clients will appreciate having easy access to their bills.

The Best Way to Create and Send Invoices

Invoice payment terms are crucial for all parties in a business transaction. Now that you've taken the time to educate yourself on the subject, you're ready to take your invoice process to the next level.

How, you might ask? By automating your invoicing process. If you have recurring invoices for clients, it's too time-consuming to manually create invoices from scratch and check clients' payment statuses. You can save time and money with automated invoicing, and if you integrate it with your accounting system, you can also automate your financial transactions. 

The Invoicer.ai - Invoice Generator is an easy-to-use, affordable, and robust online invoicing tool that will ensure you create and send professional invoices fast, keep invoices and clients organized, and get paid on time. 

Don't just take our word for it!

Get UNLIMITED access to Invoicer 100% FREE for 14-days and see how automation will benefit you and your business.                                                                                   

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