What supporting documents are required for the payment of invoices?

You can fit a lot of information into a quote or invoice but sometimes a client needs more details. When there’s simply not enough space to provide a ‘bigger picture’ then an invoice attachment might be the answer.

Instead of cramming every last detail into an invoice, you can provide more information in another document. You can then attach this document to a quote or invoice before sending it to your client.

For freelancers especially, the ability to attach documents to quotes and invoices, whether deposits or final payment requests, allows for a faster and simpler way to share important information all in one go.

This not only benefits the freelancer but also the client, and in turn increases trust levels and cultivates positive professional perceptions.

So what are some of the documents you can attach to a quote or invoice? Here are just 9 of many examples we can think of.

1. Proposal

A proposal is a document explaining a proposed plan of action for a project. It gives an overview of what’s required and details the ways the freelancer or agency can meet the requirements a client has set.

While a version of the proposal might have already been viewed and agreed by the client, an updated copy can be included as an attachment in a quote or upfront payment deposit invoice.

1. Contract

Contacts can also be attached to a quote or an invoice, whether unsigned or already signed. This provides you and your client with an effective way to keep all related documents connected to one another for easier and faster access.

The unsigned contract can also be modified according to any changes made to a quote, and vice-versa.

1. Terms and Conditions

Whether a contract has been signed or not, it’s always sensible to ensure your freelance business terms and conditions are read by your client. A quote, deposit or final invoice is a good place to attach a terms and conditions document for the client to refer to in case they have any doubts or queries.

1. Schedules

One of the things clients often worry about are schedules and how long a project will take. You might have arranged a schedule already but sometimes a client will forget or want a more detailed breakdown of how long it will take you to finish certain stages.

Attaching a detailed schedule to a quote or deposit invoice will allay their worries. You can also add a proposed schedule for the next stage of a project to a final invoice.

1. Timesheet

How long have you been working on the project? Are you billing by the hour? If so, adding a timesheet to your invoice provides an accurate and thorough breakdown of the hours you’ve spent working on a client’s project.

Timesheets can help clients assess results in relation to input as well as how many billable hours they’d like to add or subtract to an ongoing project.

1. Delivery Details

Most client projects involve projects or items being delivered to the client. Whether physical products or digital files, a delivery details document can provide all the information the client needs to know in regards to safely receiving the completed work.

The delivery details can be attached to both quotes and invoices, especially when there might be an unusual or complicated delivery requirement.

1. Project Files

Invoice attachments can include completed project files. If you’re working on a small project with just a single file of work, the document can be attached and sent together with the invoice. This allows the client to quickly check the work and then pay you faster, all by opening just one email.

1. Translations

Are you working with overseas companies? Some businesses might require a translated version of your quote or invoice. If applicable or possible, you can write a separate foreign language version of the quote or invoice and add the document as an attachment.

1. Photos or Diagrams

For some types of projects, a client might find photos and diagrams beneficial when deciding on a quote or judging progress in relation to staggered invoices. Plain or annotated photos and diagrams can be attached to a quote or invoice allowing the client to get a better idea of a proposed project or with instructions on what to do next once a file has been delivered.

Types of File Formats You Can Attach

With Invoice Ninja, you can attach files in any format. These include Microsoft Word files, OpenOffice files, PDFs, PowerPoint, Excel, image files (incl. JPEG and PNG), audio and video files, programming files, Zip files, database files, and more.

As long as the files don’t exceed the maximum size guideline of up to 10 MB, they can be sent as quote or invoice attachments.

How to Attach a Document to an Invoice

Attaching a file to an Invoice Ninja quote or invoice is very easy. It’s simply a matter of uploading the relevant file to a Documents tab and then pressing send when the invoice is ready. It’s as simple as it is to upload a document to a standard email. Your client will then clearly see the attachment (or attachments) when they receive your invoice.

Have you been looking for a way to include more information with every invoice or quote you send? If so, try out our invoice attachment feature together with a huge variety of other advanced invoicing software benefits we provide at Invoice Ninja.

All our tools are designed to make your life as a freelancer and small business owner easier.

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