How to write invoice emails (5 templates & samples)

Invoices are what make the business world go round. You do the job, send the invoice, and get paid straight away, right? That's the theory – but it doesn't always work that way. You can't always rely on people to pay up, but solid gold invoice emails can play a powerful part in getting you paid!

So, how to write an invoice email? We're going to show you. In this guide, we give you 5 invoice email templates for common situations:

• First invoice email to new customer
• Reminder invoice email
• Short email invoice
• Formal invoice email
• Detailed invoice email

If you're in a rush, you can copy and paste these invoice email examples, but we outline the invoice email format and work together to build a template. We can't guarantee you'll get the money you're owed, but you stand the best chance using our invoice emails.

Show us the money!

What are invoice emails?

Invoice emails are messages that get you money. It's that simple. When you've delivered a service, provided a product, or completed a project, an invoice will get you paid.

Invoice emails aren't invoices. But that doesn't mean that you can ignore essential information.

In fact, many invoice emails fail to get people to act because they don't include three pieces of critical information.

1. What the invoice covers
2. How much is owed
3. Payment deadline

Ensuring you include each of these three things in your invoice emails will help you get paid.

You'll also need to ensure they're structured properly, professional, and get to the point.

Here are 5 invoice email samples so you can see how to achieve this.

5 invoice email samples

You'd think there would only be one invoice sample, but you're wrong. In fact, there are several types of invoice emails you might need to send covering a range of situations. We're going to cover a first email to a new supplier, an invoice reminder, and an in-depth invoice.

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Read also: How to write a friendly & gentle reminder email (5 templates)

Short email invoice

Why send a short invoice? If you know the client well or are asking for a regular payment, you can just fill in the gaps here and push send. Your familiarity means you can be friendly and forego some of the formalities.

Dear [Recipient's Name],

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to provide you with the invoice for our recent services.

Please find attached the invoice for the total amount due. Kindly let me know if you have any queries or require any further assistance with this matter.

Thank you for your attention and your prompt payment.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

How to write invoice emails – expert guide

Invoice emails are basically demands for payment, but you want to play it differently.

Instead of simply sending an invoice as an attachment, you'll want to introduce it positively, pay them a compliment, and state clearly the payment details and any terms and conditions.

Why bother with all this effort? In business, relationships matter, and you should make every effort to build them. Also, a positive and friendly invoice email is more likely to be dealt with quickly than a rude request.

The bottom line is, sending friendly and details invoice request emails will get you paid faster

and make you friends.

So where do you start? We have split the invoice email into 3 parts:

1. Invoice email subject line
2. Body copy
3. Sign-off/next steps

Every email starts with a great subject line – and so do we in this expert guide.

Invoice email subject line

Nobody expects your invoice subject lines to be witty, funny, or friendly. What they do expect is details and dates, but not a "demand for payment".

You'll want to explain this is an invoice, so it can be rapidly filed or forwarded to the right person. You can add your company name, invoice number, and payment date.

Here are some sample invoice email subject lines to review:

• Invoice – (Company name) – (Date)
• Invoice (Number) – (Company name) – (Date)
• Please find our latest invoice
• Latest invoice – (Company name)
• Invoice reminder – Please can you make your payment
• (Company Name) – Invoice (Number) –
• Invoice for order #(insert number)
• (Order number) – Invoice – Date

One positive thing to note is that once you've established a style for your invoices, you don't need to change them again. You can (and should) re-use the same one over and over again.

Result!

Invoice email body copy

Your invoice has been opened, which is a great start. Next, we need to set out what the invoice covers, payment terms, dates, and amounts. But first, begin with a personalized greeting using a first name.

"Hi (person's name),"

Invoice emails follow a standard structure, which makes them easy to write. We're going to work through it below as we build our template, but here's a 4-step process to writing emails that will get you paid:

1. Introduce yourself (and say hello!)
2. Explain this is an invoice
3. Provide details (list services or products and their prices)
4. Set out standard terms

Ready to get building your invoice emails?

• Introduce yourself (and say hello!)

"My name is (your name), and I'm contacting you from (company name). It's been our pleasure to work with you!"

Learn about: How to introduce yourself in an email?

• Explain this is an invoice

"Im contacting you with our invoice (attached) for our services/products. You can find details of everything in the invoice."

• Provide details (list services or products and their prices)

"To make it as easy as possible, I've also listed them below. (Insert list). The total amount due for payment is ($$$)."

• Set out standard terms

"Our standard payment terms are 28 days (or 7 days, or 60 days, or whatever you use!)."

This is turning into an excellent invoice email template. Now we need to round things off with our next steps and sign off.

Invoice email sign-off/next steps

You're almost ready to send your invoice email, but there are a few things left to include. Firstly, you'll want to ensure your email has been delivered – so ask for confirmation and ask them to check the details.

"Please can you confirm that you have received this invoice email? I would appreciate it if you could check all details and get back to me if there are any problems."

If you don't receive a reply in good time, consider a follow-up email (see our samples above on how to approach that!). Now, express gratitude and end the invoice email on a positive note.

"It has been great working with you, and all of us at (company name) hope to continue our positive relationship."

Perfect! Now let's finish by adding a sign-off, your name, signature, and contact details.

"Many thanks" is just fine.

You've just written your first invoice email...!

Let's get paid – dos and don't of invoice emails

What's the worst thing that can happen with an invoice email? That it's ignored. That means you're left worrying about whether it has been received and concerned you won't get paid.

Too many people make common mistakes when writing invoice emails. They assume that

Here are some dos and don'ts to ensure your invoice emails always get results!

• Do use the person's first name. Don't use an old-fashioned intro like "Dear Sir/madam". It's outdated and unnecessary.
• Do provide a warm welcome. Don't start it by demanding payment!
• Do try and be friendly. Don't come across as overly formal.
• Do list out everything. Don't just add an attachment.
• Do include the payment amount and payment date. Don't leave any details out.
• Do ask for confirmation the invoice email has been delivered. Don't assume anything.
• Do schedule a follow-up. Don't leave invoice reminders until the last minute.
• Do develop a format and use it consistently. Don't waste creating a new invoice email each time you have to send one.
• Do proofread and check every email. Don't trust yourself (or online editors).
• Do try HIX.AI Email generator, the powerful email-building tool that creates clear invoice emails in seconds. Don't try poor-quality alternatives that produce robotic text that's targeted at nobody.

Conclusion

Invoice emails are all about the money. Sure, you can state you want the money NOW – but the key to getting paid is to be polite and never pushy. The most effective invoice emails are warm, friendly, and include every detail. Yes, they can take a little longer to write, but the result is a better chance of being paid – and we think that's worth it.