Creating a handwritten invoice is time-consuming, and making invoice templates on a computer does not work well for everybody. That’s why we built Spark Invoice Maker to help businesses and freelancers to generate invoices effortlessly. This guide will teach you how to create an invoice with Spark.
How Does Spark Invoice Work?
Spark Invoice Maker works by producing well-formatted, professional invoices. All you need to do is fill in the necessary fields, such as your business information and goods and services rendered, along with their prices. With just a click, Spark Invoice will then generate a PDF version of the invoice, which you can send via email directly from the app. You may also upload the PDF invoice to your preferred cloud storage provider to keep your own records.
Spark Invoice Maker makes invoicing quick and easy, so you don’t have to spend your precious time scrambling over Word or Spreadsheets. It takes care of the format, as well as the calculations. All you have to do is fill in the information, and then Spark will do the rest of the work
Setting Up Your Spark Invoice Maker
Set up your Spark Invoice Maker
When you first open the app, it will prompt you to add your business details. Add your business name, address, and contact information. This information will be saved automatically on Spark, so you don’t have to input the same details again when you create an invoice.
Then, select Next to proceed to the next step. Add your business logo. You can skip this step and add a logo later from Settings.
The next step is to modify some of the settings, including tax, estimate title, and date format.
- Tax Type
Specify whether your items’ prices are tax-inclusive or exclusive. If you choose the latter option, you need to input the standard percentage of tax. By default, the tax setting is set to tax inclusive. You can change this by heading to Settings > Tax Rate.
2. Estimate Title
Spark Invoice Maker is not just an invoice-generating app. It can also create estimates for interested clients. You may change it to Quotations or Quote, depending on what you prefer.
3. Date Format
We can’t stress enough how big a role date plays in invoices. The date you will put in your invoice is the day you generated the invoice. By adding the date, it’s easier to monitor payments from clients. More importantly, the date will help you determine if late payment fees are applicable
How to Create an Invoice
Now that you’re all set, it’s time to create your invoice. One quick search of How to Create an Invoice will direct you to millions of results, showing you how to create an invoice using Word and Spreadsheet. While both software does a great job of creating invoices, they’re not always feasible for everybody, particularly if you aren’t tech-savvy.
Spark Invoice Maker aims to help business owners create an invoice with so much ease. Here’s how to create an invoice with Spark:
Create an Invoice
From the app’s homepage, click the plus (+) button in the Invoice section. When clicked, it will bring you to the next page, a blank invoice with customizable fields.
This is how it looks:
- Invoice number and date
The invoice prefix is set to Invoice by default. You can change that from the Settings (more of this in a bit). Spark Invoice Maker automatically fills in the invoice number, starting at 001, and so on. You may customize the invoice number by tapping it. We advise you to keep your invoice number in a sequence.
To change the invoice prefix, go to Settings > Prefix, then write your preferred Invoice Prefix.
Write the date you created the invoice. You may change the format from day/month/year to month/day/year.
2. Add client
You may add a new client or import a client from your contacts. All the clients you input will be automatically saved on Spark, so it’s faster to create an invoice for the same client in the future.
When you choose the Add New Client option, you need to add the client’s information, such as name, address, and contact information. Check the example below:
You may also add more of your clients on Spark by heading to the homepage and then selecting Manage in the Clients section.
This is what it looks like when managing your client list:
As you can see, Spark Invoice keeps records of your clients, along with their invoices and estimates. If you need to do a quick review of your clients or invoices, you can quickly head to the Manage Clients section.
Do you need to remove a client? Hit Select at the top-right corner, then remove a client from your list.
3. Add items
Create a breakdown of the goods and services you rendered for the client. You may add as many items as you need. You may add new items or grab them from your Saved Items. Every time you add a new item, you need to put the quantity (unit) and the price (unit price). You may add additional notes if necessary.
Here are the options when adding an item:
You may add from your Saved Items (inputted items in previous invoices and items added in Manage Items are automatically saved in Saved Items).
This is what it looks like when adding a new item:
If you want to add all your items all at once, go to the homepage, then select Manage in the Items section.
Add as many items as you need. If you need to delete items, tap Select at the top-right corner of the interface, then hit the delete button on each item.
4. Additional notes
Do you need to mention important reminders, notes, or progress in the invoice? You can do so in the Additional Notes section. You’re free to write anything that your client needs to know in it. Whether that’d be a thank you message, an update about completed milestones, or instructions regarding a specific item, you can add them freely.
5. Add image
If you need to add images, perhaps some photos as proof of purchase or completion of a project, you can add them easily to your invoice. You can capture photos straight from the app or import images from your gallery.
After selecting an image, you can add a description (or simply skip this part if unnecessary).
Only add important notes regarding the invoice. If you have any more questions or inquiries, we suggest adding them to the body of your email to avoid confusion or mix-ups.
5. Discounts and tax
Giving special discounts can win customers. Adding discounts on your invoices is fast and easy with Spark Invoice. Hit the Discount field in the invoice, and then choose whether the discount is set to a fixed rate or percentage. For fixed discounts, the number you will put is the actual amount of the discount (i.e., $5, $10, $20, etc.). For percentage, the number will be the percentage to be deducted from the total amount (i.e., 5%, 10%, 20%, etc.).
You can modify the discount rate each time you create an invoice. After filling in the field, hit the Update button at the top right corner.
By default, the prices in each item are tax-inclusive. Hence, the tax rate will show $0 in the invoice. If this isn’t the case, you may head to Settings, then change the tax rate to Tax-exclusive. Write the amount of tax in percentage.
Worry not—Spark Invoice does all the calculations for you, so you don’t have to stress about the risk of miscalculations. Upon completing the invoice form, select Preview on the top-right corner to generate the invoice. Take note, the invoice will be saved as a PDF.
Sending your invoice
Now that we have discussed how to create an invoice with Spark, let’s talk about how you can send it to your client and get paid.
You have two options: send the invoice electronically or in printed form.
Check the invoice and make sure to fix any mistakes. Did you get the customer’s name right? Are the products listed complete? Are the prices correctly typed in?
If you need to make changes, hit the Edit button at the top right corner of the screen. Otherwise, you may send it to your client directly from the app. Tap Send at the bottom part of the interface.
Spark Invoice then looks for messaging apps that support PDF attachments. You may send the invoice as an email (Spark will instantly include your invoice as an attachment), then write the subject and body of content from there.
You may send it to the supported third-party messaging apps, such as Slack, Skype, WhatsApp, and more.
Another option to send invoices is by printing them. You may save your PDF invoice into your cloud storage provider. Once the invoices are transferred to the cloud, you may keep them safely in there for record-keeping. Or, save the PDF invoice into your device, then print it.
Spark Invoice Maker Preview
Here’s a preview of an invoice created using Spark Invoice Maker:
Spark Invoice Maker Walkthrough
Allow us to walk you through Spark Invoice Maker. Here’s what the homepage looks like:
Invoices Section
Click the plus (+) button to create a new invoice. If you want to check your completed invoices, select the Manage button. You can delete previous invoices or add a new one in the Manage Invoices section. To delete, hit Select at the top right corner of the display, then hit the (-) delete button on the invoices you wish to remove.
Estimates Section
Some customers ask for estimates or quotations before accepting a deal. It helps them compare their options and pick the best one. Spark Invoice allows you to create estimates and turn them into invoices should your clients decide to take your offer. Click the plus (+) button to add a new estimate, or select Manage to add or delete completed estimates.
Items Section
Add your products on Spark Invoice in the Items section. All items you add to your invoice will be automatically saved in the Items list. Add more to your list by selecting the plus (+) button. To add, delete, or modify your list, go to Manage.
You may use this section to monitor your inventory, too!
Clients Section
Every time you create a new invoice for a new client, Spark Invoice saves your data, including your client’s information. If you need to create a new invoice for the same client, you can simply select the client from your Saved List.
You may import a client from your contacts or add them manually. Hit the plus (+) button to add a new client. To manage your client list, select Manage. Add, delete, or change client’s information in the Manage Client section.
Spark Invoice Maker Settings
Customize your invoice even more by heading to Settings.
Business Info
Spark Invoice will prompt you to add your business information the first time you open the app. You may skip that part and edit your business information from Settings. If you need to change information, go to Settings > Business Info.
Business Logo
Your business logo can help your clients identify your invoice easily. It’s essential for brand awareness and keeping your business top-of-mind. Add a business logo to your invoice to make it officially yours. Go to Settings > Business Logo to add or change your logo.
Tax Rate
By default, all prices you input on Spark are tax-inclusive. If you prefer otherwise, go to Settings > Tax Rate > How tax applies to your business > then choose between Items prices are tax inclusive and Items prices are tax exclusive. If you choose the latter, you need to input the percentage of tax. You may change this setting each time you create an invoice.
Discount
Discounts are set to a fixed rate. If you prefer discounts based on percentage, you may head to Settings > Discounts > then toggle Fixed or Percentage. You can change this option each time you make an invoice.
Currency
Spark Invoice Maker supports all currencies. The default currency is set to $ Dollar. To change this, head to Settings > Currency, then select your currency.
Date Format
Change the date format, depending on your country. In some countries, month-day-year works just fine. Others prefer day-month-year. Use the date format your clients are most familiar with to avoid confusion.
Invoice Prefix
Invoice prefix, much like invoice numbers, serves as unique identifiers. The invoice prefix by default is set to Invoice, followed by the invoice number (i.e., Invoice 002). If you want to change this, go to Settings > Invoice Prefix > then write your preferred prefix. It can be a short version of Invoice or the initials of your business name.
Should you have to follow up on an invoice, use the invoice prefix and number as a reference.
Estimate Prefix
Estimates prefix works the same as invoice prefix. Use the estimate prefix and number as a reference when making a follow-up to a client.
Title
This option allows you to change the name of your estimates as quotations or quotes.
