Create and track an invoice without missing anything

Create a clear invoice from the start

When an invoice is missing a detail, the client hesitates, asks questions and payment takes longer. For a self-employed worker or a small business, a good invoice should say right away who is billing, to whom, for what service and on what date.

In Quebec, Revenu Québec says that no particular type of invoice is required under the GST and QST systems, but that specific information must appear on your supporting documents to back up your tax records. If you sell a taxable good or service, you must also clearly show the applicable taxes.

The information to include on every invoice

Before sending your invoice, make sure it has enough information to be understood without a follow-up email. The goal is simple: let the client pay without having to ask you to rewrite everything.

Revenu Québec specifically requires that the invoice make it possible to identify the applicable taxes and, when the tax amount is included in the price, that this be indicated. Canada.ca also reminds businesses that, if you are registered, the tax must be reported according to the billing period, even if the client has not paid yet.

• Your name or your business name
• The client's name
• The invoice date
• A clear description of the service or good
• The amount before tax, the taxes and the total
• Payment terms and the due date
• Your GST number and, if applicable, your QST number
• Any useful note if a tax is included in the price

Send the invoice at the right time

The best time to send an invoice is when the service is completed or when the contract says it should be sent. The longer you wait, the more likely it is to get buried in your to-do list and be forgotten.

For some sectors covered by mandatory invoicing, Revenu Québec specifies that the invoice must be given within the required deadlines after it is produced, not only on request. Even when that specific rule does not apply to you, keeping this habit helps speed up payment and avoid misunderstandings.

Track paid, expected or overdue invoices

The real challenge does not start when the invoice is sent, but when you need to know which one has been paid, which one is waiting for payment and which one is overdue. Without tracking, you end up following up too late, or twice with the same person.

Keep a simple chart with four statuses: to send, sent, paid, overdue. As soon as a payment comes in, note it right away with the date and payment method to avoid gaps between your memory, your statements and your bookkeeping.

Follow up without awkwardness and without losing track

An effective follow-up is short, polite and specific. It reminds the client of the invoice, the amount, the due date and how to pay, without turning the message into a reproach.

If the client is late, start with a factual reminder: the invoice, the due date and the balance owing. Revenu Québec stresses the importance of keeping supporting documents and maintaining records; good follow-up tracking therefore also becomes a safety net for your files.

Protect your cash flow with regular tracking

An overdue invoice is not just annoying: it is money missing from your cash flow. For an electrician, caterer or renovation contractor, a few late payments are enough to throw off purchases, payroll and upcoming payments.

The best habit is to review your invoices at a set time, for example once a week. That way, you quickly spot overdue accounts, payments received and amounts still to come, instead of discovering a gap too late.

The simplest method when everything is in one place

When the client request, the quote, the invoice and the payment are in the same file, tracking becomes faster and more reliable. Kitobiz is designed to turn an accepted quote into an invoice, show paid, expected or overdue invoices, prepare follow-ups before sending and track amounts to receive in the cash flow forecast.

This approach saves you from juggling emails, files and scattered notes. You keep a clear view of what has been invoiced, what still needs to be collected and what needs to be followed up.

What to check before you get started

Before sending your next invoice, always go through the same checklist. This small routine reduces mistakes and saves you time in the long run.

Here is the minimum to check before sending:

• The client's name is correct
• The invoiced service matches the work done
• The taxes are clearly shown
• The total is easy to read
• The due date is visible
• The payment method is clear
• The invoice has been recorded in your tracking system