How to create a clear invoice in Quebec: simple steps

Creating a clear invoice in Quebec, or the art of avoiding questions

A self-employed graphic designer sends her first invoice to a new client. Two days later, the reply comes in: what does the amount cover, are taxes included, and when is payment due? Three questions, three emails, two weeks lost.

Creating a clear invoice in Quebec takes neither complicated software nor accounting training. All you need is a document that is complete, easy to read and built the same way every time. The client should understand in thirty seconds what they are paying for, how much and by when.

Step 1: gather the information before you write

Good news for anyone worried about format: Revenu Québec indicates that no particular type of invoice is required under the GST/HST and QST system, except in certain sectors covered by mandatory billing. What matters is the information it contains.

Before writing the first line, have the quote or the original agreement at hand. The invoice should say the same thing as what was agreed, with the same words and the same amounts.

• Your name or your business name, and your contact details.
• The client’s name and contact details.
• The description of the service or product.
• The invoice date and the due date.
• The amount before taxes, the taxes and the total.
• The ways to pay.

Step 2: describe the work the way the client experienced it

“Miscellaneous work: $1,200” is the line that draws the most questions. The client is not disputing the price: they simply do not recognize what they bought.

Name the service, the place or the period, then add a quantity or a rate when it helps. A renovation contractor is better off separating labour, materials and travel. If a deposit has already been paid, show it as a deduction: the client sees right away why the balance is what it is.

• One line per service or per stage of the job.
• Separate charges on separate lines.
• A short note if the job went beyond what was planned.

Step 3: show the GST and the QST without ambiguity

If your sale or service is taxable, the taxes must appear clearly. Revenu Québec specifies that the GST is calculated at a rate of 5% and the QST at a rate of 9.975% on the price before GST, except in particular situations.

The rules are not the same for everyone, and a rate can change: always check with Revenu Québec what applies to your activity. If you are registered for the GST and the QST, also keep supporting documents that match the invoice you sent.

• The GST and the QST on two separate lines, if they apply.
• A clear statement if taxes are included in the price.
• Identical amounts on the invoice, the receipt and your sales records.

Step 4: send, file, then follow up

An invoice sent is not an invoice paid. As soon as it goes out, note the due date and the date you will review the file if nothing has arrived. That simple note prevents discovering a forgotten amount two months later.

A short routine is enough: prepare, reread, send, file, then go through your outstanding invoices on a set day. And if a payment is late, the steps are described in Following up on an unpaid invoice without awkwardness or misses.

• A set time in the week to issue your invoices.
• Each invoice filed as soon as it is sent.
• A regular look at the amounts you are expecting.

An invoice layout you can reuse

Here is a simple structure to adapt to your trade. The order matters: the client looks first for what they bought, then the total, then the deadline.

• Title: Invoice, with its number.
• You: name, contact details and, where applicable, tax numbers.
• Client: name and contact details.
• Description: service provided, date or period.
• Amounts: subtotal, GST, QST, deposit deducted, total to pay.
• Payment: due date and ways to pay.

When the invoice almost fills itself in

The longest part of an invoice is copying what already exists elsewhere: the client’s name, the lines of the quote, the amounts. That is also where errors slip in.

In Kitobiz, the client’s request, the appointment, the quote, the invoice and payment tracking follow one another in the same place. An accepted quote becomes an invoice, depending on your setting, with nothing to enter again. You then see what is paid, expected or overdue, and reminders are prepared so that all you have to do is review them.

Reread it as if you were the client

One last step before sending: read your invoice as if you were receiving it. If a line makes you hesitate, it will make the client hesitate. The most common pitfalls are covered in 5 invoicing mistakes to avoid in Quebec.

To prepare your next invoices without starting from scratch, see free sign-up or pricing.