Invoice

Invoice

An invoice is a commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer, relating to a sale transaction and indicating the products, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services the seller has provided the buyer.

Definition and Purpose

An invoice indicates the buyer must pay the seller, according to the payment terms. The buyer has a maximum amount of days to pay for these goods and are sometimes offered a discount if paid before the due date.

Types of Invoices

There are different types of invoices:

• Pro forma invoice: A pro forma invoice is not a true invoice, but rather a commitment from the seller to sell goods at a specific price to the buyer.
• Credit memo: A note or document sent from a seller to a buyer, stating that a certain amount has been credited to the buyer's account.
• Debit memo: When a company fails to pay or short-pays an invoice, it is common practice to issue a debit memo for the balance and any late fees owed.

Legal Status

Invoices are a legally enforceable document and can be used in court as evidence. They help in maintaining accurate financial records and are crucial during audits.

Invoice Management

Invoice management is a crucial aspect of managing a business. It involves receiving invoices from suppliers and processing them for payment.

See Also

• Accounting source documents
• Bookkeeping
• Commercial law
• Trade credit

References

Invoice Resources
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