To email an invoice, attach it as a PDF, write a subject line with the invoice number and your business name, say in two or three lines what it is for, the amount and the due date, and add a way to pay. Send it to the person who approves payments, as soon as the work is done.
A clear email gets an invoice paid sooner than a clear invoice in a vague email. Here is how to build the message, a template you can copy, and the small details that stop invoices from getting lost.
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Before you send: three quick checks
- Check the invoice. Is the number new, the total right, the due date set? See the invoice checklist.
- Save it as a PDF. A PDF looks the same on every device and nobody can edit it by accident. Name the file clearly, such as INV-1042-Maple-Street-Studio.pdf.
- Find the right recipient. Ask your contact who processes invoices; it is often a separate accounts-payable address. Put your day-to-day contact in copy.
The subject line
The subject line decides whether the email is opened and filed correctly. Include the word invoice, the invoice number, and your name or business name. If the client uses PO numbers, add it. Compare:
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| Invoice | Invoice INV-1042 from Maple Street Studio, due November 16 |
| Hi | Invoice INV-1042 (PO JB-2291) for logo design, $1,550.00 |
| Payment please | Invoice INV-1042 from Maple Street Studio |
The message: short, specific, helpful
Greet the person by name. Say what the invoice is for, give the amount and the due date, and tell them how to pay. End with an invitation to ask questions. Anything beyond that is noise. Put the key facts in the body as well as the attachment, because many people read on their phone and approve payments from the email alone.
Hi Ava,
Thank you for the great project. Attached is invoice INV-1042 for the logo design and brand color guide.
Amount: $1,550.00
Due date: November 16, 2026 (Net 30)
PO number: JB-2291
You can pay by bank transfer using the details on the invoice, or by card here: [payment link]
If you need anything else to process it, such as a W-9, just reply to this email.
Thanks again,
Sam Rivera
Maple Street Studio | (512) 555-0142
Make paying easy
Every step between the client and the payment slows you down. Put the bank details on the invoice, or a payment link in the email, so the client can pay without writing back. If you take card payments, say so. If your terms include a late fee, it belongs on the invoice, not only in the email. See late fees.
When to send it
Then put the due date in your calendar. If the money is not in, follow up with a reminder email.
- As soon as the work is delivered or the milestone is reached. The due date counts from the invoice date, so a late invoice is a late payment.
- On a weekday morning in your client's time zone, when finance teams are working through their inbox.
- Not at the very end of the month if you can avoid it; many companies close their payment runs before month-end.
Mistakes that get invoices lost
- Sending it to the wrong person, or only to someone who has left the company.
- A large attachment, or a link to a file that needs a login. Keep the PDF small and attach it directly.
- A spam-looking subject line, such as “URGENT” or one in capital letters.
- No mention of the amount or due date in the body.
- Not asking for confirmation on a large invoice. A line like “Please confirm receipt” helps.
Sending from an invoicing app
You can attach the PDF in your own email, or let an app do it. In Jiffy, you send the invoice straight from the app by email, WhatsApp, Telegram, text message or a link. The email carries the invoice as a PDF, your client can open it and pay from the link without creating an account, and you can see when it was viewed. You can edit the email text for your business. If you do not have an account yet, make the PDF in the free invoice generator and send it yourself.