Printable blank or generated: which do you need?
The printable files are for handwriting. They suit work away from a desk, such as markets, call outs and site visits, or anyone who simply prefers pen and paper. If you have a phone or laptop to hand, a generated PDF is faster to send and easier for your customer to read.
| Your situation | Best choice |
|---|---|
| No device on site, customer pays on the spot | Printed blank, filled in by hand |
| Bill sent by email after the job | Generated PDF from the free generator |
| GST or VAT registered, customer claims the tax | Generated PDF with the country preset |
| Long lists of parts or hours | Generated PDF, or an Excel file |
How to print and fill in the blank PDF
Open the file, print it at actual size, and fill it in with a dark pen. Print a small stack at a time so you always have spares, and number them in order before you leave for the day so you never issue two with the same number.
- Open the PDF in your browser or a PDF reader.
- Print at Actual size or 100%. If your paper differs from the file, choose Fit to page.
- Write your business details once on each sheet, or use a rubber stamp.
- Fill in the customer, the date, each line and the totals in block capitals.
- Photograph or copy each invoice before you hand it over, so you keep a record.
How to make a filled invoice PDF with the generator
The free generator builds a typed PDF in your browser. The text is real and selectable, the fonts are embedded, and the totals and tax are calculated for you. It takes a couple of minutes and needs no account or download.
- Open the free invoice generator, or a country preset such as the UK setup.
- Fill in your details, the customer and the lines. The preview updates as you type.
- Choose A4 or US Letter, and one of the eight designs.
- Download the PDF, or print it straight from the browser.
About editable PDF invoices
Our printable files are made for a pen. They do not have form fields to type into. You can place text on them with a PDF editor, but it often lands slightly out of line with the boxes, and the totals will not calculate. For a typed result, the generator is the cleaner route.
If you need a file you can edit and reuse on a computer, download the Word version or the Excel version of the same design instead. Our guide to making an invoice in Word and Excel walks through both.
Tips for handwritten invoices
A handwritten invoice is only as good as its legibility. Write so a stranger could read every figure, and fill in every box your customer needs. Leave nothing blank that someone could fill in later, and never change a figure once the invoice is handed over.
- Strike through unused lines so nothing can be added after you hand it over.
- Write the date with the month in words, such as 27 October 2026.
- If you make a mistake after handing it over, do not alter it; issue a credit note and a new invoice.
- More file types and country layouts are in the template library.
Fill it in on screen and download or email a real PDF. No sign up.
