As an owner-operator, billing customers accurately for your trucking services is vital to maintain a good business relationship and a healthy cash flow. This is not only about sending out your invoices on time or following up on payments. You also need well-designed trucking invoices that cover all the essential details without exception. But you don't always have the time to write and proofread every single invoice you send.
This is why it's important to create a trucking invoice template that you can easily fill in with the job-specific information when it's time to request payment. By including the right elements on it, you can guarantee that you'll never miss the important details and your invoices will reflect your hard work.
Let's go over the information that all of your trucking invoices should include.
Note: Create unlimited invoices and get paid faster with Bonsai's all-in-one product suite. Our administrative tools are specially designed for freelance workers and small business owners who want to save time and invoice like a pro. Come on board, we've got your back!
Essential Elements of a Trucking Invoice Template
To create detailed and professional invoices, keep in mind that all the charges must be easily identified and your customer should clearly understand the payment process. At the same time, you want to ensure all the business-related information is covered to help you maintain your accounting records. To achieve this, include the following elements on your invoice template.
Business Information
Start with a section at the top of your trucking invoice template for your business information. Include your full name (or trucking company name), phone number, email address, website and street address. You can also include a couple of lines to mention any specialized services you offer like cross-border transportation, warehousing or logistics services.
This is also the ideal place to add your company logo, registered trademarks, industry-related imagery and any other branding elements to achieve more professional invoices that are easily recognizable for your clients.
Customer Information
Next, add your customer's information including their full name (or business name) and contact information such as phone number, email address, billing address, and customer ID number if you keep a database. Make sure to include as much information as possible to make it easier to follow up and track your customer's payments.
Invoice Number and Date
You want to make sure all of your invoices have a unique invoice number which will help you maintain your paperwork well organized and make it easier to refer back to a specific invoice for clarifications or refunds. Not to mention, if you work for large companies, their accounts payable department will very likely reject any unnumbered invoices.
Don't forget to add the invoice date which you will use to determine the payment due date (usually 30 days after the invoice is sent out) and charge late fees accordingly.
Services Provided
Leave enough space on your trucking invoice template for an itemized list of the services provided as well as the details of the trucking services. First include the dates of service, pickup and delivery address, as well as the necessary insurance information. Then, provide a short description of the goods transported along with quantities, and separately mention any special charges for packaging, freight costs, expedited shipping etc. Include the flat rate, hourly rate or per-mile rate for each service listed and the total cost.
Totals
When specifying the amount your customer owes, add at least three lines so you can separate the total cost of services before taxes (subtotal), then add the taxes and provide the total amount due. If you are providing any discounts to recurring customers, referrals, or corporate clients, make sure to subtract the discounted amount from the subtotal and then factor in the taxes. You may highlight the discount in a different color but keep it under the totals section to make a bigger impact on your client.
Trucking Company Payment Details
Getting paid in a timely manner is the ultimate goal when creating the perfect trucking invoice template. For this reason, you want to provide clear and easy-to-understand payment instructions that leave no room for mistake. Start by listing all of your accepted payment methods such as ACH transfers, checks, cash, credit/debit cards, and online payments like Apple Pay, Stripe or PayPal. Don't forget to add the corresponding account numbers, mailing address and payment links.
Make sure to disclose your payment terms, including the invoice due date, penalties for late payments, partial payments or any payment arrangements you offer. You can also include an incentive such as a small discount for paying early (i.e. 2% discount if the invoice is paid within the first 10 days).
Notes
Finally, include a small section at the bottom of your trucking invoice template to leave a personal note or a message to thank your customers for their business. This simple addition can help you strengthen the relationship with your clients and may even lead to valuable referrals. If you have extra space, try further promoting your trucking company by mentioning future promotions, new services or even asking for good reviews online.
Use Our Free Invoice Template for your Trucking Company
If you're looking for the best invoice templates to use for your trucking business, look no further. Simply download Bonsai's free trucking invoice template and customize it to your liking with just a few clicks. Once you're happy with your invoice template, save it in your preferred file format (google docs, excel, etc...) and use it for all of your clients for more consistency in your billing process.
Our invoice templates also allow you to integrate multiple payment options and link your checking account so you can instantly access your money when the invoice is paid. But why stop there? Use our complete invoicing software to set up recurring invoices, automatically apply late fees, get read receipts and even follow up on unpaid invoices with payment reminders. Bonsai is your best bet to save time and focus on your passion, not your paperwork!
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