A successful business of any kind, needs an efficient invoicing process. And your teaching business is not the exception. Well-designed, detailed invoices can be used not only to request payments, but to maintain a trusting relationship with your students and even bring more clients your way. It's all about having the right details in the right place while making it as simple and transparent as possible.
But with so much on your plate, you probably don't have hours to spend writing and proofreading every invoice when it's time to get paid. Luckily, there's a simple workaround; create your own teaching invoice template that has all the important information pre-filled out, saving you time and headaches. Read on to find out what should be included in your invoice template.
Note: Want to save time and invoice students like a pro? Use Bonsai's invoicing software to create unlimited invoices and efficiently follow up with your clients to help you get paid faster. Get started today, our tools are specially designed for freelancers and small business owners like yourself.
Essential Elements of a Teaching Invoice Template
When creating your teaching invoice template, remember all important details must be covered in a simple and easy-to-understand way for your clients. At the same time all business-related information must be in place to ensure a reliable record-keeping process. For flawless invoices, include the following essential elements.
Business Information
Start your teaching invoice template with a section for your business name as well as contact details such as phone number, street address, email address and website. Include the particular subject or skill you teach and if you offer any special services like at-home teaching, group classes, etc.
For more professional invoices, add your company logo, certifications, and any other industry related imagery that can make your invoice stand out and be easily recognizable for your clients.
Client Information
Next, include your client's contact information starting with their full name (or company name), phone number, billing address and email address if you're billing via email. If the person responsible for payment is not your student, make sure to add the student's information separately as well as their ID number if you have a database to easily track their payments.
Invoice Number and Date
You must always assign a unique invoice number to all of your invoices. This will help you keep your paperwork well organized and ready for tax season, not to mention if you're working for corporate clients they will not accept your invoice that is not numbered. Also, make sure to add the invoice date (when it was sent out, not created), so you can determine a payment due date and apply late fees accordingly.
Teaching Services Provided
Make sure your teaching invoice template has enough space for an itemized list of the services provided. Include a short description of each service (beginner guitar lesson, math test preparation, conversational English class, etc.), along with the flat rate and total cost. If you charge clients on an hourly basis, specify how many hours were spent on each service, hourly rate, and total price. For more transparency, you may add a timesheet to show how the billable hours were spent.
You may also include extra charges such as school fees, materials provided, weekend fees, etc., along with a short description. Even if these charges were previously discussed with your clients you want to leave no room for misunderstandings, so it's better to list them separately.
Totals
On the totals section, you want to have separate lines to specify the total cost of the teaching services before taxes (subtotal), then add the applicable taxes, and state the total amount due. This is also the ideal place to highlight any discounts you might provide for group classes, first-time clients, or referrals. Subtract the discounted amount from the subtotal before you factor in the taxes, and make sure to also provide a short description so your students know where the great deal is coming from.
Payment Details
Pay close attention to this section as it can really help you get paid faster and reduce the time spent in clarifications regarding the payment process. Make sure to include all accepted payment methods such as checks, cash, ACH transfers, credit/debit cards or online payments (Stripe, PayPal, etc...). Add the corresponding account numbers, mailing address for checks and even payment links to make the process a lot easier for your clients.
Don't forget to disclose your payment terms, specifying the invoice due date, late payment penalties, and any payment arrangements available. You may also mention discounts or other incentives provided for early payments.
Notes
Leave a small section at the end of your teaching invoice template to leave a personal note or a thank you message for your students. This will let them know how much you appreciate their business and look forward to working with them again. You could also use this space to congratulate your students on their progress or wish them good luck on their next exam.
Taking a little extra time for such details can certainly help you strengthen your relationship with your students and can lead to valuable referrals or more business from them in the future.
Use Our Free Teaching Invoice Template
You already put a lot of effort into making sure everything runs smoothly in your teaching business. You don't have to spend hours behind the desk designing your own invoice templates too. Instead, simply download Bonsai's free teaching invoice template which you can fully customize to fit your needs, to have professional and detailed invoices in minutes.
Once you have personalized your free invoice template, save it in your preferred file format and use it to bill students consistently and ensure all vital information is always covered. Plus, you can include payment options and even link a checking account to your teacher invoice template to have instant access to your funds as soon as a payment is made. Want more?
Use Bonsai's all-in-one product suite to take your teaching business to the next level. Automatically create and send professional invoices, request payment, apply late fees and get viewing notifications to make sure your clients never miss an invoice. Our accounting software can also help you manage your business finances with income reports, expense trackers, tax estimates and much more! Come on board, we've got your back.
