Invoice Generator Skill for Claude

Invoice Generator Skill

Overview

I help freelancers and small businesses create professional invoices quickly. Just tell me the details, and I'll generate a complete, properly formatted invoice.

What I can do:

• Create professional invoices in multiple formats
• Calculate taxes (VAT, GST, sales tax)
• Handle multiple currencies
• Support various payment terms
• Generate in English or Chinese

What I cannot do:

• File taxes for you
• Guarantee compliance with all local regulations
• Process actual payments

How to Use Me

Step 1: Provide Basic Info

Tell me:

• Your business details (name, address, tax ID if needed)
• Client details (name, address)
• Items/services (description, quantity, rate)
• Invoice number (or I'll suggest one)
• Payment terms (due date, accepted methods)

Step 2: I'll Generate

I'll create a complete invoice with:

• Professional layout
• Proper calculations
• Payment instructions
• Terms and conditions

Step 3: Export

Copy the output to your preferred tool:

• Paste into Word/Google Docs
• Use the markdown version
• Request HTML for web display

Invoice Components

Required Elements

| Element | Description | Example |

|---------|-------------|---------|

| Invoice Number | Unique identifier | INV-2026-0001 |

| Date | Issue date | January 29, 2026 |

| Due Date | Payment deadline | February 28, 2026 |

| From | Your business info | Company name, address |

| Bill To | Client info | Client name, address |

| Line Items | Services/products | Description, qty, rate, amount |

| Total | Sum due | Amount with currency |

Optional Elements

| Element | When to Include |

|---------|-----------------|

| Tax ID | Required in many countries for B2B |

| PO Number | If client provided purchase order |

| Tax Breakdown | When charging VAT/GST/Sales Tax |

| Late Fee Terms | If you charge for late payment |

| Bank Details | For wire transfers |

| Payment Link | For online payment |

Tax Guidance by Region

United States

No federal invoice requirements, but good practices:

• Include your EIN if B2B
• State sales tax if applicable (varies by state)
• 1099 reporting if paying contractors $600+

Sales Tax Rates (examples):

| State | Rate | Notes |

|-------|------|-------|

| California | 7.25% base | Up to 10.75% with local |

| Texas | 6.25% base | Up to 8.25% with local |

| New York | 4% state | Up to 8.875% with local |

| Oregon | 0% | No sales tax |

European Union

VAT Invoice Requirements:

• Must include VAT number if registered
• Reverse charge for B2B cross-border
• Sequential invoice numbering required

Standard VAT Rates:

| Country | Rate |

|---------|------|

| Germany | 19% |

| France | 20% |

| UK (post-Brexit) | 20% |

| Netherlands | 21% |

| Ireland | 23% |

Reverse Charge: For B2B services in EU, buyer may handle VAT. Include "Reverse Charge - VAT to be paid by recipient."

China

Invoice Requirements:

• Regular invoice vs. VAT special invoice (fapiao)
• Tax registration number required
• Official invoices must be issued through tax authority system

VAT Rates:

| Type | Rate |

|------|------|

| General Goods | 13% |

| Services | 6% |

| Small-scale Taxpayer | 3% |

Australia

GST Requirements:

• 10% GST on most goods/services
• Must include ABN if registered
• GST-free for exports

Payment Terms Reference

Common Terms

| Term | Meaning |

|------|---------|

| Due on Receipt | Pay immediately |

| Net 15 | Due within 15 days |

| Net 30 | Due within 30 days (most common) |

| Net 60 | Due within 60 days |

| 2/10 Net 30 | 2% discount if paid in 10 days, otherwise due in 30 |

Late Payment Policies

Example language:

> "Invoices not paid within [X] days will incur a late fee of [1.5%] per month on the outstanding balance."

Legal maximums vary:

• US: Generally up to 18-24% annually
• UK: 8% + Bank of England base rate
• EU: ECB rate + 8%

Output Format

Markdown Invoice

# INVOICE

**Invoice Number:** INV-2026-0042
**Date:** January 29, 2026
**Due Date:** February 28, 2026

---

## From
[Your Business Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Email]
[Tax ID: XXX-XX-XXXX]

## Bill To
[Client Name]
[Client Address]
[Client Email]

---

## Items

| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|-------------|-----|------|--------|
| [Service 1] | 10 hrs | $100/hr | $1,000.00 |
| [Service 2] | 1 | $500 | $500.00 |

---

|  | |
|---|---|
| **Subtotal** | $1,500.00 |
| **Tax (10%)** | $150.00 |
| **Total Due** | **$1,650.00** |

---

## Payment Details

**Bank Transfer:**
Bank: [Bank Name]
Account: [Account Number]
Routing: [Routing Number]

**Or pay online:** [Payment Link]

---

**Payment Terms:** Net 30
**Late Fee:** 1.5% per month on overdue balance

Thank you for your business!

Examples

Example 1: Simple Freelance Invoice

User: Create an invoice for 20 hours of web development at $75/hour for Acme Corp. I'm John Smith, based in Austin, TX.

Me:

INVOICE

Invoice Number: INV-2026-0001

Date: January 29, 2026

Due Date: February 28, 2026

From

John Smith

Austin, TX 78701

[email protected]

Bill To

Acme Corp

[Client Address]

Items

| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |

|-------------|-----|------|--------|

| Web Development Services | 20 hrs | $75.00/hr | $1,500.00 |

| | |

|---|---|

| Total Due | $1,500.00 USD |

Payment Terms: Net 30

Example 2: With VAT (UK)

User: Invoice for consulting services to a UK client, £2000, need to add VAT

Me:

| | |

|---|---|

| Subtotal | £2,000.00 |

| VAT (20%) | £400.00 |

| Total Due | £2,400.00 GBP |

VAT Registration: GB123456789

Example 3: Multiple Line Items

User: Invoice for: Logo design $500, Brand guidelines $1200, Business card design $300. Client is StartupXYZ.

Me:

| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |

|-------------|-----|------|--------|

| Logo Design | 1 | $500.00 | $500.00 |

| Brand Guidelines Document | 1 | $1,200.00 | $1,200.00 |

| Business Card Design | 1 | $300.00 | $300.00 |

| | |

|---|---|

| Total Due | $2,000.00 USD |

Invoice Numbering Best Practices

Format Options

| Format | Example | Best For |

|--------|---------|----------|

| Sequential | 001, 002, 003 | Simple, low volume |

| Year-Seq | 2026-001 | Easy to track by year |

| Client-Seq | ACME-001 | Multiple clients |

| Date-Seq | 20260129-01 | Date-based tracking |

Tips

• Never reuse invoice numbers
• Keep numbers sequential (gaps may raise audit questions)
• Include prefix for different services if needed

Tips for Better Results

• Provide complete info - The more details, the better the invoice
• Specify currency - USD, EUR, GBP, CNY, etc.
• Include tax requirements - Tell me if you need VAT/GST
• Mention payment methods - Bank, PayPal, Stripe, etc.
• Request specific format - Markdown, HTML, or plain text

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Missing due date - Always specify when payment is expected
• Vague descriptions - "Consulting" is worse than "Marketing strategy consulting - Q1 campaign planning"
• Wrong calculations - I'll double-check, but verify final numbers
• Missing tax info - Required for B2B in many countries
• No payment instructions - Make it easy to pay you!

Limitations

• I generate text invoices, not PDFs directly
• Tax calculations are estimates - verify with accountant
• Can't integrate with accounting software
• Don't know your specific local requirements

Languages

Works with multiple languages including English and Chinese.

Just specify your preferred language when requesting an invoice.

*Built by the Claude Office Skills community. Get paid faster!*