If you’re a small business owner, freelancer, or sole trader, sending professional-looking invoices doesn’t require expensive accounting software. In Part 2 of their small business bookkeeping series, DCP Web Designers walks through exactly how to build a clean, branded invoice template completely from scratch using Microsoft Excel – one that pairs perfectly with the invoice tracker built in Part 1 of the series.
This guide breaks down the full process so you can follow along and create your own reusable invoice template today.
Why Build Your Own Invoice Template?
Paying for invoicing software is unnecessary when Excel already has everything you need: formulas for automatic calculations, formatting tools for a polished look, and the flexibility to export a finished invoice straight to PDF. Building it yourself also means it’s fully customised to your brand – your logo, your colours, your layout.
Step 1: Set Up the Workbook
The tutorial starts with the basics of organising the file properly:
- Open a new Excel workbook and rename the default sheet to something clear, like “Invoice Template.”
- Save the file with a clear, identifiable name so it’s easy to find and reuse later.
- Configure the page margins and print layout so the invoice will look right whether it’s viewed digitally or printed.
- Insert the company logo. In this video, the logo image is cropped down first using GIMP (a free image editor) before being placed into the spreadsheet, ensuring it fits neatly at the top of the invoice.
Step 2: Build the Header and Contact Details
With the page structure in place, the video moves into formatting the invoice’s identifying information:
- Format the company name and contact details at the top of the sheet.
- Add sections for the client’s billing details.
- Use Merge & Center to combine multiple cells into clean, organised blocks for the invoice title, invoice number, date, billing address, and shipping address – this keeps everything aligned and easy to read.
- Apply Outside Borders from the Borders menu around these merged sections to visually separate them into clear boxes, giving the invoice a structured, professional look.
Step 3: Create the Line-Item Table
This is the functional core of the invoice – where the actual billing happens:
- Set up column headers: Product Description, Quantity, Unit Price, and Net.
- Enter a multiplication formula in the Net column to automatically calculate each line item’s cost (for example, =F19*H19, multiplying quantity by unit price).
- Copy the formula down the column so every row calculates automatically as new items are added.
Step 4: Add Totals and Payment Details
Once the line items are set up, the video shows how to total everything and add payment information:
- Use the AutoSum feature to calculate the Total Charge at the bottom of the line-item column (e.g., =SUM(K19:K40)), so the grand total updates automatically.
- Create a dedicated Payment Terms section, and make it stand out by changing the Fill Colour to black and the Font Colour to white – a simple but effective way to draw the client’s eye to payment instructions.
- Add the company’s registration number and business address to the document footer, giving the invoice a complete, official look.
Step 5: Finalise and Export
With formulas, formatting, and branding all in place, the invoice template is ready to be saved as a master file. From there, it can be duplicated for each new client and exported as a PDF – giving small business owners a polished, print-ready invoice every time, without needing to design one from scratch again.
Key Takeaways
- No paid software required – Excel alone can produce a fully professional invoice template.
- Automated calculations save time and reduce errors, since totals update on their own as you fill in quantities and prices.
- Visual formatting (merged cells, borders, fill colours) makes the invoice easier to read and more professional-looking to clients.
- Reusability is built in – once the template is built, it becomes a permanent tool for the business, pairing with an invoice tracker for full bookkeeping coverage.
Who This Is For
This tutorial is aimed squarely at small business owners, freelancers, and sole traders who want a straightforward, no-cost way to manage their own invoicing and bookkeeping.
The logic throughout is practical and instructional, making it accessible even for those who aren’t advanced Excel users.
Final Thoughts
Building your own invoice template in Excel is a one-time investment of effort that pays off every time you bill a client. By following this step-by-step approach, from page setup and branding to formulas and formatting – you’ll end up with a professional, reusable template tailored exactly to your business, no subscription fees attached.
