First invoice email template: send the invoice with clear context

Template: sending the first invoice to your client

Use this when your known client is the confirmed invoice recipient. Open the actual attachment before sending, and remove the reference sentence if the customer does not use one. The amount and due date must match the invoice and agreement.

Subject: Invoice [number] — [project / service period]

Hi [name],

I've attached invoice [number] for [specific completed work / service period]. The amount is [amount], due on [agreed date].

Your [purchase order / job] reference is [confirmed reference]. Payment instructions are on the invoice; please use [payment reference] when paying.

Could you confirm it has reached the right person for processing, or let me know if any information is missing?

Thanks,
[name / business]

The question asks for a useful routing answer. It does not demand early payment or require a reply when the customer's established system already provides an adequate receipt.

Template: introducing the invoice to a confirmed accounts contact

An accounts recipient may not know your project. Include the customer contact and a recognisable work description so they can connect the invoice with the right approval route. Avoid forwarding a long project conversation containing unrelated information.

Subject: Invoice [number] — [customer reference] — [your business]

Hi [accounts contact / accounts team],

[Known client contact] confirmed that invoices for [project] should come to you.

Attached is invoice [number] for [work / service period], amount [amount], due [agreed date]. It includes your confirmed reference [reference]. Payment instructions are on the invoice.

Please confirm receipt for processing, or identify any missing information and the person I should contact to resolve it.

Thank you,
[name / business]
[normal contact details]

If the customer requires a portal, use it. Emailing an individual as well is appropriate only when that is part of the confirmed process; two submission routes can otherwise create confusion about which record to use.

Fictional example: make four details line up

Nia has issued INV-318 for £720 for an agreed website content review completed on 30 October 2026. The confirmed PO is PO-184 and the agreed due date is 23 November 2026. Her subject is “Invoice INV-318 — website content review — PO-184”. Her attachment is INV-318.pdf.

The message says: “Attached is INV-318 for the website content review completed on 30 October 2026, amount £720, due 23 November 2026. Your reference is PO-184. Payment instructions are on the invoice.” The number identifies the document, the description identifies the work, the PO connects it to the customer's order, and the date states the agreed expectation.

Nia checks those four details against the attachment. A correct subject paired with the wrong PDF still leaves accounts with the wrong invoice. The invoice details checklist covers that final document review.

Record the submission, then respond to what happens

Save the sent message, recipient, attachment version and any acknowledgement with the invoice record. “Sent” means you sent it; “accounts confirmed receipt” needs the corresponding response. Neither establishes approval or payment.

If the customer asks for another copy, use the resend invoice email template and make clear whether anything changed. If the address fails, follow the wrong invoice address checks before sending financial information elsewhere. If they question a charge, answer that question before starting a routine reminder sequence.