How to send an invoice and get paid faster

The work is done and the client is happy. Now you need to bill for it, and how you send that invoice has a real effect on how fast the money shows up.

There are three ways to send an invoice: attach a PDF to an email, send it through invoicing software, or share a payment link with the invoice details built in. This guide covers all three, what to check before you hit send, and the habits that close the gap between invoicing and getting paid.

Key takeaways

• You can send an invoice three ways: as an email attachment, through invoicing software, or with a payment link.
• Check the invoice number, payment terms, due date, and payment instructions before sending. Small errors are a common reason payments stall.
• Invoices sent through software are easier to track, and automatic reminders cut down on manual follow-up.
• With Bluevine, you can create and send unlimited invoices for free from your Business Checking dashboard. Processing fees apply only when customers pay through Stripe.

Three ways to send an invoice

The right method depends on how often you bill and how your customers prefer to pay.

Manual email works fine at two or three invoices a month. Past that, tracking who owes what becomes its own job, and software starts earning its keep.

Before you send: what to double-check

An invoice with a wrong total or a missing due date gives your client a reason to set it aside. Run through this list before every send:

• Invoice number. Unique and in sequence, so payments are easy to match to invoices. Our guide to invoice numbers covers numbering systems.
• Payment terms and due date. These should match what you agreed with the client. Net 30 in the contract and net 15 on the invoice is a dispute waiting to happen. See invoice payment terms for the options.
• Line items and totals. Quantities, rates, tax, and any discounts, all adding up correctly.
• Payment instructions. Spell out exactly how to pay: where to mail a check, which account to transfer to, or which link to click.
• The right recipient. Larger clients route invoices through an accounts payable contact. Sending to your day-to-day contact can add a week while the email gets forwarded.

Sending an invoice by email

The manual route: create the invoice, export it as a PDF, and attach it to a short email. Keep the message brief and put the essentials in the subject line, because that is what an accounts payable inbox scans first.

A template you can adapt:

Subject: Invoice #2026-014 from [Your business name], due [date]

Hi [Name],

Thanks for [brief project reference]. Invoice #2026-014 for [amount] is attached, with payment due [date] on [terms, for example net 30].

You can pay by [methods you accept]. Full payment details are on the invoice.

Happy to answer any questions.

[Your name]

[Business name and phone]

Send the invoice as a PDF so it opens the same way on every device. The drawback of the manual route is everything that happens after: you cannot see whether the invoice was opened, reminders are on you, and the client has to take separate steps to actually pay.

Sending an invoice with invoicing software

Invoicing software generates the invoice, delivers it, records the send, and shows you payment status without a spreadsheet. Most tools also attach an online payment option, so the client can pay the moment they open the invoice instead of filing it for later.

The other quiet benefit is the paper trail. Every invoice, reminder, and payment lives in one system, which makes month-end reconciliation and tax time far less painful.

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How to send an invoice with Bluevine

Bluevine builds invoicing into Business Checking, so billing and banking happen in one dashboard. You can create and send unlimited invoices for free, with no subscription fees or volume-based charges. Processing fees apply only when customers pay through your connected Stripe account.

Here is the workflow:

• Create. Build itemized invoices with your logo, business name, discounts, and service charges. Add attachments like contracts or estimates. Plus and Premier customers can add custom fields.
• Send. Deliver by email, SMS, a shareable link, or PDF, whichever your customer prefers.
• Get paid. Connect a Stripe account and customers can pay by card, digital wallet, or ACH direct debit. Online card and wallet payments cost 2.9% + $0.60, and ACH direct debit costs 1%. You can also send invoices without payment processing enabled and accept a check or a direct ACH transfer instead.
• Track. See payment status, past invoices, and Stripe payouts in one view. Paid invoices reconcile automatically.
• Automate. Set automatic reminders for unpaid invoices: Standard customers can send one per invoice the day before the due date, and Plus and Premier customers can schedule up to four. Recurring invoices with autopay handle repeat billing without you touching it.

Meeting your customer in person? Tap to Pay turns your phone into a card terminal at 2.7% + $0.30 per transaction, with funds deposited straight to your checking account.

Customer payments land in your main account or a sub-account you choose, and you could start earning APY as soon as they arrive.¹

Getting paid faster

How you send the invoice matters. So does what happens around it:

• Invoice immediately. Every day between finishing the work and sending the bill is a day added to your wait.
• Keep terms as short as your industry allows. Due on receipt or net 15 where the norm permits it. Our payment terms guide covers how to choose.
• Offer more than one way to pay. A client who can pay by card, wallet, or bank transfer pays sooner than one who has to find the checkbook.
• Automate reminders. A nudge the day before the due date resolves most slow payments before they start.
• Follow up on a schedule. When an invoice does go past due, a consistent cadence works better than an angry one-off. Our guide to following up on outstanding invoices has scripts you can use.

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The bottom line

Email gets the job done at low volume. Software earns its place once invoicing becomes a weekly task. Whichever route you take, an accurate invoice, an easy way to pay, and a steady reminder cadence will do more for your payment speed than anything else on this page.

Ready to send invoices without the juggling?

Open a Bluevine Business Checking account and create, send, and track unlimited invoices for free, from the same dashboard that holds your banking.

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