A plumbing invoice template gives you a ready-made layout for billing a finished job, with fields for your ABN, customer details, labour, materials, GST and payment terms. Download the free plumbing invoice template (Excel), then follow the steps below to fill in each field and check it against a completed example.
For GST-registered plumbers in Australia, a tax invoice is due when a taxable sale is more than $82.50 including GST, or when a customer asks for one, according to business.gov.au's invoicing guide. New Zealand plumbers follow their own GST rate, which the calculation step covers.
Key takeaways
- Download the Excel template and complete it top to bottom: business details, customer details, invoice number and dates, line items, totals and payment terms.
- Put labour, materials and any call-out fee on separate lines so the customer sees what each charge covers.
- Work out GST on the pre-GST subtotal at your country's rate, add it to reach the total, then subtract any deposit already paid.
- Move to invoicing software once re-typing job details into a spreadsheet starts to hold up your invoices.
1. Download the Free Plumbing Invoice Template
Download the free plumber invoice template as an Excel file, save a clean master copy, and open a fresh copy for each job. The spreadsheet calculates each line, the subtotal, GST and the invoice total, so you only enter the job descriptions, quantities and unit prices.
Get the plumbing invoice template in Excel format. Open it in Excel or any spreadsheet app that opens XLSX files.
Leave the formulas in the Total column intact. Rename each copy with its invoice number, such as INV-0107, so the file and invoice match.
2. Add Your Plumbing Business and Customer Details
Put your trading name, ABN, street address, phone number and email at the top of the invoice. Under the Bill To heading, add the customer's name, the service address, a phone number and an email. business.gov.au says a tax invoice also shows the buyer's identity or ABN for sales over $1,000.
The template opens with a TAX INVOICE heading and a GST line, which suits a GST-registered business. Without GST registration, change the heading to Invoice and delete the GST row before you fill in anything else. business.gov.au's guidance on regular invoices tells businesses to use the word invoice and not tax invoice.
In New Zealand, business.govt.nz's invoice guide lists the business name, the customer's name and address, the invoice number, the date and a due date as the starting fields. Its sample invoice also shows a GST number and an NZBN with the business name, so replace the template's ABN label with those two details.
3. Include the Invoice Number, Dates and Payment Due Date
Give every invoice its own number, the date you issue it and a clear due date.
Number invoices in sequence, such as INV-0107 and then INV-0108, and never reuse a number for a different job. Date each invoice on the day you send it.
Replace the template's default Due Upon Receipt with the payment due date that matches the terms you quoted. Separately, a GST-registered business that gets a customer request for a tax invoice has 28 days to provide it, according to business.gov.au.
4. Itemise the Plumbing Work, Labour and Materials
List each part of the job on its own line: labour, materials, the call-out fee and any after-hours work. Write a description the customer recognises, then enter the quantity and unit price so the spreadsheet calculates the line total. Separate lines show the customer where each dollar of the bill comes from.
- Labour: the task, who did it and the hours on site, such as licensed plumber labour to replace a hot water system.
- Materials: each part with its size or model, priced from your plumbing price book.
- Call-out: one line for attending the job, kept apart from labour.
- After-hours work: its own line at the after-hours rate you quoted.
A vague single line such as "plumbing work" invites a phone call you don't need. business.gov.au lists detailed item descriptions as one way to head off disputes, and each extra line gives the customer an answer before they ask.
5. Calculate the Subtotal, GST, Deposits and Total Due
For a taxable Australian sale invoiced by a GST-registered business, add the line totals to get the subtotal, then add GST at 10% to reach the total including GST. business.gov.au puts GST at 10% on most goods and services sold in Australia. Subtract any deposit already paid to show the balance due.
Here's the calculation for a sample job: replacing an electric hot water system. The figures are sample amounts in Australian dollars, so swap in your own charge out rate and supplier prices.
Your copy of the template stops at Total, so add two rows: Less deposit received and Balance due. Show the deposit separately from labour or materials so the invoice includes the full job value, GST and amount still owed. If you sent a separate deposit invoice, ask your accountant how to show it on the final invoice.
If your New Zealand business is GST-registered and the invoice includes GST, use the 15% rate in IRD's GST guidance, then rename the template's GST line for the New Zealand invoice.
6. Set Clear Payment Terms and Payment Methods
State the number of days the customer has to pay and every payment method you accept. Give the exact details for each one, such as your BSB and account number for bank transfers. Clear payment methods and terms, plus multiple payment options, sit on business.gov.au's list of tips for cutting unpaid invoices.
Write your terms in the Payment Terms and Additional Information box at the bottom of the template. Delete the sample line that says GST included. The template adds GST on top of the subtotal, so it isn't already inside your prices.
- Bank transfer: account name, BSB and account number, with the invoice number as the payment reference.
- Card: a secure payment link in the email, or a card reader on site if you carry one.
- Payment questions: the name, phone number and email of the person who handles invoices.
Match the terms on the invoice to the terms in your quote. If the quote said payment within two weeks, the invoice says the same.
7. See a Completed Plumbing Invoice Example
Here's the hot water job from the calculation step as a finished plumbing invoice example. Every field appears in template order, with the deposit and balance rows from step 5 added under the total. Use it as a line-by-line check against your own invoice, then adjust the wording to suit your business.
All amounts are in Australian dollars. The example carries the heading Tax invoice because the business holds GST registration, and business.gov.au's invoicing guide tells GST-registered businesses to use tax invoices.
Replace the From and Bill to descriptions with your own business details and the customer's details. Include the customer's name on any invoice above the buyer identity threshold from step 2.
8. Check Your Invoice before Sending It
Check eight details before the invoice leaves your outbox: the heading, your ABN, the customer's details, the invoice number, both dates, each line item, the totals and the payment instructions. Tick them off against the list below, then send the invoice and save a copy with the job record so it's easy to find later.
- The heading matches your GST registration status, as set in step 2.
- Your business name sits at the top with your full ABN, or with the New Zealand details from step 2.
- The customer's name and service address match the job record.
- The invoice number is new and follows your last one in sequence.
- Both the invoice date and the due date appear.
- Every line shows a description, quantity, unit price and line total.
- GST matches the rate for your country from step 5, and any deposit shows as its own line.
- The payment terms, methods and bank details match what you agreed with the customer.
In Australia, keep a copy of every invoice for at least 5 years, the legal minimum business.gov.au gives for keeping business records.
9. Know When to Move from a Plumbing Invoice Template to Software
Move to invoicing software when re-typing job details into the template starts to delay your invoices, not when the template looks too simple. The tipping point arrives when invoices wait on paperwork, payments need matching by hand, and prices drift between the copies of the spreadsheet your team keeps for each job.
- You re-type labour hours and parts from job sheets, photos or texts.
- Finished jobs wait days for an invoice because the details are still in the van.
- Someone checks the bank account line by line to see which invoices got paid.
- Different copies of the template carry different prices for the same part.
Before you compare tools, work out your true plumbing cost per job and the plumbing profit margin you're aiming for. Those two numbers show whether the hours lost to invoicing admin justify a software subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make a plumbing invoice?
Create a plumbing invoice with your business and customer details, plus a unique invoice number and both invoice and due dates. Itemise labour and materials, show the GST treatment, calculate the total due and add payment instructions. Then check the result against business.gov.au's invoicing guidance before sending it.
Can I create an invoice myself?
Yes. Create a plumbing invoice yourself in a spreadsheet or document, provided it includes the details required for your business and GST status. Start with the downloadable Excel template above, replace every sample field, check the calculations, and follow business.gov.au's invoice requirements for the final review.
What is legally required on an invoice in Australia?
For a GST-registered Australian business, a tax invoice must identify the seller and show the ABN and issue date. It must also describe the sale, show the price and state the GST amount or that the total includes GST. Additional buyer details apply above $1,000 under business.gov.au's tax-invoice guidance.
Turn Completed Plumbing Jobs into Invoices Faster
Explore AroFlo's mobile invoicing and billing software when you're ready to review a software option. Assess whether moving away from spreadsheets suits the way your team records work, prepares invoices and collects payment. Use the template while it remains accurate and easy to control.
