Invoice & quote generator

How to use the invoice and quote generator

Use this free invoice and quote generator to prepare a South African business document with clear line items, discounts and VAT-aware totals. Choose an invoice for billing or a quotation for proposed work. The tool creates a document preview and PDF; it does not send the document to your customer, collect payment or maintain your accounting ledger.

Start by choosing the document type and confirming whether your business is VAT registered. Enter the supplier details, document number, issue date and payment due date or quote validity date. Add the client's details and describe each product or service clearly enough for the client to recognise the work.

For each line, enter the quantity, unit price and any discount percentage. Unit prices are treated as VAT exclusive. VAT-registered suppliers can choose whether VAT applies to each line. Do not select VAT merely because the customer asks for a tax invoice. Your registration status and the treatment of the supply determine the correct setting.

Add payment details and notes, generate the document and review the preview. Correct any errors before downloading the PDF. Keep the issued copy in your records and record its number in your accounting system. Reusing a previous number can make payment matching and later corrections harder.

How the calculations work

Each line starts with quantity multiplied by unit price. The tool applies the percentage discount to that amount, then rounds the net line amount to cents. If the supplier is VAT registered and the line is marked taxable, it calculates VAT at the supplied standard rate of 15% and rounds the VAT to cents.

The subtotal is the sum of the rounded net amounts. The VAT total is the sum of the rounded line VAT. The grand total adds those two totals. Because VAT rounds per line, a manually calculated percentage of the overall subtotal can differ slightly from the sum of individual rounded amounts.

For VAT invoices, the supplied rules require a full tax invoice when consideration exceeds R5,000. An abridged tax invoice is allowed for R5,000 or less. No tax invoice is required for R50 or less, but a till slip should be kept. Issue the tax invoice within 21 days of the supply. The generator's basic checks are not a complete legal review of every invoice requirement.

Hypothetical worked examples

These examples are invented and assume the stated VAT settings are correct for the supplier and supply.

A standard-rated service

A hypothetical VAT-registered supplier invoices two units at R1,000 each, with no discount. The net amount is R2,000, VAT is R300 and the total is R2,300. Entering a VAT-inclusive unit price instead would overstate this example's intended charge.

A discounted quotation

A hypothetical quotation has three units at R2,000 each and a 10% discount. The undiscounted amount is R6,000, the discount is R600 and the net amount is R5,400. With standard-rated VAT, VAT is R810 and the quoted total is R6,210. A quotation does not replace the later invoice.

A supplier not registered for VAT

A hypothetical non-registered business bills one service at R800. The total remains R800 and no VAT amount appears. The document is an invoice, not a VAT tax invoice, regardless of whether the client is VAT registered.

Frequently asked questions

Does the tool store invoice numbers permanently?

No. Maintain your own numbering records in your accounting system. The tool cannot check whether you issued a number previously or reconcile customer payments.

Can a non-registered business charge VAT?

Do not turn on VAT for a business that is not VAT registered. The generator's non-registered setting omits VAT and identifies the document accordingly.

Does checking a VAT number confirm registration?

No. The generator checks the South African format of 10 digits starting with 4. Registration and supplier identity require separate confirmation with SARS.

What should I check before downloading?

Review the recipient, dates, descriptions, quantities, VAT treatment, totals and payment details. Resolve displayed errors and confirm the document reflects the actual transaction.

Can Smartbook help with the records behind these documents?

For bookkeeping, payroll and monthly reporting support, see Smartbook's accounting services. Generating a PDF is only one step in keeping accurate business records.