What is in this template
A wholesale order from a supplier to a cafe: two products with real unit quantities, a round discount off the order, and sales tax on the result.
| Line | Detail | Amount |
|---|
| House blend coffee beans, 5 lb bags | 12 at $28 | $336.00 |
| Compostable cups and lids (case) | 4 at $36 | $144.00 |
| Subtotal | | $480.00 |
| Discount | Fixed $25 | -$25.00 |
| Sales tax | 7.5% of $455.00 | $34.13 |
| Total due | | $489.13 |
The tax line is the detail worth noticing. It is calculated on $455, the subtotal after the discount, not on the original $480. That is the order almost every tax authority expects, and it is the order this tool uses so you do not have to think about it.
Why a fixed discount instead of a percentage
Product invoices tend to carry negotiated amounts rather than negotiated rates. “$25 off this order” is something a customer remembers and can check; 5.2% off is neither. The tool supports both, and a fixed discount cannot exceed the subtotal, so you cannot accidentally produce a negative invoice.
If you run standing trade terms, such as 10% for wholesale accounts, the percentage discount is the better fit because it scales with the order and needs no arithmetic when the order size changes.
Describing goods so nobody has to ask
- Include the unit in the description. “5 lb bags” and “case” are doing real work here. A quantity of 12 means nothing on its own.
- Add the SKU or product code if the customer orders by code. It goes on the front of the description and makes the invoice match their purchase order line for line.
- Reference the order. The notes field in this template carries a wholesale order number. If a customer places several orders a month, this is what lets them approve the right one.
- Put delivery on its own line. If you charge for shipping, show it as a line item rather than folding it into unit prices. Whether delivery is taxable can differ from whether the goods are, which is a local question worth asking once.
Sales tax on physical goods
This is genuinely local and we are not going to pretend otherwise. Rates differ by state, province, and country; some goods are zero rated or exempt; selling to a customer in another jurisdiction can change which rate applies or whether you charge any; and a customer with a resale certificate may be exempt entirely.
What holds generally: the tax has to appear as its own amount rather than buried in the prices, your registration number usually has to be on the document, and you should not add a tax line if you are not registered to collect it. If you sell physical products across borders, that is worth one conversation with an accountant rather than a monthly guess.
Repeat orders
Regular customers create two small problems. The first is numbering: every invoice needs its own reference, and reusing one because you copied last month’s file causes a bookkeeping mess on both sides. The numbering guide covers keeping a sequence straight when no software is counting for you.
The second is your own details. The tool remembers your business name, contact details, and logo in this browser as a small business profile, so the next invoice starts with your side already filled in and you only enter the customer and the order. Nothing about that profile is uploaded, and Privacy names the storage key it uses.
Related reading
How to write an invoice walks through every field with a worked total, and payment terms explained covers deposits, early payment discounts, and late fees. For service work instead of products, see the freelance and consultant templates.