Quote, invoice, deposit, credit note: which document to send, and when

Many auto-entrepreneurs send only one document: the invoice, at the end. It is the surest way to work two weeks for a client who “had not understood it was that price”. Each document has a different role, moment and legal effect, and the order matters. This article takes them in the order of a real job, from the first exchange to the last transfer.

The quote: before starting, always

The quote describes what you will do, for how much, by when, and on what terms. It binds nobody until it is accepted; once accepted, it becomes the contract. Date it, give it a validity period (30 days is common) and have it accepted in writing: a signature, or a click on an acceptance link that leaves a time-stamped trace. An “ok” on WhatsApp beats nothing, but it is hard to find six months later.

A good quote avoids three arguments: price, scope and deadline. Describe what is included, and above all what is not: number of revisions, travel costs, materials supplied or not, hosting, training. The details to include are the same as on the invoice (your identifiers, the client, the breakdown), plus validity and payment terms. The auto-entrepreneur quote guide gives the full model.

When a quote is not needed

An immediate sale in a shop or at a market, a one-hour repair invoiced on the spot: the quote adds nothing. As soon as there is a delay between agreement and delivery, or an amount above what you would accept to lose, it becomes essential.

The deposit: so you do not finance your client

On a job of several weeks or a purchase of materials, ask for a deposit when the quote is accepted: 30% is the norm, 50% is nothing shocking for a first collaboration or when you advance supplies. The deposit is invoiced with a deposit invoice, which carries a number like any other, is recorded as a payment like any other, and will be deducted from the final invoice. Two tax consequences to know: the deposit received counts immediately in your quarter’s revenue, and it counts towards the ceiling. Nothing complicated, but it is an amount not to forget in the return.

The invoice: on delivery, not before, not too long after

The invoice is issued on delivery or at the end of the service. It repeats the accepted quote, deducts the deposit already paid and states a due date. Too early, it will be disputed; too late, it will be forgotten in the month’s budget. Send it the day you deliver, with the deliverable, and check the nine mandatory details one last time. If the job runs in several lots, invoice each lot delivered: an interim invoice per validated stage beats one big final invoice the client will let drag.

The due date, a choice rather than a detail

Payment on receipt, 15 days, 30 days: set the term in the quote and carry it onto the invoice. With a company, 30 days is common; with an individual, payment on receipt is the rule. The term you grant is what triggers the reminders: the clearer it is, the easier the reminder.

The credit note: to correct without erasing

You got the amount wrong, the client returns a product, a service is cancelled after invoicing: you never delete an issued invoice. You issue a credit note, a negative invoice that cancels all or part of the first, with its own number in its own sequence (A-2026-0001). The invoice sequence stays clean, and the client has a document for its books. If the credit note leads to a refund, record it as a negative payment; if it is offset against a future invoice, say so on that invoice.

The recurring invoice

For a subscription or a monthly package (maintenance, community management, lessons, upkeep), there is no need to redo the quote every month: a framework quote accepted once, then an invoice generated every month on the same date, with the same description and a number that follows the sequence. You save an hour a month and your clients know what to expect. Consultants and trainers on retainers and maintenance providers live on this pattern.

Summary: the right document at the right time

1. 1Before starting: the quote, accepted in writing, with validity and payment terms.
2. 2On acceptance, if the job is long: the deposit invoice (30 to 50%).
3. 3At each delivered lot or at the end: the invoice, deposit deducted, with a due date.
4. 4On error or cancellation after invoicing: the credit note, never deletion.
5. 5Every month for a package: the recurring invoice, from a framework quote.