Invoice email template set for contractors: 10 sample email invoices for deposits, progress bills, final invoices and change orders, plus subject lines.
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An invoice email template saves you from writing the same message 30 times a month, and it fixes the bigger problem: most invoice emails say too little. "Please see attached" gives your customer no amount, no due date and no easy way to pay. The email that carries the invoice should do all of that on its own, so the customer can pay from their phone without opening the PDF.
Below are 10 sample email invoice templates written for contractors: a standard invoice, a homeowner service call, a deposit, progress and final invoices, a change order, a commercial pay app, a sub billing a GC, a maintenance agreement and a corrected invoice. Each one is ready to copy. This post is about sending invoices. For the emails that go out after the due date, use our payment reminder email templates for contractors.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
A good invoice email format is short and complete. The customer should know what this is, how much, by when and how to pay before they scroll.
| Element | What to write |
|---|---|
| Subject line | Company name, invoice number, amount and due date |
| Greeting | The customer's name, or the AP contact's name on commercial accounts |
| Job reference | Job address, job or PO number, and what phase or work this covers |
| Amount and due date | The exact dollar amount and an exact date, not "Net 15" alone |
| Payment link | A link to pay by card or bank transfer, plus check instructions if you take checks |
| Attachments | The invoice PDF, plus signed change orders, photos or lien waivers when needed |
| Contact | A named person and direct phone number for questions |
The invoice itself still needs every field: license number, itemized lines, deposits applied and the contract summary. Our contractor invoice template has the full layout.
Customers search their inbox by your company name or invoice number when they sit down to pay bills. Make that easy.
| Situation | Subject line |
|---|---|
| Standard | Invoice #1052 from [Company]: $2,480 due Nov 20 |
| Deposit | Deposit invoice #1053 for [job address] |
| Progress | [Company] invoice #1054: milestone 2 (rough-in) complete |
| Final | Final invoice #1055 for [job address] |
| Commercial | PO 88412 / Invoice #1056 / [Project name] / Due Dec 15 |
Copy these, then swap the brackets for your details. Keep the structure: amount, date and link up top, context below.
TEMPLATE 1
Subject: Invoice #[number] from [Company]: [amount] due [date]
Hi [Name],
Thank you for choosing [Company]. Your invoice for [short description of work] at [job address] is attached.
Amount due: [amount]
Due date: [date]
Pay online: [payment link]
You can also pay by check payable to [legal name], mailed to [address]. If you have any questions about the invoice, reply here or call me at [phone].
Thanks,
[Your name]
[Title], [Company]
Service trades often invoice from the truck. Keep it short enough to read on a phone, and send a text with the same link.
TEMPLATE 2
Subject: Your [Company] invoice for today's service call
Hi [Name],
Thanks for having us out today. [Technician] [replaced the capacitor on your AC condenser / repaired the leak under the kitchen sink / replaced the breaker in your main panel], and everything is working.
Total: [amount], due [date]
Pay here: [payment link]
The invoice and photos from the visit are attached. If anything comes up, call us at [phone].
[Company] team
Text version: "Hi [Name], thanks for having [Company] out today. Your invoice for [amount] is ready, due [date]: [payment link]. Questions? Call [phone]."
TEMPLATE 3
Subject: Deposit invoice #[number] for [job address]
Hi [Name],
Thank you for signing with us. As set out in your contract dated [date], the deposit of [amount] ([%] of the contract price) is due by [date]. We will confirm your start date as soon as it is received.
Pay the deposit: [payment link]
This deposit will be applied to your final invoice, and you will see it credited on every invoice until then. Questions? Call me at [phone].
[Your name]
Some states limit how much you can collect up front on residential work, so check your state's home improvement rules before setting a deposit percentage.
TEMPLATE 4
Subject: [Company] invoice #[number]: milestone [#] ([name]) complete
Hi [Name],
Good news: we completed [milestone name] at [job address] on [date]. Per section [#] of your contract, the progress payment of [amount] is now due by [date].
Pay online: [payment link]
The attached invoice shows the contract total, what has been billed and paid to date, and the remaining balance. Next up is [next milestone], which we expect to reach around [date].
Thanks,
[Your name]
TEMPLATE 5
Subject: Final invoice #[number] for [job address]
Hi [Name],
Thank you for trusting us with your [project]. Following our final walkthrough on [date], your final invoice is attached.
Balance due: [amount]
Due date: [date]
Pay online: [payment link]
The invoice includes the original contract, approved change orders, all payments received and your deposit applied, so the balance should match your records. Your warranty information and [inspection sign-off / product registrations] are attached too.
It was a pleasure working with you.
[Your name]
TEMPLATE 6
Subject: Invoice #[number] for change order CO-[#] at [job address]
Hi [Name],
Attached is the invoice for change order CO-[#], [description], which you approved on [date]. A copy of the signed change order is attached for your records.
Amount: [amount], due [date]
Pay online: [payment link]
Your updated contract total is now [amount]. Let me know if you have any questions.
[Your name]
Commercial AP teams match invoices to POs and contracts. Give them every number they need in the subject and the first lines. If you bill with AIA forms, our pay application guide covers the G702 and G703.
TEMPLATE 7
Subject: PO [number] / Pay app #[number] / [Project name] / Period ending [date]
Hello [AP contact name],
Please find attached pay application #[number] for [project name], covering work through [date].
Amount this period: [amount] (retainage held: [amount])
Due date: [date] per contract section [#]
Attached: G702/G703, conditional lien waiver, updated certificate of insurance
ACH details are on file with your vendor team. If you need anything else to process this, please let me know by [date] so it makes this payment cycle.
Thank you,
[Your name], [Title]
[Phone]
TEMPLATE 8
Subject: [Your company] invoice #[number] / [GC job number] / [Project name]
Hi [PM name],
Attached is our invoice for [scope, e.g. electrical rough-in, floors 2 and 3] on [project name], billed per your [date] cutoff.
Amount: [amount], less [%] retainage
Attached: your pay app form, conditional lien waiver, certified payroll for weeks ending [dates] (if required)
Please let me know if your team needs anything changed before it goes into the owner's pay app.
[Your name]
TEMPLATE 9
Subject: Your [Company] [plan name] invoice for [period]
Hi [Name],
Your [plan name] covers [two visits a year / quarterly service] for [equipment or property]. Your invoice for [period] is attached.
Amount: [amount], due [date]
Pay online: [payment link]
Your next visit is scheduled for [date]. Reply to this email if you need a different time.
[Company] team
TEMPLATE 10
Subject: Revised invoice #[number]: replaces invoice sent [date]
Hi [Name],
Thanks for catching that. Attached is a revised invoice #[number] that [removes the duplicate permit fee / applies your deposit / corrects the PO number]. Please disregard the version sent on [date].
Corrected amount: [amount]
Due date: [date]
Pay online: [payment link]
Sorry for the confusion, and thank you.
[Your name]
The note field on the invoice itself is a second chance to make paying easy. Keep it to one or two lines. Some invoice message examples:
If your contract includes a late charge, you can note it here, but only if it is in the signed contract and allowed under your state's law. Rules vary by state, so check with a construction attorney before you add one.
If you invoice from QuickBooks Online, you can edit the default email message for invoices in your sales settings, so every invoice goes out with your wording instead of the generic text. Paste in template 1 above, using QuickBooks' own fields for the customer name and invoice number where they fit. Then turn on online payments so the email includes a pay button.
What QuickBooks does not do well is the follow-up. That is where AR Workflow's QuickBooks collections picks up: it syncs your open invoices from QuickBooks Online and follows up on each one by email, two-way text and ringless voicemail from a dedicated number, with card and ACH payment links, and payments post back to QuickBooks.
The invoice email is step one. If the due date passes, switch to reminders: a friendly note a few days after, a call or voicemail a week later, and a firmer notice with a specific pay-by date after that. Our payment reminder email templates have the wording for each step, and automated payment reminders can send them on schedule and stop the moment the customer pays.
Bring one overdue invoice.
We'll show you exactly how it would be followed up, and what your customer would see when they pay.
Use a subject line with your company name, invoice number, amount and due date. In the body, greet the customer by name, say what the invoice is for, state the amount and exact due date, include a payment link, attach the invoice PDF and give a named contact. Keep it under 120 words.
Template 1 above works for most jobs: "Hi [Name], thank you for choosing [Company]. Your invoice for [work] at [address] is attached. Amount due: [amount]. Due date: [date]. Pay online: [link]." Adjust it for deposits, progress bills and final invoices using templates 3 to 5.
Both. Attach the PDF for the customer's records and include a payment link in the email body. Many homeowners pay from their phone and never open the attachment.
The same day the work or milestone is finished, during business hours. For commercial accounts, send before the customer's billing cutoff so your invoice makes their next payment run.
An invoice email delivers a new bill and sets the due date. A payment reminder goes out before or after that date for an invoice the customer already has. They need different wording, so keep separate templates for each.
Related reading
Your invoice, not a feature tour.
Bring one overdue invoice to a demo and see what AR Workflow would send, when, and how your customer would pay.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Deposit limits and late charge rules vary by state; talk to a construction attorney about your situation.
Sam owned and ran three restoration companies for more than 14 years and collected over $100 million in receivables. He built AR Workflow in 2020 to give contractors the collections system he wished he'd had.
AI writes the emails, sends the texts, and leaves the voicemails. Your team handles the conversations that matter, and your cash keeps moving.
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