How to write an invoice that actually gets paid

The checklist

1. 1Your registered business name, exactly as it appears on the CAC certificate.
2. 2Your TIN.
3. 3A unique invoice number that never repeats.
4. 4Invoice date and a clear due date, "net 14 days" beats "on receipt".
5. 5The buyer's registered name and address, spelled correctly.
6. 6Their purchase order or reference number, if they gave you one.
7. 7A line for each item with quantity, unit price and line total.
8. 8VAT shown separately, if you are registered for it.
9. 9Bank details: account name matching the business name, account number, bank.

Why it matters

An invoice that fails any one of these usually goes into a query pile rather than a payment run, and nobody tells you. Getting it right the first time is the cheapest cash-flow improvement available to a small business.