What to put on your car sales invoice
A useful sales invoice lets both parties identify the vehicle, see the agreed charges and understand the amount left to pay. This is a practical checklist for the DealerSlip template.
| Section | Details to prepare |
|---|---|
| Dealership | Business name, address, contact details and your logo, if you use one. |
| Invoice reference | A reference you can recognise, the invoice date and a collection date when known. |
| Buyer | Name or company, address, email and phone number. |
| Vehicle | Registration, make, model, derivative, mileage, first registration date, VIN and stock reference. |
| Price | Vehicle price, separately named extras and the applicable tax treatment. |
| Payments | Deposits or other payments already received, finance and the remaining balance. |
| Terms | The actual warranty and other terms agreed for this sale. |
A worked sales invoice example
The vehicle price and any extras make up the sale total. Payments received reduce the balance. Keep the lines separate so the buyer can follow the calculation.
Illustrative amounts only. No part exchange or finance in this example.
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| Volkswagen Golf · LK19 WZE | £13,495.00 |
| Delivery | £150.00 |
| Sale total | £13,645.00 |
| Less deposit received | £500.00 |
| Balance to collect | £13,145.00 |
If the customer brings a part exchange, record its allowance and finance settlement in the part-exchange section. Avoid putting it in as an ordinary payment as well: that would count the same credit twice.
Create the invoice in DealerSlip
- Set up your dealership. Open Dealership and enter the details you want printed on your documents.
- Complete Vehicle and Buyer. Enter the vehicle's identifying details and the customer's name and address. Use the full first-registration date when you know it.
- Complete Price. Enter the selling price and any extras. Review the tax option for the actual transaction. Add a part exchange if there is one.
- Complete Payment. Record payments already received, any finance, the invoice reference, dates and your terms.
- Review the Sales invoice preview. Check the registration, buyer, amounts and balance before downloading the document pack.
Checks before you share it
- Compare the registration and VIN against the vehicle records.
- Check the mileage and first-registration date rather than filling a missing detail with a guess.
- Confirm that extras are named clearly and the total matches the agreed deal.
- Only record money as received once you have confirmed it.
- Read the final warranty and terms. An editable template does not decide those terms for you.
- Keep the downloaded PDF with your own sale records.
Choosing the tax treatment: this guide explains the document workflow, not which VAT treatment applies to your business or vehicle. Confirm the correct treatment with your accountant before issuing the invoice.
Common questions
Can I use this without downloading a Word template?
Yes. DealerSlip is an online editor. You fill in the deal and download a finished PDF, so there is no Word or spreadsheet layout to adjust.
Can I save the invoice and return to it?
Yes. Use Save draft in the tool. As a guest, work stays in that browser. Sign in with Google for an account workspace that you can use across devices.
Does the invoice prove payment?
The sales invoice sets out the sale and its balance. Record confirmed payments in the Payment step and use the payment receipt to show the payments you have entered.