Your business
Invoice
No. INV-2026-001
| Description | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add a line to get started. | |||
Subtotal$0.00
Total$0.00
Invoice numbers
Each document type gets its own numbered series: INV-2026-001 for invoices, EST- for estimates, PS- for US packing slips. The generator proposes the next number from the documents saved in this browser, and once a document is issued, it keeps that reference. The UK and France have written rules; we found none for the United States.
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Amount due$0.00
One series per document type
Invoices start with INV-, estimates with EST-, receipts with REC-, credit notes with CN-, proforma invoices with PF-, delivery notes with DN- (PS- for a US packing slip), and purchase orders with PO-. The year comes next, then a counter: INV-2026-001, INV-2026-002. Each series counts on its own, so an estimate never uses up an invoice number.
The next number, proposed for you
When you start a new document, the generator looks at what is kept in “My documents” and proposes the one after the last of the year. Switching a document that was never issued from estimate to invoice changes its prefix too. Type your own number at any time: from then on, the generator leaves it alone.
Issued numbers stay put
Once you download or share a document, it is recorded as issued. Opening it again from “My documents” keeps its reference, while “Duplicate (next month)” and “Create invoice” start a new one instead of reusing it.
What the UK and France require
United Kingdom: a VAT invoice shows a sequential number (HMRC, VAT Notice 700, § 16.3.1), and every invoice needs a unique identification number (gov.uk, Invoicing and taking payment from customers); the UK VAT invoice page covers the rest. France: a unique number taken from a chronological, continuous sequence (Entreprendre Service Public, fiche F31808).
In the United States
We found no federal rule on invoice numbering. A clear series without gaps still makes it easier for you and your client to match each payment to the right bill; the US invoice guide lists what an invoice usually shows. Other guides cover each country's rules.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start at a number other than 001?
Yes. Type the number you want, for example INV-2026-120; once that document is saved, the next one continues from it.
Does a gap in the numbers matter?
In France, the sequence has to be continuous (fiche F31808); elsewhere, check the rules that apply to you. Deleting a document from “My documents” does not renumber the others.
Are numbers shared between my devices?
No. They come from the documents saved in this browser; on another device, type the next number yourself. To correct a bill that was already sent, issue a credit note.
Sources
- HM Revenue & Customs (gov.uk) — « VAT guide (VAT Notice 700), § 7.6, 14.2, 16.2.1, 16.2.3, 16.2.4, 16.3.1, 16.4, 16.6.1, 17.3, 17.5.1 and 18.2.3 (updated 25 June 2026) », read on October 11, 2026.
- gov.uk — « Invoicing and taking payment from customers: Invoices, what they must include (sole traders, limited companies); Overview (invoice and receipt) (updated 7 August 2015) », read on October 12, 2026.
- Entreprendre Service Public — « Mentions obligatoires sur une facture (vérifiée le 11/08/2026) ; références : Code de commerce, art. L441-9 ; CGI, annexe II, art. 242 nonies A ; loi n° 2023-1322 », read on October 19, 2026.