If you are looking for an invoice template in Finland, you may be wondering what information a Finnish invoice needs to include and how to create one in English. This is especially relevant for freelancers, small businesses, consultants and companies working with international customers.
The easiest option is often to use an online invoice tool rather than building an invoice from scratch. With LaskuMaker.fi, you can create a clear invoice online and use it when you need to invoice customers in Finland or abroad.
A good invoice should be easy for the customer to understand and contain all the information needed to identify the seller, buyer, services or products, amount due and payment terms.
What is an invoice template?
An invoice template is a ready-made structure that helps you create an invoice without designing the entire document yourself.
A typical invoice template includes fields for:
- Seller information
- Customer information
- Invoice number
- Invoice date
- Due date
- Description of products or services
- Quantity
- Unit price
- VAT
- Total amount
- Payment information
- Payment reference, when applicable
Using a template can save time and make your invoices more consistent.
Instead of creating a new Word or Excel document every time you need to send an invoice, you can use an invoice tool where the required fields are already structured for invoicing.
What should a Finnish invoice include?
The exact requirements depend on the situation, the type of transaction and the parties involved. However, a professional Finnish invoice generally contains several important pieces of information.
1. Seller information
Start with the information about the company or person issuing the invoice.
This can include:
- Business name
- Address
- Business ID (Y-tunnus), when applicable
- Contact information
- Bank account details
If you are a Finnish company, using your official business information makes the invoice easier for your customer to identify.
2. Customer information
The invoice should clearly identify the customer.
For a business customer, this normally includes the company’s legal name and relevant address information.
If you are invoicing an international customer, make sure the customer’s information is written correctly and in a format they can easily understand.
3. Invoice number
Every invoice should have a clear invoice number.
For example:
Invoice No. 1001
The next invoice could be:
Invoice No. 1002
Consistent invoice numbering makes it easier to keep track of invoices and accounting records.
4. Invoice date
The invoice date tells the customer when the invoice was issued.
For international customers, using an unambiguous date format can help prevent confusion. For example, writing 15 September 2026 is often clearer internationally than using a numeric date format that could be interpreted differently.
5. Due date
The due date tells the customer when payment is expected.
For example:
Due date: 15 October 2026
Clearly displaying the due date makes the payment terms easy to understand.
How to create an invoice in English
Creating an English invoice in Finland does not have to be complicated.
You can use an online invoice tool such as LaskuMaker.fi and enter the required invoice information.
A simple process looks like this:
Step 1: Add your business information
Enter your company name, address and other relevant details.
If you have a Finnish Business ID, include it on the invoice.
For international customers, you may also need to provide additional tax information depending on the transaction.
Step 2: Add your customer’s information
Enter the customer’s name, company name and address.
Double-check spelling, especially when invoicing a company in another country.
Step 3: Add the invoice number and dates
Give the invoice a unique number and add the invoice date and due date.
For example:
Invoice No.: 1045
Invoice date: 27 September 2026
Due date: 27 October 2026
Step 4: Describe the product or service
The invoice should make it clear what the customer is paying for.
For example:
Website design services – September 2026
You can also include quantity and unit price.
For example:
| Description | Quantity | Unit price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consulting services | 10 hours | €80 | €800 |
The invoice should then clearly show the applicable VAT and total amount.
Step 5: Add payment information
International customers need clear instructions for making the payment.
For a Finnish bank account, you may include:
- Account holder
- IBAN
- BIC/SWIFT
- Payment reference
- Due date
- Total amount
For international payments, IBAN and BIC/SWIFT information can be particularly important.
Useful English invoice terms
If you normally create invoices in Finnish, some of the terminology can be confusing when you need to prepare an English invoice.
Here are common Finnish-to-English invoice terms:
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Lasku | Invoice |
| Laskunumero | Invoice number |
| Laskun päivämäärä | Invoice date |
| Eräpäivä | Due date |
| Asiakas | Customer |
| Laskuttaja | Seller / Supplier |
| Tuote | Product |
| Palvelu | Service |
| Määrä | Quantity |
| Yksikköhinta | Unit price |
| Veroton hinta | Price excluding VAT |
| Arvonlisävero | VAT |
| Verollinen hinta | Price including VAT |
| Yhteensä | Total |
| Maksuehto | Payment terms |
| Viitenumero | Payment reference |
| Tilinumero | Bank account |
| Maksettava | Amount due |
Knowing these terms makes it much easier to create an invoice for an English-speaking customer.
Example of an English invoice
A simple English invoice could look like this:
INVOICE
Seller
Example Consulting Oy
Example Street 10
00100 Helsinki
Finland
Business ID: 1234567-8
Bill To
Customer Company Ltd
Customer Street 20
London
United Kingdom
Invoice number: 1001
Invoice date: 27 September 2026
Due date: 27 October 2026
Description:
Consulting services – September 2026
Quantity: 10 hours
Unit price: €100
Subtotal: €1,000
VAT: €XXX
Total: €X,XXX
Payment information:
IBAN: FI00 0000 0000 0000 00
BIC/SWIFT: XXXXXXXX
This is only an example structure. The correct VAT treatment and other invoice details depend on the specific transaction.
Invoice template for international customers
An English invoice is particularly useful when your customer is outside Finland.
For international customers, clarity becomes even more important because the customer may not be familiar with Finnish invoicing practices.
Instead of relying on Finnish terms such as “lasku”, “eräpäivä” or “viitenumero”, an English invoice can use familiar terms such as:
- Invoice
- Due date
- Payment terms
- Amount due
- Bank details
- Payment reference
This reduces unnecessary confusion.
You should also consider the currency used on the invoice. If you invoice in euros, make the currency clear by using EUR or € consistently.
Should you use Word, Excel or an online invoice generator?
There are several ways to create an invoice template in Finland.
Word invoice template
A Word template can work for occasional invoicing.
You create a document containing the necessary fields and update it whenever you send a new invoice.
The disadvantage is that you have to maintain the template yourself. You also need to make sure that important information is not accidentally deleted or changed.
Excel invoice template
Excel can be useful when you want calculations to be automated.
For example, you can create formulas for quantities, unit prices, VAT and totals.
However, an Excel invoice still requires you to manage the template and make sure that the calculations and invoice details are correct.
Online invoice generator
An online invoice generator can be a simpler option when you want to create an invoice quickly.
With LaskuMaker.fi, you can create an invoice online instead of building the document manually.
This can be especially convenient for freelancers and small businesses that only need to create invoices occasionally.
Invoice template vs. full invoicing software
Not every business needs a complete invoicing system.
If you send only a few invoices per month, a simple invoice generator may be enough.
A full invoicing or accounting system becomes more relevant when you need features such as:
- Recurring invoices
- Customer management
- Payment tracking
- Automatic reminders
- E-invoicing
- Accounting integrations
- Sales reporting
- Multiple users
The right choice depends on how much invoicing your business does and how much automation you need.
What about VAT on an English invoice?
VAT is one of the most important things to check when preparing an invoice in Finland.
The correct VAT treatment depends on factors such as:
- What you are selling
- Whether you are selling goods or services
- Where the customer is located
- Whether the customer is a business or consumer
- Whether the transaction is domestic or international
- Your own VAT status
For this reason, you should not simply copy the VAT percentage from another invoice.
If you are unsure how VAT should be handled, check the current guidance from the Finnish Tax Administration or consult an accounting professional.
For international sales, the VAT treatment can differ significantly from domestic sales.
Common mistakes when creating an English invoice
Even a simple invoice can contain mistakes. Before sending your invoice, check the following.
The customer’s information is incorrect
Make sure the customer’s company name and address are correct.
The invoice number is missing
Use a consistent numbering system for your invoices.
The payment terms are unclear
Always show when the payment is due.
The service description is too vague
Explain what the customer is paying for. A detailed description makes the invoice easier to understand.
VAT is handled incorrectly
Do not assume that every customer or transaction should be treated in the same way.
Bank information is incomplete
International customers may need your IBAN and BIC/SWIFT information to make a payment.
The currency is unclear
If you invoice in euros, clearly indicate EUR or €.
How to make a professional invoice in Finland
A professional invoice does not need a complicated design.
In most cases, clarity is more important than decoration.
A good invoice should allow the customer to quickly answer five questions:
- Who sent this invoice?
- What am I being charged for?
- How much do I need to pay?
- When do I need to pay?
- How do I make the payment?
If your invoice answers these questions clearly, it is already doing its main job.
Using a consistent layout for every invoice also gives your business a more professional appearance.
Create your Finnish or English invoice online
If you need an invoice template in Finland, you do not necessarily need to create your own Word or Excel template.
For occasional invoicing, an online invoice tool can be a faster way to create a clear and professional invoice.
LaskuMaker.fi can be used when you want to create an invoice online without building the entire invoice layout yourself.
Whether you are invoicing a Finnish customer or preparing an English invoice for an international client, the most important thing is to make sure that the invoice contains the necessary information and that the tax treatment is correct.
A clear invoice makes it easier for your customer to understand the purchase, process the payment and keep their own accounting records in order.