German invoice template
German invoice template with VAT on its own line and sample lines for equipment assembly, factory testing and handover. Not an XRechnung or ZUGFeRD e-invoice.
Templates by country
- Equipment assembly
- Factory performance testing
- Technical handover
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Confirm scope and quantities
Example: reconcile the approval and work record for "Equipment assembly" to establish the quantity for this invoice.
Record delivery and acceptance
Check completion for every line, including "Technical handover". Reconcile delivered quantities with approved specifications and hand over inspection and use or installation records.
Send the billing record
Send the final charges, delivery reference and due date to the customer, then reconcile payment against the invoice number.
A machine builder or installer working for a German customer sends the invoice in German, with the date of supply and the details German bookkeeping expects. This template prints in German and is set up for an equipment job: assembly at the customer’s plant, the performance test and the handover with its documentation. Keeping test and handover apart lets the customer pay for assembly first and release the rest once the acceptance record (Abnahmeprotokoll) is signed, if the contract says so.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Equipment assembly, Factory performance testing, Technical handover: record the quantities actually supplied and the service period.
- Equipment assembly
- Give the machine type, serial number and assembly dates; German invoices need the date of supply, so the dates serve both purposes.
- Factory performance testing
- Refer to the test protocol by number and date, and bill the test at a fixed price unless retests were agreed at a day rate.
- Technical handover
- List what was handed over, such as manuals, wiring diagrams and the declaration of conformity, with the date of the handover meeting.
- Specification and revision
- Record the approved drawing or file revision, material, dimensions, finish and agreed tolerances.
- Setup and production quantity
- Separate one-time setup from per-unit production and define inspection, packing and transport allowances.
- Scope to agree
- Record assembled equipment models and serial numbers, factory test items and the technical handover document list.
Before sending
- Does “Equipment assembly” show the quantity actually supplied, not the quantity first quoted?
- Is “Factory performance testing” charged at the rate the customer agreed to, with any change approved?
- Is “Technical handover” finished and accepted, or does it belong on a later invoice?
Show 4 more
- Define the sample or proof that must be approved before production and its approval deadline.
- Distinguish defect and rework handling from the cost of customer specification changes.
- Match completed work to the order or approval record, and confirm the payment due date and amounts already received.
- Confirm document language (de), country setting (DE), and the customer's currency and date-format requirements.
Worked example with sample figures
The figures below are invented to show how the template adds up: 3 lines in EUR, with VAT at 19%.
| Item | Quantity × unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment assembly | 3 × €120.00 | €360.00 |
| Factory performance testing | 5 × €450.00 | €2,250.00 |
| Technical handover | 6 × €95.00 | €570.00 |
| Subtotal | €3,180.00 | |
| VAT (19%) | €604.20 | |
| Total | €3,784.20 | |
Net amount €3,180.00, VAT €604.20, total payable €3,784.20.
What the document must show
These details make an invoice easier to approve and to file.
- Your business name, address and registration or tax number
- The customer's name and address
- Issue date and a document number you do not reuse
- Each line item with quantity, unit price and amount
- Tax shown separately from the net amount, and the total payable
- Payment terms: due date, bank details or accepted payment methods
- German invoices additionally need the tax number or VAT ID, a sequential invoice number and the date of supply under § 14 UStG. A small business using § 19 UStG shows no VAT and states that exemption on the document instead.
- In Germany, invoices may have to be issued as e-invoices (XRechnung or ZUGFeRD). A document made in QuoteBill is a printable copy, not a registered e-invoice. Check the rules that apply to you.
The VAT here is 19%, applied to the net amount and shown as its own line.
Official rate reference: European Commission: VAT rates
Full requirements: German invoice requirements: the mandatory details
Frequently asked questions
Should the invoice be in German if my customer’s staff read English?
Agree it with the customer. Many German accounts departments prefer German wording, while an international group may accept English. Switching the document language changes the printed labels, not the figures, so either version comes from the same invoice.
How do I bill a deposit on a machine order?
Issue an advance payment invoice for the agreed share when the order is confirmed. On the final invoice, list the whole job and state the advance payments received and the VAT already invoiced on them; ask your tax adviser how to show them in your case.
Where do the fitters’ travel costs go?
On a line of their own, as a lump sum or per day as the order says, with the dates of the trip. Keeping them apart from assembly lets a customer who compares offers see what the distance to your workshop costs.
How is the VAT worked out on this invoice?
In the worked example above, VAT at 19% on the net amount of €3,180.00 is €604.20, so the total is €3,784.20. The editor recalculates all three when you change a quantity, a price or the country.
Can I use it in another language or currency?
Yes. The document language can be set to any of 33 languages, and changing the country setting updates the currency, the date format and the tax rate.
Read next
Reading for the German invoice template: How to write an invoice: a step-by-step example and Invoice numbering: sequences and corrections. The VAT and GST calculator works out the tax line for you.