Product inspection invoice
Invoice template for quality control agencies: sample visual inspection, functional inspection and inspection results documentation. Excel or Word.
Templates by industry
- Sample visual inspection
- Functional inspection
- Inspection results documentation
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Confirm scope and quantities
Example: reconcile the approval and work record for "Sample visual inspection" to establish the quantity for this invoice.
Record delivery and acceptance
Check completion for every line, including "Inspection results documentation". Link subject identifiers to results and deliver observations and agreed follow-up actions.
Send the billing record
Send the final charges, delivery reference and due date to the customer, then reconcile payment against the invoice number.
Quality control agencies invoice a buyer or importer for inspecting goods before they ship, usually at the supplier’s factory. The visual check of a sample, the functional tests and the written report are billed separately, because some buyers order only a visual inspection and others need full testing. Quote the buyer’s order number or style number and the inspection date, so the buyer can match the charge to the report and to the shipment it released or held back.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Sample visual inspection, Functional inspection, Inspection results documentation: record the quantities actually supplied and the service period.
- Sample visual inspection
- Enter the inspector-days or the number of lots inspected, and state the sample size drawn from each lot.
- Functional inspection
- Name the tests run, such as power-on or fit checks, and the number of units tested.
- Inspection results documentation
- Give the report number and the date it was sent, and whether photos of the defects are included.
- Subjects and quantities
- Record sample, asset or site counts, identifiers, test items and accessible areas.
- Method and report
- Specify agreed methods, report format, delivery deadline and whether retesting is included.
- Scope to agree
- Record inspected lots and sample counts, visual and functional coverage, and the report containing defect observations.
Before sending
- Does “Sample visual inspection” show the quantity actually supplied, not the quantity first quoted?
- Is “Functional inspection” charged at the rate the customer agreed to, with any change approved?
- Is “Inspection results documentation” finished and accepted, or does it belong on a later invoice?
Show 3 more
- Separate visit, collection and transport costs from analysis and reporting.
- Document inaccessible areas and excluded tests before work starts.
- Match completed work to the order or approval record, and confirm the payment due date and amounts already received.
Worked example with sample figures
The figures below are invented to show how the template adds up: 3 lines in USD, with an example tax rate of 8%.
| Item | Quantity × unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sample visual inspection | 8 × $95.00 | $760.00 |
| Functional inspection | 4 × $650.00 | $2,600.00 |
| Inspection results documentation | 5 × $650.00 | $3,250.00 |
| Subtotal | $6,610.00 | |
| Sales tax (8%) | $528.80 | |
| Total | $7,138.80 | |
Net amount $6,610.00, sales tax $528.80, total payable $7,138.80.
What the document must show
The details an invoice has to show, and why each one matters, are set out in the guide below.
The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending.
Official rate reference: US government: state and local taxes
Full requirements: How to write an invoice: a step-by-step example
Frequently asked questions
How do I bill a re-inspection after a lot failed?
Bill it as a new line with its own date and the original report number, at your re-inspection rate. Buyers often pass this cost on to the supplier, so a clear separate line makes that easier for them.
Should travel to the factory be a separate line?
If you charge travel separately, yes, with the factory location and the travel days. If your day rate already includes travel within a region, say so in the notes, so the buyer does not look for a missing charge.
What if the factory was not ready on the booked day?
Charge a wasted visit only if your terms allow it, and note the date and what was not ready, such as goods not yet packed. The buyer will want that record when discussing the delay with the supplier.
How is the sales tax worked out on this invoice?
The worked example above uses an example rate of 8%: $528.80 on a net amount of $6,610.00, for a total of $7,138.80. The editor recalculates all three when you change a quantity, a price or the country.
How should I number invoices?
Use one unbroken sequence per business, never reuse a number, and issue a credit note rather than deleting an invoice you have already sent.
Read next
Reading for the Product inspection invoice: How to write an invoice: a step-by-step example and Invoice payment terms: Net 15, Net 30, due dates. The VAT and GST calculator works out the tax line for you.