How to invoice a customer from your phone
You don't need accounting software to send a clean invoice. You need the right five details, a way to send it and a way for the customer to pay.
Reviewed September 29, 2026 · Mandalo
What every invoice should include
- Your business name and contact info.
- The customer's name (and billing address if they need one for their records).
- An invoice number. Any consistent scheme works, like INV-000001, INV-000002.
- Issue date and due date. A due date is the single biggest nudge to pay on time.
- Itemized lines: each service with its price, so the total never surprises anyone.
- The total and how to pay. A payment link on the invoice itself beats "mail a check to...".
Steady Hands Home Services
Invoice INV-000012
Billed to
Chris W.
Due Oct 20, 2026
- TV wall mount$120.00
- Shelf installation (2)$90.00
- Door hinge repair$45.00
Invoicing from your phone in five steps
- Open your invoicing tool and choose to create an invoice.
- Enter the customer's name, plus their email or phone number.
- Add a line for each service and its price. The tool should add up the total for you.
- Set a due date. Same-day to 14 days is typical for service work.
- Send it and watch for the paid status.
In Mandalo, choose Invoice in the payment composer, enter the customer's name and dates, and add up to 50 service lines. The customer gets a page with your itemized invoice and a Pay now button that goes to a secure checkout. They can also print or save the invoice as a PDF. Once it's paid, the invoice links to the receipt.
Send your first itemized invoice from your phone with Mandalo. No monthly fee.
Invoice or payment link: which one?
| Situation | Use |
|---|---|
| Quick job, one price, customer standing there | A simple payment link |
| Several services or materials on one job | An itemized invoice |
| The customer needs paperwork for their records or business | An itemized invoice |
| Repeat customer who trusts you | A payment link with a clear note |
Common invoicing mistakes
- Sending it days after the job. Send it the same day.
- No due date. "Whenever" means never.
- One lump sum with no detail on larger jobs.
- Making the customer figure out how to pay. Put the pay button on the invoice.
Want a ready-made layout? Copy from our free service invoice template.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need accounting software to send invoices?
No. For most solo owners a simple invoice with itemized lines, a due date and a payment link is enough. Accounting software can come later if your bookkeeping grows.
Can customers pay an invoice online?
With Mandalo they can. The customer's invoice page has a Pay now button that opens a secure Stripe checkout for the invoice total.
Does Mandalo do recurring invoices or automatic reminders?
Not yet. Today you create each invoice or payment request yourself, and you send reminders yourself. The dashboard shows what's pending and overdue so you know who to nudge.
Send your first payment link today
No monthly fee. Mandalo charges $1.50 per successful payment, plus Stripe's standard processing fees.