On the job
Invoice for materials and labour via SMS
The SMS should say labour and materials as two ideas. The invoice should show them as separate lines so neither one hides inside the other.
Two words the customer is already using
Customers ask “how much was labour and how much was materials?” because that is how they judge whether the bill is fair. Answer it in the structure, not in a paragraph. Hours at a rate for labour. Named parts or a materials total for the things you bought. The SMS can be one sentence that says they are separate, plus the link. Do not also add a vague “service” line that re-charges the same hour. If materials were supplied by the customer, the materials total is zero and you should not mention a materials charge at all.
Labour and materials are listed separately, due in 7 days: https://invoicetxt.com/i/your-link
Labour as time or a day rate
Say which. A day rate is still labour.
Materials as things you paid for
Name the expensive ones.
Nothing charged twice
The hour you spent fitting the part is labour. The part is materials. The fitting is not a third fee unless you said so.
The SMS announces the split
The page proves it.
What to put on this invoice
- A labour line with a rate or a day price
- A materials line that is real
- No duplicate service fee
- A sentence that tells them the split exists
Questions about this job
What if I charge a markup on materials?
Include it in the materials price you agreed, or show it as its own line if your quote said you would. Do not hide a markup inside labour.
What about a call-out?
That is neither labour nor materials. Give it a third line or leave it off.
Can the SMS list every screw?
No. The page can summarise small fixings. The SMS should not try.
If they can answer “labour or materials?” from the invoice without calling you, the SMS did its job.
Related guides
Split payment request by text
A split payment is two named amounts: a deposit now and a balance later, or two payers. Each amount gets a sentence. Each payer gets their own invoice.
Open guide →Invoice a client while still on site
Build the invoice before you step off the property, and ask them to open it while you can still answer a question.
Open guide →Send the invoice before leaving the job
The last action on the job is the text, not the packing. If the text is unsent, the job is not finished.
Open guide →