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PDF Invoice Appearance

Understanding how your invoices and quotes appear as PDFs helps you create professional documents that impress your clients. This guide covers the PDF layout, sections, and styling in LiteWork.

PDF Generation Overview

When you generate a PDF in LiteWork (via the Print/Download button), the system creates a professionally formatted document that includes:

  • Your company header and logo
  • Client information
  • Line items organized by sections
  • Totals and tax summary
  • Notes and additional information
  • Xero Online Invoice Link (if synced)

Document Header

The header section displays:

  • Company Logo: If uploaded in your company settings
  • Company Name: Your business name
  • Document Type: “INVOICE” or “QUOTE”
  • Document Number: e.g., INV-0043
  • Date: Issue date
  • Due Date: Payment due date (invoices only)

Client Information

Below the header, client details are displayed:

  • Contact name
  • Company name (if applicable)
  • Address
  • Email and phone

Line Items and Sections

Section Headers

If you’ve organized your line items into sections, each section appears with:

  • Section name (bold heading)
  • Clear visual separation from other sections
  • Proper spacing for readability

Line Item Layout

Each line item shows:

  • Description: Item name and details
  • Quantity: Number of units
  • Unit Price: Price per unit
  • Amount: Total for the line item

Extended Descriptions

If you’ve used extended descriptions with rich text formatting, the formatting is preserved in the PDF (bold, italic, lists, etc.).

Totals Section

The totals section at the bottom shows:

  • Subtotal: Total before tax
  • Tax (GST): Tax amount
  • Total: Final amount due

If you have multiple tax rates or discounts, these are itemized separately.

Notes Section

The notes section appears at the bottom of the invoice, providing space for:

  • Payment terms
  • Bank details
  • Special instructions
  • Thank you messages

The notes section is bottom-aligned and won’t overlap with your line items, even on multi-page invoices.

Xero Online Invoice Link

If your invoice is synced to Xero, a link section appears at the bottom:

View & Pay Online: [Link]

This allows clients receiving printed invoices to easily access the online version for payment.

Page Breaks

For invoices with many line items, LiteWork handles page breaks intelligently:

  • Section headers won’t be orphaned at the bottom of a page
  • Line items stay together when possible
  • Column headers repeat on each page
  • Totals appear on the final page

Tips for Professional-Looking Invoices

Use Sections

Group related items into sections for better organization. This is especially useful for complex quotes or itemized invoices.

Keep Descriptions Clear

Write concise, clear descriptions. Use extended descriptions only when additional detail is needed.

Upload a Logo

Add your company logo in Settings → Company for branded invoices.

Fill in Notes

Use the notes section for payment terms, bank details, or a professional closing message.

Review Before Sending

Always preview your PDF before sending to catch any formatting issues.

Troubleshooting

Content overlapping?

  • Try reducing the number of items per section
  • Shorten very long descriptions
  • Check that notes aren’t excessively long

Logo not appearing?

  • Verify the logo is uploaded in Company Settings
  • Check the image format (PNG or JPG recommended)
  • Ensure the image isn’t corrupted

Formatting lost in extended descriptions?

  • Use basic formatting (bold, italic, lists)
  • Avoid complex tables or images in descriptions

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