What a 3D printing invoice is for
Print jobs change once the customer holds the test part: a hole moves, a wall gets thicker, a second test is needed. The invoice should list the run as quoted and each change as its own line with the date, so the total is easy to follow. Getting paid before the box ships keeps a small shop from chasing money after the parts are gone.
What to put on a 3D printing invoice
- Parts printed, with quantity and material.
- Extra test prints or changes, with the date asked.
- Finishing and shipping.
- Deposit received.
- Balance due before shipping.
A worked example
The run of twenty is done. The customer asked for a second test print after moving a screw boss.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test print, enclosure | 2 | part | Your price |
| Printed part, FDM, black PETG enclosure | 20 | part | Your price |
| Model change, screw boss moved | 0.5 | hour | Your price |
| Shipping, ground | 1 | each | Your price |
Two test prints, with the reason in the notes. The second one was the customer's change, not a failed print.
Line items 3D print shops use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Printed part, FDM | part | Material, color, layer height and infill. |
| Printed part, resin | part | Resin type, cure and support removal. |
| Material, by weight | lb | For large prints billed on material used. |
| Machine time | hour | Print hours from the slicer, at your machine rate. |
| Model repair or file prep | hour | Fixing a broken mesh, scaling or orienting. |
| Design or CAD modeling | hour | When the customer has an idea, not a file. |
| Test print or first article | part | One part to check fit before the run. |
| Support removal, sanding and finishing | hour | Smooth, primed or painted, said plainly. |
| Laser cut or engrave | part | Material, size and engraving area. |
| Plate run | batch | A full build plate of identical parts. |
| Setup fee | each | File check, slicing and machine setup, once per order. |
| Minimum order | each | Brings a single small part up to the shop minimum. |
| Shipping | each | Carrier and speed, or local pickup. |
Terms and deposit language for 3D printing
- Deposit. For runs and custom design work, ask for a deposit before printing starts, since printed parts are made for one customer.
- Payment. Balance due before shipping or at pickup.
- Warranty. You warrant that parts match the approved file and test print within your stated tolerances. Fit in the customer's assembly, load ratings and heat resistance are the customer's to check.
- Parts are printed from the file the customer approves; errors in a supplied file are the customer's.
- Color and surface finish can vary between material batches.
- Tolerances depend on the process and material and are stated on the quote.
How to fill it in
- Your business details carry over from any template you used before.
- Fill in who you are billing and the job.
- Check the lines against what you actually did, and add your prices.
- Put any deposit in Already paid, so the balance is right.
- Print, download or send it from Koira with a pay-by-card link.
Free tools for 3D printing
The same invoice for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpentry, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, deck, drywall, duct cleaning, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, glass, gutter, handyman, holiday lighting, home inspection, hood cleaning, hvac, insulation, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, masonry, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, powder coating, pressure washing, property maintenance, remodeling, restoration, roofing, security system, septic, siding, sign shop, snow removal, solar, tile, tree service, water treatment, waterproofing, welding, window cleaning, window and door.
More for 3D print shops: how 3D print shops run on Koira.
Shane Allen writes Koira's guides for trade business owners. How we check our numbers.