How to create a branded PDF invoice with Port233
Invoice Studio creates an A4 PDF in your browser without an account. This walkthrough uses an illustrative website-maintenance invoice to explain the workflow, what gets saved and what to check before sending the file. It describes the tool, not the legal or tax requirements for your business.
1. Set up your business and branding
Open the invoice generator and choose Minimal, Classic or Bold. Add an optional PNG or JPEG logo up to 2 MB and choose a brand colour. The live preview shows how your design and details fit together; longer invoices continue onto more pages in the downloaded PDF.
Enter your legal business name, address and an email address or phone number. A trading name is optional. Under Payment & numbering, add the payment details you want printed, a prefix and the next invoice number. These fields are your reusable business setup. Check account details carefully before sharing an invoice.
2. Choose the currency and tax mode
Choose from GBP, EUR, USD, CAD, AUD, NZD, CHF, GHS, NGN, ZAR, INR, JPY, CNY, AED, SAR, KWD, BHD or OMR. GBP is the starting currency. Changing currency changes the denomination; it does not convert your entered prices. Review every amount after switching.
No tax adds no tax to your items. Custom tax applies your chosen name and percentage to every item. UK VAT exposes per-item VAT treatments. You choose the mode and rate; Invoice Studio does not determine your tax status or whether an invoice meets local requirements. Use the mode appropriate to your circumstances.
If you select UK VAT and have positive VAT in a currency other than GBP, the app asks for a manual GBP-per-unit exchange rate to display the sterling VAT amount. It does not fetch a live exchange rate. No tax and Custom tax do not need that field.
3. Work through a simple example
Suppose a fictional studio bills for three hours of website maintenance at £80 per hour. Select GBP and No tax for this illustrative example, enter the client name and address, then add a clear description, quantity 3 and unit price 80. The total should be £240. This example demonstrates arithmetic, not when a business may charge no tax.
Use an invoice reference you recognise, check the issue and supply dates, and add an optional due date or payment terms. A useful description explains the work and period covered, such as ‘Website maintenance — October updates’, rather than only ‘Services’.
| Line | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Website maintenance | 3 hours × £80.00 | £240.00 |
| Tax in this example | No tax selected | £0.00 |
| Invoice total | £240.00 + £0.00 | £240.00 |
4. Review and download your PDF
Check the business and client details, reference, dates, currency, quantities, prices, tax and payment instructions in the preview. On a phone, use Preview invoice to switch from the editor. Download PDF checks required fields and points you to errors before generating the file.
Open the downloaded PDF and check it before sending. Invoice Studio creates the file locally; it does not email it to the client, record payment or keep a full invoice history. Save the final PDF somewhere you can find it and send it through your usual channel.
The next number advances once a PDF is created. The current invoice retains its reference, so downloading a correction does not silently give that same invoice a new number. Use New invoice when you are ready to start the next one.
5. Understand drafts and settings
This browser remembers one current draft, your business setup and logo. Browser storage can be cleared, unavailable or removed by private browsing, so it is not an invoice archive or backup. The app reports storage problems when it detects them. Save final PDFs separately.
After your first successful PDF creation, Save settings downloads a JSON file containing your reusable branding, business details, currency, tax settings, payment defaults and numbering. It excludes the client and current draft. Load settings asks for confirmation before replacing the current setup. Keep settings files private because they contain unencrypted business and payment details.
| Action | What it contains | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Local browser save | Business setup and one current draft | Specific to this browser and website address |
| Save settings | Reusable business setup | Excludes the client and current invoice draft |
| Download PDF | The completed invoice document | Keep and send this file yourself |
Moving from the original Invoice Studio address
Drafts saved at invoice.port233.com belong to that browser origin. The new /tools/invoice-generator page cannot read them. Open the original app in the same browser to finish and download your current invoice. Save settings there, then Load settings on the new page to bring across your reusable business setup.
Client details and line items do not travel in a settings file. Finish the old draft before moving, or re-enter those details manually. Do not clear the old browser data until you have downloaded what you need. Neither address uploads your draft to transfer it.
Sources and tool notes
The examples above are illustrative. The references below describe the tools and methods used. Read more about Port233-specific behaviour in our methodology and limitations.
- Port233 Invoice Studio — the tool described in this walkthrough
- Port233 tool methodology and limitations
- Port233 privacy policy — local invoice data
Found a mistake? Send a correction with the page address and the result you expected. See our editorial approach.