Getting Started with InvoiceFast — 5-Minute Setup Guide

InvoiceFast is designed for Canadian freelancers who want professional invoicing without the overhead of full accounting software. There's no account required to create your first invoice, and the setup process takes less than five minutes from opening the app to sending your first PDF. This guide walks you through each step and covers the settings that will save you the most time going forward.

Step 1: Open InvoiceFast

Go to invoicefast.ca and open the app. No registration, no email confirmation, no credit card — you can start creating invoices immediately. Your data is saved locally on your device, which means you can use it offline and your information stays private.

If you want your invoices synced across your phone and tablet, you can create a free account at any point. But there's no pressure to do so before you start.

Step 2: Enter Your Business Information

The first time you create an invoice, you'll be prompted to enter your business details. Fill these in carefully — they appear on every invoice you send:

• Business name: Your legal business name or your own name if you operate as a sole proprietor
• Address: Your business mailing address, which appears on invoices for CRA compliance
• GST/HST number: If you are registered for GST/HST (required once you earn over $30,000 in a calendar year), enter your 9-digit Business Number followed by RT0001. Example: 123456789 RT0001. This number will print on every invoice automatically, which is a CRA requirement.
• Province: Select your province. InvoiceFast will apply the correct GST, HST, or PST rate automatically based on this selection.

Tip: If you're not yet registered for GST/HST and your annual revenue is below $30,000, simply leave the GST/HST number field blank. Your invoices will not show a tax line, which is correct for small suppliers.

Step 3: Upload Your Logo

Adding a logo is optional but recommended. A logo makes your invoices look significantly more professional and helps with brand recognition for repeat clients. Upload a PNG or JPG file — a square or rectangular logo works best. InvoiceFast will scale it appropriately in the invoice header. Browse our Canadian invoice templates to see how a finished invoice looks.

If you don't have a logo yet, your business name will appear in styled text in the header. You can add a logo later at any time and it will apply to future invoices.

Step 4: Add Your First Client

Before creating your first invoice, add your client as a saved profile. Tap or click "Add Client" and enter:

• Client or company name
• Billing address
• Contact person name (optional but useful)
• Email address for sending invoices

Once saved, this client will appear in a dropdown every time you create a new invoice — no re-typing required. For freelancers with a regular roster of 5 to 15 clients, setting them all up as saved profiles at the start will save hours of data entry over the course of a year.

Step 5: Create Your First Invoice

With your business info and first client saved, creating an invoice takes about 30 seconds:

1. Select your client from the dropdown
2. Set the invoice date (defaults to today)
3. Set the payment terms — Net 30 is the most common for Canadian freelancers, meaning payment is due 30 days from the invoice date (use our freelance rate calculators to make sure your rates are right before you invoice)
4. Add your line items: description, quantity, and unit rate
5. Confirm the GST/HST amount (applied automatically)
6. Add any notes, such as your preferred payment method (e-transfer is standard in Canada) or your bank details for wire transfers

Tip on invoice numbering: Use a prefix like INV- followed by a sequential number (INV-001, INV-002, and so on). This is the professional standard and makes it easy to reference specific invoices in email correspondence. If you're switching from another system, start your numbering where you left off so your records stay continuous.

Step 6: Export the PDF and Send

Once your invoice looks right, tap "Export PDF." InvoiceFast generates a clean, professional PDF with your logo, business details, client details, line items, subtotal, GST/HST, and total. You can download the PDF and attach it to an email, or share it directly from the app.

Most Canadian clients expect PDF invoices sent via email. Include your preferred payment method in the email body — e-transfer is the most common for Canadian freelancers, and you can reference your registered email address or phone number for the transfer.

Tips to Save Time Going Forward

Set Net 30 as your default payment terms. This ensures every invoice you create automatically has 30-day payment terms unless you change it for a specific client.

Save all your regular clients. Even clients you invoice only a few times per year are worth saving. You never know when a one-off client becomes a regular, and having their details on file means a 30-second invoice instead of a 5-minute one.

Add a payment note to every invoice. Include a line like "Payment via e-transfer to [email protected]" or "Payment via EFT to [bank details]." This reduces back-and-forth with clients asking how to pay.

Check your unpaid invoices weekly. InvoiceFast shows you which invoices are outstanding and which are overdue. A quick weekly review ensures you catch late payers before they become a problem.

You're Ready

That's the full setup. InvoiceFast is intentionally simple — there are no advanced settings to configure, no accounting dashboards to learn, and no pricing tiers to navigate. If you have questions as you go, the Invoice Guides section covers common Canadian invoicing topics in detail.