What Is a Statement of Account?

A client you have been working with for six months emails you on a Thursday. They want to settle everything outstanding before their year-end. "Can you send me a statement?"

You have been sending individual invoices for each project. You know exactly what they owe. But they need a single document that shows all of it in one place.

That document is a statement of account.

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What it actually is

A statement of account is a summary of all invoices between you and a client over a given period. It lists each invoice: the number, the date, the amount, and whether it has been paid or is still outstanding.

At the bottom, it totals everything up: the full amount invoiced, the total paid, and the balance still owed.

It is not a request for payment the way an invoice is. It is more like a ledger page. It says: here is the full picture of our financial relationship.

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How it differs from an invoice

An invoice asks the client to pay for a specific piece of work. It has line items, a due date, and payment details. It describes the work.

A statement of account does not describe the work. It references the invoices that already described it. It says: INV-088 for €1,200 is outstanding, and INV-091 for €850 was paid on March 4.

If an invoice is a bill, a statement is a summary of all the bills.

You send them at different moments, for different reasons.

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When to send one

When a client has multiple unpaid invoices. Instead of forwarding five separate PDFs, you send one statement that lists all of them. The client's finance team can review everything in one place, which makes it easier for them to process a payment.

At the end of a month or quarter. Some clients ask for statements on a regular schedule. Agencies and long-running retainer clients especially. It keeps both sides in sync without a back-and-forth over individual invoices.

When there is a disputed balance. A statement shows the full history: what was invoiced, what was paid, and when. If a client believes they settled everything and you believe they have not, the statement is your reference document.

When a client simply asks for one. Sometimes the reason is just administrative. Their finance team needs a statement for their records. Sending one promptly, with accurate dates and amounts, signals that you are organized.

What it contains

Your details and the client's. Same as an invoice.

A statement number and date. Helps both of you reference the document in conversation. SOA-001, SOA-002, and so on.

A list of invoices. For each one: the invoice number, the date, a short description, the amount, and the status. Paid or outstanding. If a payment is partially made, you can note the amount paid and the remaining balance.

Summary totals. Total invoiced across the period, total paid, and the balance due. These three numbers are what the client's finance team is usually looking for first.

Notes if needed. A line about the period covered, a reference to a contract, or payment instructions. Keep it short.

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What a statement is not

A statement of account is not a collection letter, even when it shows an overdue balance. The tone is neutral and factual. You are presenting the record, not making a demand.

If you want to chase payment, do that in a separate email. Point to the statement as the reference, but write the follow-up message yourself.

A statement also does not replace your invoices. Your invoices are the original billing documents. The statement is a summary layer on top of them. Both should exist in your records.

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Generate a statement of account

The statement of account tool on Invoice No. lets you list invoices, mark each as paid or outstanding, and produces the summary totals automatically. It uses the same templates as the invoice generator. Fill in the details, download the PDF. Nothing is stored on a server.

If you have been using Invoice No. for your regular invoices, you will already have the invoice numbers and amounts you need. Generating the statement usually takes about two minutes.