Do you need to fax an invoice for a product or service but don’t have a template at hand?
Luckily, today there are different online tools and applications at our disposition to take care of digital documents on the go. One of these is Google Sheets. This free spreadsheet editor has been around since 2014 and Google hasn’t stopped adding features and improvements since then.
Creating an invoice with Sheets is really easy. But did you know that you can also fax it without leaving the application? Here you will learn how to do it!
What is Google Sheets?
Google Sheets is a free web-based spreadsheet editor that allows you to collaborate documents with other Google accounts. Every spreadsheet you create is saved on your Google Drive virtual storage space, and is accessible from any computer and even cell phones (with the help of the Google Drive app).
Despite being free, this cloud-based app comes fully equipped with all the features of a powerful spreadsheet creator. You can work with Excel document automatically importing them and them exporting them back to the xls format. And you can easily add new features with the help of third-party extensions.
How to Create Your Invoice
The easiest way to create an invoice in Google Sheets is by using one of the free templates included in the service.
Start by heading to your Google Sheets page. At the top, where you can start a new document there will be a small sample of the available templates. Expand the selection by clicking on “Template Gallery” and scroll down to the Work category.
Click on the invoice template to create a new document. Finish by editing the template with your actual business information.
If that template isn't what you are looking for, you can go to one of the many sites that offer free templates.
Faxing Your Invoice
You now have your template ready to be sent, but how do you actually fax it? There are two ways you can do it. You can fax it through Google Drive's interface with the help of an extension, or you can send it from Gmail.
For any of the two methods, you’ll need to use an online fax service. These services are paid via a monthly subscription, and others let you pay per fax. But if you don’t want to spend money to fax just a few documents you can use a free test-drive account with a fax provider.
Faxing Directly from Google Sheets
This is the most convenient method because you don’t have to leave the interface at all. You just need to download an extension that lets you add fax features to Google Sheets.
Start by selecting a service with Docs and Sheets extensions. Create your free or paid account and then find their extension on the Google Sheets add-on store. Install it.
Now there should be a new item on the main menu. Click on Send a Fax and a sidebar will appear. Fill all the details of your fax and the recipient’s number. Finish by clicking on Send.
If your service charges a fee per page you send, you may need to complete a payment before the fax is on its way.
Faxing Through Gmail
This method is the one we recommend at Gmail Fax Pro and involves creating a new email fax message in Gmail and then pulling your invoice from Google Drive. To get started follow the steps on this tutorial to fax from email. But instead of attaching your document with the paperclip icon, use the Google Drive icon on the bottom bar of the email composing screen.
Then select the document from your Drive space, and click to accept.
To use this method, make sure your service is compatible with the Google Sheets format. If it’s not possible you can export an invoice as an Excel spreadsheet. Download it and then attach it as you normally would, using the paperclip icon.
Advantages of Faxing From Google Sheets
You don’t need additional software. Sheet is a web-based application, this means that you don’t need to buy or install additional software on your computer. Every update to the app is done automatically on Google’s servers.
It’s compatible with Excel. Microsoft Excel is still the most used spreadsheet editor in the World, and Google know it, that’s why they have made sure Sheets is 100% compatible with xlsx format.
Access documents everywhere. Since all your spreadsheets are saved on your Google Drive space, you can access them from any computer with an Internet connection. Additionally you can share the invoices with other people in your company just by clicking a button.