Documents and templates
You need six documents to run a small business properly. Everything else can wait.
Paperwork and templates
Quotes, invoices, receipts and free tools to use.
2 pages
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Free tools
Three free options are worth considering. They are not equally good for a South African one-person business.
Tools on this site
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Quotation (template)
Tell a customer the price before you do the work, and send it as a PDF.
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Invoice, NOT VAT registered (template)
Use this one if you are NOT registered for VAT. That is most small businesses. You are not required to register until your turnover passes R2.3 million in any rolling 12 months.
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Tax invoice, VAT registered (template)
Only use this once SARS has issued your VAT number. If you are not registered, use the other invoice template instead.
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Receipt (template)
Send this when money arrives. It stops the "did you get my payment?" message.
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Privacy notice, POPIA (template)
Put this on your website, or send it as a PDF when a customer asks. It is short on purpose.
An AI checked the facts against the sources in the sources register, most recently on 13 September 2026. How this was made