Editing Invoice (section)

==History==
Invoices appear as one of the very earliest manifestations of written records in [[ancient Mesopotamia]]. The practice of invoicing can be traced back to ancient civilizations. Around 5,000 years ago, merchants in [[History of Mesopotamia|Mesopotamia]] used cuneiform script on clay tablets to document trade transactions, including details such as quantities, prices, and the parties involved.<ref>{{cite book
| last1 = McClellan III
| first1 = James E.
| last2 = Dorn
| first2 = Harold
| title = Science and Technology in World History: An Introduction
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aJgp94zNwNQC
| edition = 2
| location = Baltimore
| publisher = The Johns Hopkins University Press
| date = 2006
| page = 47
| isbn = 9780801883606
| access-date = 2020-04-21
| quote = The archaeological discovery of what amount to ancient Mesopotamian invoices — insignia sealed in clay — underscores the economic and utilitarian roots of writing and reckoning. Eighty-five percent of cuneiform tablets uncovered at Uruk (3000 BCE), for example, represent economic records, and Egyptian temple and palace records are similar.
| archive-date = 6 January 2024
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240106172630/https://books.google.com/books?id=aJgp94zNwNQC
| url-status = live
}}</ref> These records functioned as contracts and receipts. In [[ancient Egypt]], transactions and tax records were documented on [[papyrus]] scrolls, serving as an early method of financial record-keeping.<ref>{{Cite web |last=s.r.o |first=FakturaOnline |title=The Evolution of Invoicing: A Historical Perspective |url=https://www.invoiceonline.com/business-newsletter/finance-and-accounting/the-history-of-invoicing |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=www.invoiceonline.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The invention of paper in [[China]] around AD 105 facilitated advancements in documentation, eventually spreading to the [[Middle East]] and [[Europe]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Evolution of Invoicing: From the First Invoice Ever Sent to Modern Digital Solutions - Invoicer.ai |url=https://invoicer.ai/stories/the-evolution-of-invoicing-from-the-first-invoice-ever-sent-to-modern-digital-solutions?_qss= |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=invoicer.ai}}</ref>

During the [[Middle Ages]], European merchants began using handwritten invoices to detail sales transactions, often recording information such as dates, descriptions of goods, quantities and prices. The printing press was introduced in the 15th century that enabled the production of standardized invoice forms, contributing to more consistent financial documentation.<ref name=":0" />

By the 19th century, printed invoices became widespread, with businesses incorporating elements such as company names, addresses, and logos. The 20th and 21st centuries saw the transition to digital and automated invoicing systems, further improving efficiency and record-keeping practices.<ref name=":0" />