Excel Invoice Template for Bulgaria: Free Guide

Learn how to create compliant Bulgarian invoices in Excel with required fields, VAT calculation, and proper formatting. Plus, discover a better alternative for extracting invoice data.

Creating invoices in Excel is one of the most common business practices in Bulgaria. Whether you're a freelancer, small business owner, or accounting manager, having the right invoice template saves time and ensures compliance with Bulgarian tax regulations.

But there's a critical distinction many business owners miss: there's a difference between creating invoices (which you issue to your customers) and processing invoices (extracting data from supplier invoices for accounting purposes). This guide covers both, but we'll focus especially on why you might want to rethink how you handle incoming supplier invoices.

Required Fields in Bulgarian Invoices

According to Bulgarian tax law and VAT requirements, every invoice must include these essential elements:

Company Information (Your Company)
  • Business name and registered address
  • EIK (Единен идентификационен код—Unified Identification Code)
  • VAT number (if registered for VAT)
  • Phone and email contact information
  • Bank account details (optional but recommended)
Customer Information
  • Customer name and address
  • Customer EIK or personal ID number
  • Customer VAT number (if applicable)
Invoice Details
  • Invoice number (sequential)
  • Invoice date (DD.MM.YYYY format in Bulgaria)
  • Delivery date (if different from invoice date)
  • Payment due date
  • Payment method
Product/Service Description
  • Description of goods or services
  • Quantity and unit of measurement
  • Unit price (price per unit)
  • Line total (before VAT)
  • VAT rate applied (typically 20% in Bulgaria, with some exceptions at 9%)
  • Line total with VAT
Financial Summary
  • Total amount before VAT (taxable base)
  • VAT amount
  • Total amount due (including VAT)
  • Currency (typically BGN for Bulgarian invoices)
Additional Information
  • Reason for any VAT exemptions (if applicable)
  • Reference to supporting documents
  • Notes or payment instructions
  • Signature or stamp (for original documents, may not be applicable for digital invoices)

Creating an Excel Invoice Template: Step-by-Step

Here's how to build a functional invoice template in Excel:

1. Set Up the Header

Start with a professional header containing:

  • Your company logo (optional)
  • Your company name in large text
  • The word "INVOICE" (or "ФАКТУРА" in Bulgarian)
  • A clear, easy-to-read layout

2. Company Information Section

Create a table or text box with:

  • Your business name
  • Address
  • EIK: [Your EIK]
  • VAT number: [Your VAT]
  • Phone: [Your phone]
  • Email: [Your email]
  • Bank: [Your bank]
  • IBAN: [Your IBAN]

3. Customer Information Section

Similar layout to the company section, but leaving spaces for customer details to be filled in:

  • Customer name: _________
  • Address: _________
  • EIK/ID: _________
  • VAT number: _________

4. Invoice Details Section

A row or two showing:

  • Invoice Number: _________
  • Invoice Date: _________
  • Due Date: _________
  • Payment Method: _________

5. Line Items Table

Create a table with columns:

DescriptionQtyUnitUnit PriceTotal (BGN)VAT RateVAT AmountTotal with VAT

6. Summary Section

A clearly separated area showing:

  • Subtotal (before VAT): [formula sum]
  • VAT 20% (or applicable rate): [formula calculation]
  • TOTAL DUE: [formula sum]

7. Payment Instructions

Include:

  • Bank transfer details (bank name, IBAN)
  • Payment deadline
  • Late payment terms (if applicable)
  • Contact for payment inquiries

Common Mistakes When Creating Invoice Templates

Incorrect VAT Calculation: Using fixed VAT amounts instead of formulas. Always use Excel formulas (=subtotal*0.20) so recalculations happen automatically. Missing EIK: Forgetting the EIK is a compliance issue. Bulgarian tax authorities require this on all invoices. Inconsistent Invoice Numbering: Invoice numbers must be sequential. Use Excel's auto-fill feature or implement a formula-based solution. Wrong Date Format: Bulgaria uses DD.MM.YYYY format. Ensure Excel doesn't automatically convert this to another format. No VAT Rate Clarity: When VAT exemptions apply, clearly note the reason (export, intra-community transfer, etc.).

The Problem with Invoice Templates

Now here's an important point: while having a solid template for issuing invoices is essential, many businesses are creating the same templates over and over to receive invoices. This is where most of the wasted effort lies.

If you receive 100 invoices per month from suppliers, you don't need 100 templates. You need a way to extract data from incoming invoices and organize it for accounting. This is fundamentally different from creating invoices from scratch.

From Invoice Templates to Data Extraction

Instead of manually recreating invoices or retyping data from supplier invoices into a template, consider a more efficient approach:

Traditional Workflow:
  • Receive invoice from supplier (in various formats)
  • Open your Excel template
  • Manually type in vendor name, invoice number, amount, VAT
  • Save file with naming convention
  • Import into accounting software
  • Modern Workflow with NeuralParse:
  • Receive invoice from supplier (PDF, image, email attachment)
  • Upload to NeuralParse
  • Extracted data appears in structured format
  • Export to Excel with one click
  • Import into accounting software
  • The second approach eliminates the need to maintain templates while significantly reducing errors and processing time.

    When Templates Make Sense

    Creating your own invoice template is still necessary if you:

    • Issue many invoices to customers
    • Need a branded template matching your company identity
    • Want full control over invoice design
    • Operate a professional services business where invoice appearance matters

    Download or build a template using the structure outlined above, and customize it with your branding.

    When Extraction Makes More Sense

    Using an extraction tool like NeuralParse makes more sense if you:

    • Receive numerous invoices from various suppliers
    • Deal with inconsistent invoice formats
    • Struggle with data entry errors
    • Need to process invoices quickly for payment or accounting
    • Want to automate data flow to accounting software

    For these scenarios, NeuralParse's data extraction capabilities handle the hard work automatically.

    Practical Tip: Hybrid Approach

    Many successful businesses use both:

  • A template for issuing professional invoices to customers
  • NeuralParse for extracting data from supplier invoices
  • This combination gives you the best of both worlds—professional outbound invoices and efficient inbound invoice processing.

    Quick Reference: Bulgarian Invoice Checklist

    Before sending any invoice, verify:

    • ✓ Your EIK is clearly visible
    • ✓ VAT number (if registered)
    • ✓ Sequential invoice number
    • ✓ Correct date format (DD.MM.YYYY)
    • ✓ Customer EIK or ID number
    • ✓ Clear description of goods/services
    • ✓ Correct VAT rate (20% or applicable exemption)
    • ✓ VAT calculated using formulas (not manual entry)
    • ✓ Total amount clearly highlighted
    • ✓ Bank details for payment
    • ✓ Due date specified

    Streamline Your Invoice Processing

    Whether you're creating templates for issued invoices or managing incoming supplier invoices, the goal is the same: accuracy, efficiency, and compliance. For incoming invoices, NeuralParse's free plan lets you process 50 invoices monthly at no cost, handling data extraction automatically so you can focus on running your business instead of typing numbers.

    Ready to try invoice parsing?

    Upload your first invoice free. No signup required.

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