How to Invoice a Brand as a Creator: Deliverables, GST and TDS

A signed deal isn't finished until the invoice goes out. For many creators, that's the step that stalls longest because "send an invoice" hides a dozen small decisions: what to call each line item, whether to charge tax, how to number it, and what happens if the brand deducts something before paying. None of it is complicated once you've seen it done right. Most creators just haven't.

What actually belongs on the invoice

• Your business details: legal name and GSTIN, if you're registered. Add these once instead of retyping them on every invoice.
• The brand's details: include who's paying, not just the person you were DMing.
• Line items, one per deliverable: list "Instagram Reel," "2 Story frames," and "Usage rights (30 days)" separately instead of bundling them into one vague "content" line. The brand can see what it's paying for, and you have a record for future negotiations.
• An invoice number: this is where many DIY invoices quietly fall apart.

Why invoice numbering matters more than it seems to

Use a consistent, sequential invoice series for each financial year so you can trace every issued invoice. knit.bio assigns a number when an invoice is created; keep a record of cancelled or deleted drafts so you can explain any number that is not on a final invoice. India's financial year runs from April to March. Ask your accountant which records your business must retain.

GST: added to the total

If GST applies to the service you supplied, show the applicable tax separately from your fee. Registration, place of supply, classification, and the agreed contract price all matter. Set a default rate only after confirming it for your work with a qualified adviser; an invoice tool cannot decide the tax treatment for you.

TDS: tracked, never subtracted from the invoice

This is the part most generic invoice templates get wrong because it isn't intuitive: TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) is deducted by the brand when they pay you. You don't subtract it from your invoice total. Add a note such as "subject to TDS deduction at X%" so both sides have the same expectation. Track the gap between the invoice total and the amount received as TDS, not as an unpaid balance you need to chase.

If a brand withholds tax, ask for the deduction details and reconcile the amount received with its remittance evidence. Do not mark every short payment as TDS without checking; it might also be a fee, exchange-rate difference, or an unpaid balance. For transactions from April 2026, the payer's TDS reporting uses the Income Tax Act, 2025 framework.

Sending it and getting paid

An invoice can be a PDF with your logo and signature, if you want the polish. Send it through your usual channel, such as email, DM, or the brand's vendor portal. The invoice has no payment gateway, so you aren't collecting a card payment through it. Once the money arrives, record it as paid and note how much arrived. That amount shows whether TDS or anything else was deducted.

A simple checklist before you hit send

1. Fill in your business profile once with your legal name, GSTIN if applicable, bank details, and default GST/TDS rates.
2. Every deliverable as its own line item, priced individually.
3. Add GST to the total when it applies. Do not absorb it into your fee.
4. A TDS note included, if the brand will be deducting it.
5. The invoice number assigned automatically, not typed by hand.

knit.bio's Money Suite can number invoices and record GST and TDS amounts, but it does not determine the correct tax treatment. See the invoice setup guide before sending your first invoice.