Välilasku

Välilasku is an interim invoice issued by a supplier to a customer for work or goods that have been delivered or milestones reached before the completion of a project. It functions as a request for partial payment rather than the final settlement. The concept is common in projects with long duration or ongoing service arrangements, such as construction, consulting, software implementation, or equipment rental, where work is carried out in stages or where recurring charges accumulate over time.

A välilasku typically includes the description of what has been delivered or what milestone has been reached, the amount due, applicable value-added tax, the due date, and payment terms. It should bear a clear label indicating that it is a partial or interim invoice, and refer to a project or contract. In practice, interim invoices may be issued at predefined milestones or at regular intervals.

The relationship to the final invoice is that the total payable for the project comprises both interim invoices and the final invoice; the final invoice accounts for any balance due after interim payments. If an interim invoice is overpaid, the credit can be credited against later invoices.

From a legal and accounting perspective, a välilasku is treated as an ordinary invoice for tax and bookkeeping purposes. It must meet the standard invoicing requirements, including identification of the seller and buyer, a unique invoice number, date, description, price, VAT where applicable, total due, and payment terms.