Add the context you know alongside the original
An invoice arrives in English or German, but the item description does not make it clear what you paid for. Your accountant may not know who uses the service or which company it belongs to. Simply forwarding the PDF can lead to more questions, even when the document is legible.
A short explanation of the purchase alongside the original invoice can help. First, though, ask your accountant what is missing: a translation of a particular term, the context of your work, or a detail that is absent from the document altogether.
The original and your explanation serve different purposes
The original invoice preserves the document as the supplier issued it. Your message adds facts you know as the person who ordered the service: why you bought it, who uses it and for which company. Do not write your own description directly into the original PDF.
This distinction also matters when it comes to the supplier's name. The brand you know from the app may differ from the company name on the invoice. If you know how they are connected from the order or your customer account, add that information. If you do not, mark it as a question to check rather than a settled explanation.
Treat an unclear invoice item in the same way. You can give a provisional explanation in your own language and leave the original name beside it. If you are unsure about the translation, say so. Your accountant can then distinguish what comes from the document from your rough explanation.
Explain the context the invoice cannot show
The explanation usually need not be long. State the specific service or purchase, the company and how it is used. Copy the period from the supporting document only if it actually appears there; do not automatically infer a missing period from the payment date.
The movement of money in your account and the invoice describe different parts of the purchase. If all you have is a payment confirmation from abroad, first check whether the invoice itself is missing. The article The money has gone out. Why does your accountant still need a document? can help you connect the two.
The money has gone out. Why does your accountant still need a document? →
An example of a short working note
In a fictional example, an invoice includes an item called ‘Annual workspace plan’. The person who ordered it knows they bought an annual team subscription for the company Alfa, but is unsure what another abbreviated line means. They could attach this message:
‘I am sending the original invoice for an annual team subscription to a work tool for Alfa. My provisional understanding of “Annual workspace plan” is an annual team plan; this explanation is my own working note. I have not verified the meaning of the second abbreviated line. Is this context enough for you, or do you need an explanation from the supplier or a translation of a particular part?’
This message explains the context you know and opens up a precise question. If you are sending the document as a later addition or correction, identify that connection too. For a broader handover, you can use the cover-message templates for your accountant.
cover-message templates for your accountant →
If your accountant needs a translation, agree on its scope and the required format. When information from the supplier is missing or unclear, ask the supplier to explain it. A translation alone cannot add information that the original document does not contain.