August 14, 2024
The only feeling better than submitting a freelancer invoice to your client? Getting paid of course! But if you don’t submit a professional freelance invoice it could delay payment of your freelance income. I’ve been there many times over and it stinks waiting for freelance pay.
In fact, it’s why I usually follow a freelance invoice template. Many beginner freelance writers and freelancers tell me that they wonder ‘what does a freelance invoice look like?’
This guide will show you how to write an invoice for freelance work.
Learning how to create a professional invoice for your freelance business is important. Luckily, it’s also super easy to make a freelance invoice format that you can use over and over.
If you’re wondering what do freelancers use for invoices, we have you covered in this piece. There are plenty of resources to check out if you’d like to use software or apps to generate your business invoice but, I think it’s perfectly acceptable to make a freelancer invoice for your business on your own.
Wondering what should be in a freelance invoice? You’re in good company. I’ve been creating freelance invoices for clients since 2006 and they probably haven’t all looked professional. I’ve even borrowed freelance invoice templates from ones my clients have me use so I can send them to other freelance clients.
I actually read an editor gripe on Twitter/X that some freelancers weren’t submitting professional-looking invoices and it made them look like beginner freelance writers. Or, that not having a freelancer invoice that was done well complicated the whole “getting paid process” for accounting and believe me, you don’t want any mistakes in a self employed invoice to slow payments down.
That’s why it’s crucial that your freelance billing template fits well, the bill.
To answer the question “what does a freelancer invoice look like?” make sure your freelance invoice includes these components of a professional freelance invoice. These are freelance invoice example categories to include.
Make sure your self-employed invoice has a date at the top. Some clients like the date to be in the name of the invoice as well.
(In fact, quite a few of my clients have complicated invoice naming systems that take some time to learn.)
You might think the date serves as your invoice number and for some freelance clients it does but, I always include a freelance invoice number on each invoice for a client. In fact, I like to start with 001 so it doesn’t look like a random 1 somewhere on the doc. Then I’ll name the next one 002. Again, sometimes I name the invoice the date I’m submitting it.
It’s a crucial part of a self employed invoice. And, if you’re looking to build up your freelance writer salary, you need to get this part right.
So the file name might be:
FDNY.Invoice09.30.23_DKLContentServicesInc.
(Client name, date and my company name.)
Some clients will give you a work order number or a job code number to include on the freelance bill template. They might want that to be part of the freelance invoice document name as well. If you’re still wondering how to write an invoice for freelance work, keep going.
Yes, this seems like a given but hey, if you want to know what should appear what’s on a freelance billing template, we have to cover all the bases! In fact, my business name is different than my byline and oftentimes, my editors aren’t aware of that. But I submit a W-9 to a freelance client under my business name so I make sure both are on the invoice. My freelance invoice will say:
Freelancer name: Diana Kelly Levey dba DKL Content Services Inc.
That way, all of the crucial info of my freelance writer invoice template is there.
The address where you receive freelance payments should be on your freelance invoice. Ideally, you’re getting paid online through a check deposit to your bank or Paypal, Zelle or whatever you use. However I often find that accounting departments that process freelancers’ professional invoices are looking for their addresses to be included in the e-invoice. Sometimes the first payment from a freelance client is sent in the mail and then the others are paid electronically.
It never hurts to ask the client for a freelance invoice example that they want you to follow so you know you’re ticking off all the check marks.
It’s smart to include your contact details when you create your freelance invoice template. This information, along with your name and address from above can be made into a header in the document that you repeat in every business invoice template. Include the email you use for correspondence with the editor or manager and your website if you have one. If you want to include a phone number, that can be helpful to the accounting department should they have any questions about your freelance business invoice.
A professional invoice for freelancers should include the name and contact information of the person you performed freelance work for. This includes their full name, their email address, possibly their work phone number and the company address. Your manager might tell you someone else’s name to include on the invoice, as well as the parent company name to include, and any other pertinent information.
I suggest you doublecheck the information you should include on the freelancer invoice with your client before you submit. It never hurts and it won’t make you look like an amateur to ask the company information and address to include!
You’re better off getting the right information the first time than finding that an invoice wasn’t paid 30 or 60 days later because you didn’t include the correct freelance invoice information on it. (I’ve made this mistake and hope you don’t have to.)
When I’m creating my own freelancer invoice from scratch—usually using a Word document—I like to use a table that lists the date I turned in the freelance writing assignment, the name of the assignment or description of the work, and the freelance rate. Then, I break down the total for the client. See a sample freelancer invoice template table here.
| DATE | WORK PERFORMED/DESCRIPTION | RATE |
| 9/15/23 | Article: How to Create a Freelance Invoice | $500 |
| 9/30/23 | Article: What is in a professional freelance invoice? | $500 |
| TOTAL | $1,000 |
I usually recap the total as well one more time below the table just so they see it in the business invoice.
Total due on freelance invoice: $1,000
It’s a helpful strategy when you’re wondering how to write an invoice for freelance work.
The better you get at creating freelance invoices, the easier it’ll be when you’re managing this part of the business as you go from side hustle to full-time freelancer.
As you can see above, I think the best freelancer invoice includes the rate for the work performed and tallies up the total cost. If it was an hourly rate, calculate that as well. Yes, there are plenty of freelancer invoice template companies available to try and you can use their software to make this easier. I’ve tried a few and found them easy to use. I’ll name some invoice software and invoicing apps for freelancers to check out at the end.
If you set these up in your contract, make sure they are included when on your freelancer bill template and final invoice. It’s one of the most important components as you answer the question of “how to do an invoice as a freelancer.”
As a freelance invoice example, it could be net 15, net 30, net 45 since the invoice is received. That means you expect payment to show up within 15 days, 30 days, 45 days, and so on. Note this in your files so you follow up if freelance payment is delayed.
Let the client know if you expect to be paid by mailed check, ACH (that you probably filled out for them), Paypal, Bill.com, checking account information if they request that in your freelance invoice or another service. Be sure to include pertinent information about payments in the freelance invoice template.
Then, after you’re done writing an invoice for freelance work and checked to ensure all of the details are right, save it as a PDF or document that can’t be edited. This is one of the most important steps of a professional freelance invoice that editors and accounting departments at companies like to see, based on my experiences with freelance clients.
There is no shortage of freelancer invoice templates and freelance invoice generators from freelance invoicing companies. These freelance invoice rules mentioned above tell you how to invoice as a freelancer but it’s not the “end all, be all” guide.
Here are a few companies that have freelancer invoice templates you might want to try. They might just have the best invoicing software for freelancers:
Learn more about freelance writer invoice template examples.
Follow the client’s freelance invoice template if they sent one. They’re usually in a Word document, Google document, Google Sheet or Excel Sheet template. Fill out the freelancer invoice sections provided.
Here’s how to make an invoice for freelance work if a client doesn’t provide you with a template for invoicing:
If you’re creating your own freelance invoice template, simply use Microsoft Word or a Google Sheet or Excel sheet and include the important invoice template freelance writer details suggested above. Then save it as a PDF or some kind of file that can’t be edited and email it to your manager.
Once you have your invoice for freelance work completed, send it as an attachment to your manager or their accounting department or upload it to their platforms. Follow any freelance invoicing instructions they sent as part of the onboarding process so you can get paid as quickly as possible. I recommend you save the invoice as a PDF so it can’t be tweaked or edited.
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Tags: business, freelance, freelance business, freelance rates, freelance writing, freelance writing tips, freelancer
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