Getting paid is the part of freelancing nobody teaches. The gap between hours worked and invoice sent is where money quietly leaks out. Here is the whole process, step by step — and how to make it a couple of clicks instead of an afternoon.
Before you can invoice, you need an accurate record of what you did. For hourly work, that means tracked time per client and project; for fixed-fee or milestone work, the deliverable. A running record beats reconstructing the month from memory — and it is the backbone of the invoice.
Decide whether this client is hourly, per project, or on a retainer, and set the rate. Consistent per-client rates mean your invoice math is automatic and you are never guessing what to charge.
A clean invoice groups the work into clear line items — hours × rate, or a project fee — with a short description each. If your hours are already tracked, this should be a couple of clicks, not an hour of copy-paste into a template.
Your business name and contact, the client’s details, a unique invoice number, the issue date and a due date, itemized work with amounts, the total, and clear payment instructions (how and where to pay). Add your EIN if relevant. Clarity here is what gets you paid on time.
Email the invoice as a PDF, then track its status — sent, viewed, paid — so nothing slips through the cracks. A polite reminder on anything overdue is normal and effective.
When the client pays, record it. If invoicing and bookkeeping live in the same tool, this is automatic — the payment lands in your Schedule-C-ready books, so tax time is not a scramble.
Track the work you are billing, set your rate, turn it into clear line items, and send a professional PDF invoice that includes your details, the client’s details, a unique invoice number, an issue and due date, itemized amounts, and payment instructions. Then track it to paid and record the income. Tools like Timebook do this straight from your tracked hours.
Your business name and contact info, the client’s name and address, a unique invoice number, the issue date and due date, itemized line items (hours × rate or a project fee) with descriptions, the total due, and clear payment instructions. Include your EIN or tax details if relevant to the client.
Track your time per client and project, then bill hours × your rate as line items. If your hours are already tracked in a tool like Timebook, the invoice is generated from them in a couple of clicks, so the totals are accurate and you are not re-entering time by hand.
It depends on your location and whether your services are taxable there — many professional services are not, but rules vary by state and country. Check your local rules or ask a tax professional; when in doubt, confirm before adding tax to an invoice.