A freelance invoice should show what you delivered, how the agreed price was calculated and what the client still owes. Choose the billing structure from the accepted proposal before entering the line items.
Hourly work
Record the service period, task description, billable hours and hourly rate. For example, 6 hours of website updates at $50 per hour is $300. If the client needs a timesheet, reference it on the invoice and send it with the PDF. Separate non-billable time instead of quietly including it in the total.
Fixed-price projects
Use one project or milestone as the quantity and the agreed fee as the rate. A $900 landing-page project is 1 × $900, even if it took 20 hours. Do not add those 20 hours as another charge. Additional work belongs on a separate line only when it was approved outside the original scope.
Retainers and prepaid work
State the period and what the retainer covers. Keep a separate record of time or services used. If a client prepaid for work, do not charge the same covered work again as a new service. Explain any additional amount with the relevant scope and approval.
Deposits and the final balance
For a $900 project with a $300 deposit received, the remaining balance is $600. Show the project total and received payment clearly. A deposit that was requested but never paid is not a payment received. Avoid adding both a deposit request and the full project charge as unrelated services.
Send a reviewable document
Include your details, the client's contracting name, a unique invoice number, issue date, due date, service period, currency and payment instructions. Ask for a purchase-order reference when needed. Export the PDF, check it and send it to the billing contact. Keep the PDF, approved scope and payment records together.
Prepare and keep your invoice
Create an invoice or choose an editable layout from the template library. Replace the sample details, check the preview and download the PDF. Send it using your own email, with supporting documents as separate attachments where needed.
See payment terms and due-date examples and the invoice tracking guide for the next steps. Save the PDF and a backup of any locally stored records.