Freelance Invoice Templates

Who Should Use Hourly Professional Invoice Templates?

Any freelancer, contract employee, or small business owner who charges clients based on an hourly rate can use an hourly rate invoice template format rather than simply using a Google doc. Not only is it more professional, it minimises the risk of any mistakes. Send professional invoices using our free template, making it easier for you and your client to track and calculate the total amount of hours spent on a job – ensuring that you will get paid the right amount. 

Remember to clearly state the exact tasks you accomplished and how long each task took to complete. 

Some examples of those who could use our free invoice template include: 

• Writers
• Graphic designers
• Virtual assistants 
• Business Owners
• Contractors 
• Photographers 
• Moving companies 
• Cleaners 
• Consultants 

What Items are on an Hourly Invoice in Europe?

A professional invoice will include features that are common among most invoices, as well as some custom features that will only apply in certain situations. Therefore, you can customise your invoice to suit your needs.

Common features:

All invoices for European clients share some common features, including: 

Type of service rendered

If you’re a virtual assistant, for example, your invoice should reflect the task you perform (i.e. creating a database of constituents for a political client). If you also performed other tasks, they should be itemised and added to the invoice in the same manner.

Hourly rate 

The amount you charge by the hour for that type of task, and how many hours you spend on the task, followed by the total charge for that specific task. Subtotal your charges for each task.

Forms of accepted payment

Payment methods might include checks, bank drafts, debit cards, or credit cards.

Terms of payment

Payment terms outline how, when, and with what method your customers or clients provide payment to your business.

Taxes

Under EU regulations, an invoice is required in most business-to-business (B2B) transactions and in some business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions. 

When selling to customers rather than other businesses, an invoice is generally issued under the following circumstances:

• In distance selling, when another EU country will collect the tax;
• When a new means of transport (some motorized land vehicles, vessels and aircraft as defined in the VAT Directive) is supplied to another EU country.

Member states may impose time limits on the issue of invoices when taxable persons are selling goods or services within their territory.

For EU-based companies, VAT is chargeable on most sales and purchases of goods within the EU. In such cases, VAT is charged and due in the EU country where the goods are consumed by the final consumer. Likewise, VAT is charged on services at the time they are carried out in each EU country.

There are various types of VAT rates that are applied in EU countries. The rate depends on the product or service involved in the transaction. There are also special rates that were set according to VAT rates implemented in EU countries before they joined the EU.

Each EU country has a standard rate that applies to the supply of most goods and services. This cannot be less than 15%.

What Type of Charges Should Be Reflected on Your Invoice Template for Hours Worked? 

Your hourly invoice is a little different than the usual “products sold” type of invoice because of how you itemise your charges. Consultants who charge per-project fees are able to modify a generalised invoice – but for certain types of freelancers, this format doesn’t quite work. Here’s why:

• A writer can charge a per-blog fee or a bill per word. If the writer is performing bulk work, sometimes they offer a discount. Therefore, an invoice a writer creates can have multiple lines for different types of work completed. There are freelance writing invoice templates that make this very easy for your freelance writing business.
• A digital nomad invoice template can incorporate different hourly fees depending on the nature of the requested task.

To price your service correctly, estimate how long it takes you to complete a project, then multiply hours by the average hourly pay for that service, and set a flat fee accordingly. You may or may not have to pay taxes on your earnings come year-end, so adding a small amount for tax into your flat fee should be considered.

How Should You Send Your Invoice for Freelance Work?

Many people who work from home today send invoices digitally – writers and VAs find their clients online, perform the tasks requested, and when it’s time to ask for payment, create invoices online and email them to their clients. While you may mail or hand-deliver your invoice if clients live nearby, it is perfectly acceptable to send it to your client via email or to use a software program like QuickBooks to prepare and send your invoices. If you need a simpler way to invoice your clients, try QuickBooks invoicing software now.