Tutorial · Process
How to send an invoice as a freelancer
Sending your first invoice shouldn't feel like filing taxes. It's a short document, an email, and a follow-up if you need one. That's the whole job.
The step-by-step process
Here's the workflow that actually holds up when you do it every week.
- Confirm scope and amount before you invoice. Send a quick message: "Wrapping this up — invoicing you for $X against the scope we agreed on the 12th. All good?" This kills 90% of "wait, I thought we said…" disputes. Don't skip it because it feels awkward. Awkward now beats a 30-day payment fight later.
- Get the client's billing details. You need the legal entity name (not the marketing name), billing address, a billing email (often different from your day-to-day contact), and a PO number if their finance team uses them. Ask once, save it. Avoid: sending to your project contact only — their finance team will bounce it back and you've lost a week.
- Build the invoice. The non-negotiables: your name and contact info, the client's billing details, a unique invoice number, issue date, due date, an itemized list of what you're charging for, subtotal, tax (if applicable), total, and payment instructions. For the full checklist, see what to include on an invoice. Avoid: one vague line like "Consulting — $4,000." Finance teams reject those.
- Export it as a PDF. Not a Word doc. Not a Google Sheet link. Not a screenshot from your phone. PDF is the format finance teams expect and archive. If you use an invoicing app like eddies, PDF export and email are one tap. If you're in Google Docs, use File → Download → PDF.
- Send it via email with a short cover message. One paragraph. Reference the work, the amount, the due date, and the payment method. Attach the PDF. Put the invoice number in the subject line so it's searchable later. We've got a full breakdown at how to write a professional invoice email.
- Log it the second you send it. Invoice number, client, amount, date sent, due date, status. A spreadsheet works if you're new. An invoicing app is better once you're sending more than a couple a month. If you don't track it, you will forget one. Everyone does.
- Follow up if it goes past due. One business day after the due date, send a polite nudge with the original invoice attached again. Not a threat — just a "checking this landed with the right person." Most late invoices are sitting in someone's inbox, not being ignored on purpose.
When to send
Send the invoice the day the work is delivered, or the day the milestone lands. Not next week. Not "when I get around to it." Payment terms only start ticking when the invoice arrives, so every day you delay is a day added to when the money hits.
A few sensible cadences depending on the work:
- Project-based, under a month: invoice on delivery. Or split it — 50% upfront, 50% on delivery.
- Retainers or ongoing work: invoice on the same day every month. First of the month or last day, pick one and stick to it. Predictable is professional.
- Hourly or milestone-based: weekly or bi-weekly. Waiting a full month to invoice hourly work is how freelancers end up in cash-flow trouble.
One rule: never invoice on a Friday afternoon or right before a holiday. It sits in the inbox all weekend, gets buried Monday morning, and now you're a week behind. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are the sweet spot.
How to send it
Email is the default and it should stay that way for anything above a small gig. It creates a timestamped paper trail, it lands in the finance team's inbox, and it's what accounting software expects.
The alternatives, honestly:
- Client portals (Bill.com, SAP Ariba, Coupa, etc.): Big clients often require these. Painful the first time, fine after. If a client sends you portal login credentials, use the portal — don't email around it.
- Invoicing app "send" button: Same as email, but the tool sends it for you and often tracks whether the client opened it. Nice signal when you're deciding whether to follow up.
- Cash apps (Venmo, Cash App, Zelle): Fine for a $50 favor for a friend's small business. Not fine for real client work. There's no proper record and it looks unprofessional.
- WhatsApp / iMessage screenshots: Just don't. We've seen freelancers send invoices as screenshots over WhatsApp and then wonder why the client "forgot." The client didn't forget. There was no invoice — there was a photo.
FAQ
How long should I give clients to pay?
Net 14 for small clients and repeat work. Net 30 is the standard corporate default. Anything longer than Net 30 is the client doing themselves a favor at your expense — push back. For first-time clients, consider 50% upfront.
Do I need to charge sales tax or VAT?
Depends on your country, your state, what you sell, and who you're selling to. Services are often (but not always) exempt where physical goods aren't — rules vary widely. This isn't tax advice — check with an accountant once. It's a 20-minute conversation that saves you from a bad surprise later.
What if the client ghosts me after I send the invoice?
Day after due date: polite nudge. One week late: firmer email, restate the amount and due date. Two weeks late: pick up the phone. Three-plus weeks: mention late fees if you included them in your terms, and escalate to whoever hired you. Most "ghosting" is inbox chaos, not malice — but you have to keep showing up.
Should I include late fees?
Yes, state them on the invoice ("1.5% per month past due" is common). You don't have to enforce them every time. Having them on paper gives you leverage when you need it.
Do I need to send a paper invoice?
No. A PDF over email is a legal invoice in most jurisdictions. Some countries (Italy's SDI system, Hungary, and a growing number of others) require structured e-invoices for B2B — check locally. Paper is a preference, not a requirement, and almost no client wants one anymore.
Sending invoices is a workflow, not a skill. Get the steps down once, run them every time, and it stops eating your Friday afternoons. Eddies handles the invoice → PDF → email → tracking loop on your iPhone, free — so you can spend the time on the work you're actually getting paid for.