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FREE INVOICE TEMPLATE

Hours worked.
Billed clearly.

An editable hourly invoice with dated time entries, hourly rate, hours total, plus a filled-in example. Download it for Word, Excel or Google Docs without an email gate.

Download Word (.docx)Preview the templateExcel (.xlsx)Markdown (.md)

Word, Excel, Google Docs and PDF. No email required.

Last updated

INVOICETemplate preview · Example
01

Bill to

Calder Manufacturing, with contact, address and PO reference.

02

Line item

Mon 2 June: Workshop prep and client call. 3.5 hours at $90.00.

03

Total due

$1,147.50, due in 14 days.

04

How to pay

Bank transfer details or a card payment link, and your late payment terms.

How to invoice for hours worked

An hourly invoice turns your time records into a bill. Each line is a date, the work done, the hours and the rate. The cleaner your timesheet, the faster the invoice is approved.

  1. Export or copy the billable entries for the period from your timesheet.
  2. Group them by date or task, using descriptions the client will recognise.
  3. Round consistently, for example to the nearest quarter hour, and say so in your agreement.
  4. Multiply hours by the agreed rate, then total the period.
  5. Reference the approved timesheet so the client can check it.

The template

Invoice details

  • Invoice number: [INV-0001]
  • Invoice date: [Date]
  • Due date: [Date — e.g. 14 days after the invoice date]
  • Engagement or PO reference: [Engagement or PO reference]
  • Expenses with receipts: [Expenses with receipts]
  • Billing period: [Start date — end date]

From

  • Business name: [Your business name]
  • Address: [Address]
  • Email: [Email]
  • Tax or VAT number: [If registered]

Bill to

  • Client: [Client company]
  • Contact: [Name, email]
  • Address: [Address]
  • Client reference or PO: [If provided]

Line items

DateWork doneHoursRateAmount
[Date][Task or activity][Hours][Rate][Amount]
[Date][Task or activity][Hours][Rate][Amount]
[Date][Task or activity][Hours][Rate][Amount]

Totals

  • Subtotal: [Amount]
  • Discount: [If any]
  • Tax: [Rate and amount, if you’re registered]
  • Total due: [Amount and currency]

Payment

  • Payment terms: [e.g. 14 days]
  • How to pay: [Bank details or payment link]
  • Late payment: [Your late payment terms, if any]

Notes

[Anything the client needs to know, such as what the invoice covers, a reference to the approved quote or timesheet, or when final files will be released.]

How to fill it in

  1. Add your business details and the client’s, including any purchase order or reference they gave you.
  2. Give the invoice the next number in your sequence and set the invoice and due dates.
  3. List each item of work using the same names as your quote or agreement, such as “Mon 2 June”.
  4. Show quantities, rates and amounts, then the subtotal, any discount, tax if you’re registered, and the total.
  5. Fill in the engagement or po reference and expenses with receipts, then add how to pay and your payment terms.
  6. Check it against the agreement, attach what backs it up (for consultants, usually many larger clients won’t pay without a purchase order number), and send it as a PDF or payment link.

Use it in Word, Excel, Google Docs or PDF

Microsoft Word

  1. Download the Word (.docx) file and open it. If Word opens it in Protected View, select Enable Editing.
  2. Use Find (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) and search for “[” to jump between the placeholders you need to replace.
  3. Save a clean copy as a Word template (File → Save As → Word Template) so every new document starts from it.

Google Docs

  1. Upload the .docx file to Google Drive.
  2. Right-click it and choose Open with → Google Docs, then File → Save as Google Docs to keep an editable copy.
  3. Use File → Make a copy for each new client so your master stays clean.

Excel and Google Sheets

  1. Download the Excel (.xlsx) file. It has a blank sheet and a worked example.
  2. Enter quantities, hours and rates: amounts, totals and tax calculate with built-in formulas.
  3. To use Google Sheets, upload the file to Drive and choose Open with → Google Sheets; the formulas carry over.

PDF

Use Print or save as PDF in the template section above to print just the template, or fill it in Word or Google Docs first and export it (File → Save As → PDF in Word, File → Download → PDF document in Google Docs).

Example: Meridian Advisory invoice for Calder Manufacturing

A filled-in example for a operations review and improvement plan. Both companies are fictional.

Invoice details

  • Invoice number: INV-0142
  • Invoice date: 3 June
  • Due date: 17 June
  • From: Meridian Advisory
  • Bill to: Calder Manufacturing

Line items

ItemDescriptionQty / timeRateAmount
Mon 2 JuneWorkshop prep and client call3.5 hours$90.00$315.00
Tue 3 JuneDraft recommendations6 hours$90.00$540.00
Thu 5 JuneRevisions after feedback2.25 hours$90.00$202.50
Fri 6 JuneFinal review meeting1 hour$90.00$90.00

Totals

  • Subtotal: $1,147.50
  • Tax: Not charged in this example
  • Total due: $1,147.50
  • Payment terms: 14 days, by bank transfer or card link

Notes

Thank you for your business. Please quote the invoice number with your payment.

MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU

Useful structure.
Your way of working.

01

Bill in the client’s language.

Name each line the way your quote or agreement did. If the client can match “Mon 2 June” to what they approved, the invoice gets paid without questions.

02

Bill the way consultants get paid.

Ask for the client’s purchase order number before you invoice; it’s often required for payment. Consultants price by day rate, fixed fee per phase or monthly retainer. Value-based fixed fees are common for well-defined outcomes.

03

Keep the evidence close.

For day-rate work, list days by date and activity so the sponsor can approve quickly. Reference the approved quote, timesheet or report behind each invoice, so any query is answered in one message.

GOOD QUESTIONS

Before you download.

Talk to us
How do consultants invoice?

Day-rate consultants invoice monthly in arrears for days worked, with dates and activities. Fixed-fee engagements are invoiced by phase or milestone. Expenses go on separate lines at cost, with receipts.

What is a PO number and do I need one on my invoice?

A purchase order number is the client’s internal reference for approved spending. Many larger organisations won’t process an invoice without it, so ask for it when the work is agreed.

Should I round hours on an invoice?

Rounding to the nearest 15 minutes (or six minutes for law firms) is common. Apply the same rule every time and state it in your agreement so it never looks arbitrary.

What payment terms should I put on an invoice?

Fourteen or thirty days are the most common. Write the actual due date on the invoice as well as the terms, and include every way the client can pay.

Can I edit this template in Word or Google Docs?

Yes. Download the Word (.docx) file and open it in Microsoft Word, or upload it to Google Drive and choose Open with → Google Docs. There’s also a Markdown version for any text editor. No account or email address is needed.

How do I save it as a PDF?

Fill it in, then export it: File → Save As → PDF in Word, or File → Download → PDF document in Google Docs. On this page you can also print just the template or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print dialog.

Does the Excel version calculate totals?

Yes. Enter quantities, hours and rates and the amounts, subtotal, tax and total calculate automatically. It also works in Google Sheets: upload it to Drive and open it with Google Sheets.

KEEP THE WORK MOVING

The next useful step.

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