Sending an invoice sounds simple. You did the work, you send a number, you wait. But freelancers who've been doing this for more than a few months know the reality: a badly structured invoice delays payment, creates confusion, and sometimes starts a conversation you didn't want to have.
Here's how to do it right — from what goes on the invoice to what happens after you hit send.
What Every Freelance Invoice Needs
Before anything else, your invoice needs to be unambiguous. A client should open it and immediately understand what they owe, what it's for, and how to pay. That means including:
Your details. Full name or business name, address, email, and if you're VAT-registered, your VAT number. This isn't optional — in most countries it's a legal requirement.
Client details. Their full company name and address. If you're invoicing a company, this needs to match their official registration details, not just whoever you emailed.
Invoice number. Sequential, unique. Start with 2026-001 and go from there. Accountants on both ends need this for their records, and you'll need it if there's ever a payment dispute.
Invoice date and due date. Issue date is when you send it. Due date is when you expect payment. Don't leave the due date off — "payment within 30 days" in the body of an email is not the same as a clear date on the invoice itself.
Line items. Break down what you did. "Freelance work — March" is not a line item. "Website redesign — 23 hours at $95/hr" is. The more specific, the less room for a client to come back with questions.
Total amount due. Include subtotal, any taxes applied, and the final amount in whatever currency you agreed on.
Payment details. Bank account, IBAN, routing number — whatever your client needs to actually send the money. Don't make them ask.
When to Send
Send the invoice the moment work is delivered — not a few days later, not "when you get around to it." Delay on your end signals that the invoice isn't urgent, and clients treat it accordingly.
For longer projects, invoice at milestones. If you're doing a three-month build, don't send one invoice at the end. Invoice at 30%, 60%, and completion. This protects your cash flow and keeps the client anchored to what they've committed to paying.
For recurring work, invoice on the same day every month. Predictability builds habits — theirs and yours.
Payment Terms That Actually Hold
Net 30 is the default, but it's not sacred. Independent professionals doing project work can often negotiate Net 14 or even Net 7 for smaller engagements. The earlier you establish your terms, the easier this is — ideally in the contract before work starts, not on the invoice after.
Include a late payment clause. Something like 1.5% per month on overdue amounts is standard in most markets. Whether or not you enforce it, having it on the invoice changes how clients prioritize payment.
What Happens After You Send
Following up on unpaid invoices is uncomfortable, but it's part of the job. Have a system:
- Day of due date: send a short, neutral reminder. "Just checking in — invoice #2026-014 was due today. Let me know if you need anything from my end."
- 5 days overdue: follow up again, this time with the invoice attached.
- 14 days overdue: a firmer message referencing your late payment terms.
Most late payments aren't malicious — they're administrative failures on the client's side. A polite, consistent follow-up process resolves the majority of them without damaging the relationship.
Common Mistakes That Delay Payment
Sending to the wrong person. The person you work with day-to-day is often not the person who processes invoices. Always confirm the right contact for billing before you send your first invoice.
Missing information. An invoice that arrives without a PO number (if required), or without a VAT number that the client needs for their accounting, will sit in someone's queue until they chase you for the missing detail.
No payment method. If you only accept bank transfer but haven't included your IBAN, the payment will be delayed. If you accept online payment, include the link.
Inconsistent formatting. An invoice that looks unprofessional signals that you're new to this. Clients — consciously or not — deprioritize invoices that look like they came from someone who might not follow up.
The Faster Path
The above is the manual version. Most of the friction in freelance invoicing comes from doing it by hand — creating documents from scratch, tracking what's been sent and what's been paid, chasing manually.
TAV automates the whole flow. You add a client, log your hours or set a project rate, and TAV generates and sends the invoice. Payment status is tracked in real time. When something's overdue, you know immediately.
The result is less time on admin and fewer invoices that fall through the cracks — which, ultimately, means getting paid faster.