Hourly Invoice Generator

How to invoice for hourly work

An hourly invoice lists the time you worked and multiplies it by your hourly rate. Each line describes a task or a day, with the hours in the quantity column and your rate in the rate column. BillOak calculates the line amounts, the subtotal, tax and total for you.

Hours don’t have to be whole numbers: 1.5 or 0.25 work fine. Most people round to the nearest quarter or tenth of an hour and say so in the terms, so the client knows how time is counted.

What to include on an hourly invoice

• Your name or business name and contact details
• The client’s name and billing address
• An invoice number, the invoice date and the due date
• The period covered, such as "1–15 October"
• Each task or date with the hours worked and the hourly rate
• Different rates on separate lines (for example normal and rush work)
• Tax, the total due and how to pay you

Tips for getting hourly invoices paid

Describe the work, not just the hours. "Homepage redesign – 6.5 h" is easier to approve than "Work – 6.5 h". If the client has a budget or a cap, show it in the notes so they can see you stayed within it.

Invoice on a regular schedule, weekly, every two weeks or monthly, rather than waiting until a project ends. Smaller, regular invoices are approved faster and keep your cash flow steady.

Hourly vs. fixed-price invoices

Hourly billing suits work whose scope is unclear or keeps changing: support, consulting, maintenance and edits. Fixed-price billing suits well-defined deliverables. Many freelancers combine both: a fixed price for the project and an hourly rate for changes outside the agreed scope, each on its own line.