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Topic: Freelance Invoice, how to?
| Author | Message |
| jkdscribe | Posted – 10/25/2007 4:38:11 PM | show profile I've recently finished a freelance assignment and the editor wants me to send her an invoice for payment. I've never written an invoice before. Anyone know how? |
| reporterwriter | Posted – 10/25/2007 4:48:26 PM | show profile Lots of examples online ... Basically, type "Invoice" across the top and include your name, address and phone number; your e-mail address; your Social Security number; where you're sending the invoice and to whom; the name of the assignment; the amount of money due to you. You can assign it an invoice number, if you'd like. |
| AWC | Posted – 10/25/2007 4:52:10 PM | show profile All it has to be is a simple document that includes the following: the date, your name and address, the name the person/organization that you're billing, a heading of some sort that says "invoice" (so the recipient knows what it is), the name or a brief description of the assignment, the total fee due to you, and your tax I.D. or social security number. If you were paid hourly, you might want to break down the fee (ex. 9 hours at $30/hour). There are other things you might want to add like a payment due date, etc., but those are the basics. |
| Cyrus | Posted – 10/25/2007 4:53:37 PM | show profile Because of the sensitive nature of SS numbers, I would leave them off invoices. You'll have to fill out a W-9 that will have that information anyway, so there's no need to put it on invoices. I realize that invoices will usually go to the same people that will keep your W-9 on file, but I'd be cautious nonetheless. ------ Cyrus Afzali Astoria Communications www.astoriacomm.com |
| nandy | Posted – 10/25/2007 5:09:01 PM | show profile I would definitely assign it an invoice number...you can start at any number you want if #1 looks a little sad. Personally, I also incorporate the year so I know right away where it should be filed for tax purposes (ie. 001-2007) Always keep a copy, and always mark it as "paid" when you receive the check. Some accounts payble departments have strange ways of identifying your job on the check. They're not all straight forward. For some reason the company I work for uses the vendor's invoice date and number. That can get very confusing if you are sending multiple invoices on the same date. I've had freelancers call me for help deciphering them, LOL. And since we use a third party company to do our accounts payble, we do ask that the SS or EIN# is on the invoice. |
| hammer1 | Posted – 10/25/2007 5:27:47 PM | show profile Microsoft Office If you're using Microsoft Office, there are several templates you can use. It's pretty straightforward. Everyone else has got it right...but if you're looking for something that makes you feel like you look more professional, try one of the templates. |
| jkdscribe | Posted – 10/25/2007 9:20:30 PM | show profile funny, I actually looked for the templates but didn't see it. I'm using 2003, maybe it's not on there. Thanks all, I got it sent out. |
| hammer1 | Posted – 10/26/2007 3:12:05 PM | show profile Hmm... ...I use an older version (what can I say...I'm cheap!) of Windows. If you open Word and click on File and then New, it should offer you a variety document options. It's in there...at least in 2000. Glad you got it resolved either way! |
| pob | Posted – 10/26/2007 4:37:56 PM | show profile http://www.alistapart.com/articles/invoices/ |
| WordyBird | Posted – 10/27/2007 11:51:27 AM | show profile I would also put "PAYMENT DUE UPON RECEIPT" if the schedule of payment is not in your contract. Otherwise you'll end up chasing your money all over creation. If you want to be generous, you could put "NET 30, PAYMENT DUE BY XXXX" with a date of 30 days from the day you mail it. But I go with "due upon receipt." This way, if it gets to be 30 days, I can start harassing them. Fortunately, I have not had to harass anyone in a long, long time, though. |
| QiSoftware | Posted – 10/27/2007 1:19:53 PM | show profile You can set up a PayPal Business account and send an invoice to your client. I am not sure if you can send an invoice with a personal account. With a business account all you need is a SSN and a [US] bank. Regina Thomas ------ qblog.qisoftware.com |
| writesonwater | Posted – 10/28/2007 12:58:56 AM | show profile I modified an MS Word fax template to make a goodlooking invoice. I include my SSN, and I make the invoice number something that tells me the month and year I invoiced. My invoice also includes a businesslike thank-you, and my contact info. I keep copies in a file in my computer so lookups are easy. For one of my clients, they gave me an Excel sample which I modify when I bill them each month. If you like Excel, it's a good way to go. Something happened to the formatting so it doesn't automatically total the fee for all the articles, but I use a calculator to work that up so it's okay. |
