A consultancy invoice is a document used to bill a client for services provided by a consultant. It is the responsibility of the consultant to provide a copy of the invoice and the client is obligated to make payment according to the terms and conditions. Failure to comply may result in legal action.
Freelancers and small business owners can quickly and easily invoice their clients with the help of our free invoice templates. Because our templates are completely editable, you can adjust them to meet your requirements precisely regardless of the industry you are in. Additionally, these templates are accessible in every common format, including PDF, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Microsoft Word, and Excel.
Your invoices will look fantastic thanks to the expert design of our templates, which will also help to strengthen your brand. And most of all, using and editing our template is really simple. No prior design knowledge is necessary, and automatic calculations guarantee a quick workflow. Start using our invoice templates right away to eliminate the headache of invoicing.
Key benefits:
Pick the template that best suits your needs and start invoicing your customers:
Consultants generally charge for services in a variety of ways, depending on the nature of the project and the industry. For short-term projects, an hourly rate may be used, while for larger projects a flat fee may be negotiated. Some consultants may even work on a retainer basis, charging for a set number of hours or services per month.
Regardless of payment model, all payments require an invoice. Invoices can be generated and sent in different ways, including the following:
Custom invoice template: For freelancers who want complete control over their invoices, creating a custom invoice template in Google Docs, Microsoft Excel or Word could be a good option. However, it can be time-consuming to create a template from scratch.
Online invoice template: Some websites (such as ours!) offer free invoice templates that you can easily customise. These templates are available in a variety of formats and can be tailored to your needs in a few simple steps. Unfortunately, though, it is often illegal to assign invoice numbers manually, which is a limitation of using online templates.
Invoicing software: Cloud-based invoicing software, such as Conta, is a great option for small businesses that want to create and send invoices quickly and easily. Using invoicing software will give you access to smart features, such as recurring billing, automatic payment reminders and easy storage for previous invoices. The only potential downside is that you may be charged a small monthly fee, and you may not have as much control over the design of the invoices.
Conta makes creating invoices easier by helping you to fill out all the necessary information. Better yet, the software reminds you if you forget to include any details, ensuring that your invoice is valid.
Yet, it is important to know what you should include to ensure that your bills are in compliance with laws and regulations.
First, a consulting invoice should include information about the services provided, the cost of those services, the time period in which the services were performed, and any applicable taxes. Next, the invoice should include contact information for both the consultant and the recipient of the services. Lastly, you should add a unique invoice number and an area where payment information can be provided.
Ready to get started? Create your first free invoice.
Our invoice template is easy and intuitive to use. Here is how it should be used:
| Features | Invoice template | Conta invoicing |
| Cost | $0 | $0 – Sign up for free |
| Printable | ✅ | ✅ |
| Email to clients | ✅ | ✅ |
| Track sales and sales tax | ❌ | ✅ |
| Unlimited invoicing and estimates | ❌ | ✅ |
| Send automatic payment reminders | ❌ | ✅ |
| Recurring invoicing | ❌ | ✅ |
| Track invoice status | ❌ | ✅ |
| Add business partners or accountants as collaborators | ❌ | ✅ |
Invoice templates are often the go-to choice for many businesses. The primary benefit of using an invoice template is that it is cost-effective – typically free. They are also easy to use, as all you need to do is copy and paste the template into your desired document format and fill in the relevant information.
However, invoice templates can come with some drawbacks. You might, for instance, need to manually customise the invoice template for each client, which can be time-consuming and inconvenient.
Invoice software, on the other hand, is a great option for businesses that prefer to streamline their invoicing process (esipecially now when there are free options such as Conta). The primary benefit of invoice software is that it can save time – you can quickly create and send invoices directly from any device, as well as easily store and manage billing information.
In addition, many invoice software programs come with advanced features such as payment gateways, automated reminders, and even analytics tools. Therefore, an easy-to-use free invoice software is always a good choice for consultants and other small business owners.
