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Consultant invoice template
Updated October 2026
Consulting invoices go soft when a month of advice, a workshop, and a train ticket all collapse into "professional services." This one keeps the retainer, the hours past it, the workshop, and the travel in separate piles.
| Inside the October retainer | Billed besides it | |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | 12 hours, flat $2,400. Unused hours do not carry into November in this example. | 3 hours past the block, at $200. |
| Workshop | Not included. | Half a day of facilitation, $900. |
| Travel | Not included. | $146 at cost. No markup on this sample. |
Example prices
Bill to
Northwind Credit Union
Attn: Accounts payable
PO 7781
Engagement: member-growth advisory
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| October advisory retainer, 12 hours included | 1 | $2,400.00 | $2,400.00 |
| Hours past the retainer | 3 | $200.00 | $600.00 |
| Half-day workshop facilitation | 1 | $900.00 | $900.00 |
| Travel, at cost, no markup in this example | 1 | $146.00 | $146.00 |
Payment methods on this sample: Bank Transfer, Check.
The preset loads the retainer, the extra hours, the workshop, the travel line, and PO 7781. It does not replace your saved business details with Ada Kemper's.
Open this template in the generator. Start a blank invoice.
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What their accounts payable actually looks for
- Your legal name and where to send questions, in the business block you control.
- Their legal name and a named person or desk. This sample says accounts payable.
- The PO, written as PO 7781, not buried in a paragraph.
- The month the retainer covers, and what happens to unused hours.
- Expenses as expenses, with a receipt behind them in real life.
Net 30 because the payer is an institution
A household can pay a plumber the day the water is back. A credit union often cannot. This sample gives them until October 31. If you are billing a founder who pays from a personal card, a shorter term will get you paid sooner, and you should say that in the proposal before the month starts. The broader menu of terms is on the payment terms page.
Retainer, overflow, and the accounts payable desk
How do retainer hours and extra hours share one invoice?
Bill the block you promised, then add only the hours past it. This October sample includes 12 hours at a flat $2,400, then 3 more hours at $200. The workshop is not counted against the 12.
What if unused hours are left at month end?
Say so. In this example they do not roll into November. If your deal is the opposite, write the opposite. The invoice should match the engagement, not a habit you forgot to mention.
Why is a PO on a consulting bill?
Northwind's accounts payable will not release payment without PO 7781. If you leave it off, the work can be done and the bill can still sit.
How should travel be listed?
This sample shows $146 at cost, with no markup, and the note says to attach the receipt when you send a real invoice. A markup is fine if you agreed to one. Then label it as a markup.
Why is the due date a full month out?
The client is a credit union that pays on a cycle. Net 30 matches that desk. A solo client who can pay from a phone does not need the same wait. See net 30 payment terms for when that cycle helps and when it just delays you.