How to write an invoice for freelance work

You’ve delivered fantastic work, but now’s the equally important part — getting paid. Earning money as a freelancer starts with a rock-solid invoice.

In this blog, we’ll cover what you need to include in your invoice to bill correctly for freelance work. There are tips, examples, and a step-by-step guide for creating and dispatching an invoice that’ll secure prompt payments and burnish a professional image with your clients.

We’ll also introduce Wise Business as a tool for managing freelance finances and generating invoices.

Table of contents
What does an invoice for freelance work look like? How to write an invoice for freelance work Invoicing for freelance work through Wise Business

What does an invoice for freelance work look like?

There are now more than 4 million freelance workers in Australia — a third of the entire workforce¹. Invoices are the backbone of the economy, so it’s useful to know what details to include and how to present them.

Most invoice templates look the same. The key is including a clear record of the services you’ve provided and the amount your client owes.

Here’s a sample invoice with the key details you need to include:

As you can see, you’ll typically include your ‘payable to’ company details and your client’s ‘bill to’ information at the top. Then comes the job description, quantity, price, and total with the tax and final totals below.

You can include your bank name and account details in the bottom left — don’t forget to add these. And double-check to make sure they are correct.

What to include in an invoice for freelance work

There are multiple fields to complete when writing an invoice. To ensure it’s easy for clients to process and compliant with tax rules, you’ll need to include specific, key details.

Here are a few tips:

• Label it clearly either as a tax or sales invoice, depending on your GST status.
• Check the legal name of the company and make sure you’re forwarding the invoice to the right contact.
• Always give a due date. This is usually seven to 14 days, but this is something you should confirm upfront before taking on work.
• Include an invoice number. It’s a great way to track your invoices over time for record keeping.
• Add a notes section if you need to inform your client about things like late payment fees or specific payment methods.
• Include tax in a separate row and confirm the current rate in Australia.
• State which currencies you accept if you’re sending the invoice to a client overseas.

Work through each field systematically and double-check accuracy to prevent any errors and avoid back-and-forths.

How to write an invoice for freelance work

Writing an invoice correctly isn’t just about listing a simple fee — it’s about presenting your services clearly and professionally to clients. Invoicing errors can lead to disputes that delay payments, so getting it right the first time is important.

There’s more than just writing (and inputting numbers), too. Let’s take a look at the whole process for sending an invoice, from start to finish.

Prepare for invoicing

You shouldn’t just jump straight into billing for work. As a freelancer, you’ll need to set up a few things first. Depending on the nature of your work, you might need to create a business bank account, for example, to receive payments from clients and customers. You can also integrate this with accounting software to better track your invoices for financial reporting etc.

Before you start:

• Double-check your invoice terms that were agreed for the work.
• Get your customer’s details, including their name, address, and Australian Business Number (ABN).
• Decide on the payment method you want to use.

Gather all the information you need

Next, you need to gather all the relevant info and details to include in the actual invoice. The Australian Tax Office (ATO) states that there are two types of invoice for work: regular invoices and tax invoices².

If you’re a business with higher turnover of $75,000+, it’s likely you’ll already be registered for Goods and Services tax (GST)³. If not, you can register for GST using your ABN via the online portal.

Freelancers registered with GST must provide tax invoices with details about GST for each item or service rendered, or for the total amount.

Other freelancers can simply send regular invoices without GST information.

You’ll still need to include essential details in the invoice:

• Your business details, including Australian business number (ABN)
• Itemised list of projects or work
• Agreed-upon rates and terms
• Invoice date
• Unique invoice number

Additional info: Always write for fresh eyes — there are no guarantees that the contact you spoke with before completing the work will also send the payment.

Choose a professional template

An invoice is a window to your brand — it reflects your attention to detail and the way you conduct your business. There are professional templates available online that can help if you aren’t sure how to mock up a presentable document.

Wise offers a free invoice generator with all the key elements included.

The government recommends using a ‘standard layout’ that provides the right information in a clear and presentable way. You can use a bespoke design with your company or personal logo for branding. But make sure you meet the mandatory requirements for invoicing.

Fill out the invoice

Now you have everything sorted, you can start filling in your invoice with the right information. Take your time from top to bottom, slowly adding the details for your work.

Here’s a quick Freelancer Invoice Checklist to run through:

• [ ] Invoice number
• [ ] Name of client you are ‘billing to’ and their contact details — address, phone number, email address
• [ ] Job/work code or purchase order number
• [ ] Your company details including ABN
• [ ] Invoice date and due date
• [ ] Item description with the unit cost, quantity, and amount
• [ ] Subtotal for total cost of goods or services before tax
• [ ] Tax percentage (if applicable)
• [ ] Final total
• [ ] Your payment option
• [ ] Any additional notes, terms, or payment instructions

When sending an invoice to a client overseas, you’ll also have to list the currency you want to be paid in. Wise offers a simple currency drop-down menu in our invoice template — useful if you’re billing people overseas regularly.

Review and send the invoice

It’s easy to make mistakes on a first pass. Make sure to double-check everything before creating your invoice. When you’re ready, generate the invoice in the required format — PDF, .doc, Google sheet etc. — and then send it to your customer.

There are several methods you can use for this: email, einvoicing, or directly through your Wise Business account. With our multi-currency invoicing, you can track the progress of everything you send and filter by status for quick actions.

If you do opt for electronic invoicing, you can still include your Wise account details on your invoice. We can then handle any currency conversion — always at mid-market rates. And all of your transactions will sync automatically with your accounting software of choice. Its freelance work payment and reconciliation made easy.

Finally, remember to include a clear subject line with the invoice number and company number, along with a short, polite message or note.

Invoicing for freelance work through Wise Business

Accurate and well-structured invoices will ensure you get paid on time. They also reinforce your professional brand and help to build stronger relationships with customers.

Wise Business has built-in tools and features that make billing clients a breeze, whether they’re local in Australia or based overseas. You can generate polished, custom invoices using our free invoice generator or directly from the Wise dashboard. You can embed local bank details and send PDFs in seconds, ready for your customers to pay.

Creating an invoice with Wise Business

It’s quick and easy to create an invoice with Wise:

1. Click on create invoice using quick actions in the main menu.
2. Select New invoice to create a new one.
3. Enter relevant details in the boxes provided:
   1. Customer name
   2. Email (optional)
   3. The name of the product or service you sold
   4. The quantity and price (Wise will calculate the total)
4. Choose how you want to be paid:
   5. Pay with Wise
   6. Card
   7. Bank transfer
5. Add any extra notes or info that will help, like your tax number or company registration.
6. Click on Create Invoice to get a PDF preview and final document to send.

Expanding a business globally opens up exciting opportunities, but also new challenges like receiving payments across borders. Hidden foreign transaction fees and hefty currency conversions involved with international payments can eat into your profits and time.

Simplify business payments with Wise Business

Wise Business serves as a cost-effective solution where you can receive money from around the world at the speed and price of local payments.

Transform the way you receive payments with Wise Business:

• One-time fee of 65 AUD for local account details in 8+ currencies, including AUD, NZD, USD, and more—no recurring fees
• One account to hold, send, and convert money with no hidden fees or exchange rate markups
• Create and send professional invoices directly to your customers through Wise Business
• Create payment links to request money in specific currencies
• Seamlessly receive payments from customers, online sales, or PSPs like Stripe and Amazon.
• Wise is safe and secure - Trusted by 13 million people and counting

Sign up for the Wise Business account! 🚀

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Sources:

1. Quickbooks - The growing freelancer workforce
2. Business gov au - How to invoice
3. ATO gov au - How GST works

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Screenshots:

• Quickbooks freelancer numbers