Hourly invoice template
Use this template when your contract sets a rate per hour: developers, bookkeepers, tutors, editors, virtual assistants and anyone else who bills time. A client reviewing an hourly invoice checks three things: the period it covers, what the hours were spent on, and the rate. Enter hours in the Qty column and your rate beside them, and Invoice Forever does the maths as you type.
What to include
- The period covered, for example “1–15 April”, in the notes or the first line
- One line per task, week or project rather than a single line of total hours
- Hours in decimals in the Qty column: 7.5 for seven and a half hours
- Your hourly rate in the Rate column, with work at a different rate on its own line
- Tax if you charge it, shown as a separate amount
- Payment terms and a due date
Preview of the hourly template
What makes a good hourly invoice
Describe the work, not just the hours
“12h, landing page build” is clearer than “12h” and heads off questions. If the client wants a time report, send it with the invoice and mention it in the notes.
Group by week or project
For long engagements, one line per week keeps the invoice readable while the detail stays in your time records.
State your rounding
If you bill in 15- or 30-minute increments, say so in the contract or the notes, so a client adding up your time reaches the same total.
VAT-registered in the UK?
HMRC's VAT guide gives an hourly rate as an example of the unit price a VAT invoice must show. The Rate column already prints it.
Save your rate
A free account stores your standard rate as a reusable item. There's no timer in Invoice Forever, so keep logging hours in the tool you already use.
Read before you send it
How to write an invoice (step by step) →
Everything a client needs to pay you, in the right order — with nothing missing.
What does Net 30 mean on an invoice? →
What Net 30 means, when the 30 days start, and how it compares with Net 15 and Net 60.
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