Invoice generator.
A clean invoice gets paid faster than a Messenger message saying "hi po, sending my hours". Fill this in, save it as a PDF and attach it to your email. Your details are saved, so next month takes two minutes.
To save a PDF: click Print, then choose "Save as PDF" as the printer. Name it like INV-2026-004_ClientName.pdf.
Your past invoices
Saved when you click "Save and start next invoice". Tick paid ones so you know who to chase.
When to invoice
New clients: invoice weekly or every 2 weeks
Short cycles limit how much you lose if a client disappears. After 2 to 3 months of on-time payments, move to monthly if they prefer it.
Fixed projects: 50% upfront
For one-off projects, ask for half before you start and half on delivery. Anyone who refuses a deposit on a $300 project will be hard to collect from at the end.
Send it the day the period ends
Not three days later. Use the same format every time, too. Clients pay predictable invoices faster. Put the period covered in the notes, e.g. "Oct 1 to Oct 15".
Agree terms before you start
Rate, billing cycle, due date and payment method should be in writing before day one. Net 7 (due 7 days after the invoice date) is normal for VAs. Net 30 is what big companies use. Don't accept it from a solo founder.
Late-payment follow-ups
Stay polite, get firmer, and stop working before the unpaid amount gets big. Each one pulls the invoice number, amount and due date from the invoice above. Edit anything still in brackets. For more variations, see the client scripts.