In addition to simple start/end features, time-tracking software can collect data showing you where you are overspending time and where you’re most efficient. There are many free time-tracking tools and apps available, including: If you’re billing up-front or requesting a downpayment, you’ll need an archive of this information collected over time to bill accurately. Whether you charge clients per hour, project, stage, unit, or by word, you’ll need to know your time spent to calculate your income for specific periods, improve efficiencies and design your service fees around the cost of living. Time-tracking information is often necessary for calculating the price per service and populating your invoices. Getting this information right requires effective time-tracking and record-keeping, which we’ll explain in more detail below. The next step in the invoicing process involves gathering all the necessary information regarding the services performed, the number of hours spent if billing by the hour, and the subtotal of these services. Step two: Gather the necessary information Once you have decided on the appropriate payment schedule, you can align your invoices accordingly. Some contractors prefer upfront payments, down payments, or payment upon a milestone/project completion, while others prefer hourly, weekly, biweekly, or monthly payments. Put these photos side by side to increase the dramatic effect.Step one: Refer to the independent contractor agreement for payment termsīefore creating an invoice, ensure that you and your client have created and signed an independent contractor agreement outlining your desired pay rate, schedule, and payment method. Everybody loves seeing before/after photos. You’re probably already taking a few photos for your own reference your company Facebook/Yelp page. Some companies include the number of people working on a project to further justify their final price.įinally, include a few photos of the work done.

Write that it’s for labor, including how much you charge for labor per hour and the number of hours the job will take. You’ll also want to include labor costs in the same way. It’s generally a good idea to include a serial number or ID numbers for materials used in case you want to do a follow-up job and want to use the same materials. When you list the materials, include the description of the materials, the quantity you’ll need, the cost per piece, and the total amount of that material. Your description should also be easy for the customer to understand, so they know exactly what work was done. You may refer to your invoices in the future, so the details will help you remember exactly what you did. Mention any specifics, not just the general type of job, where possible. The description of the work to be done should be brief, but it should be detailed as well.

Examples of invoices for contractors