Agency invoice template
An agency invoice for retainers, phases and pass-through costs
An agency invoice is usually the largest document the client’s accounts payable team sees from a supplier that month, and the one most likely to be queried. Retainer fees, project phases, pass-through media and third-party costs all sit on the same page, and each is approved by a different person.
This template separates them so each approver finds their line, and the total still adds up in one place.
No signup · Free PDF download.
What to include
- The account or client name as it appears in your contract, and the campaign or project.
- The retainer line with its month and what it includes.
- Project phases with the deliverable and acceptance date.
- Pass-through costs (media spend, print, stock, licences) at cost, on their own lines, with the supplier named.
- Change orders by number, so the client can match them to what they signed.
- The PO, the terms, tax as a separate row, and your tax number.
Retainers, phases and change orders
Retainers. “Marketing retainer, October 2026: strategy, 2 campaigns, monthly report” at the fixed fee. Next month the description changes only in the month, which keeps a paper trail without looking like a duplicate.
Phases. “Website redesign, phase 3: build, accepted 15 Sep” at the phase fee. Invoice on the acceptance date the contract names.
Change orders. “CO-04: additional landing page, approved 9 Sep” with the approved amount. A change order invoiced as its own line is rarely queried; the same amount folded into the phase fee always is.
Pass-through. “Paid social spend, September, Meta (at cost)” as a line at the exact amount, with the platform’s invoice attached to your email. Set that line’s tax rate to match your accountant’s advice.
What accounts payable checks
The PO. The vendor name exactly as onboarded. The currency. The tax row and rate. Whether pass-through lines match the third-party invoices. Whether the retainer amount matches the contract. The due date. Give each its own place on the document and the invoice clears; make any of them a phone call and it waits until next month’s run.
Using the generator
The Modern template carries the letterhead well. Add the retainer, phases, change orders and pass-through lines. Turn on tax and set pass-through lines individually if they differ. Put the PO in its own field. Payment instructions as “Label: value” lines. Download the PDF.
Agencies bill on a schedule: a free account keeps clients and standard services saved, assigns numbers in sequence when you issue, gives each invoice a share link the client’s AP team can open without a login, and lets you record partial payments, which is how retainers are often paid.
A worked example
- From
- Northlight Creative Ltd
- To
- Bramble Foods plc
- Number
- INV-2026-091
- PO reference
- BF-PO-33102
- Issued
- 10 Sep 2026
- Due
- 10 Oct 2026 (Net 30)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing retainer, September 2026 | 1 | £6,000.00 | £6,000.00 |
| CO-04: additional landing page (approved 9 Sep) | 1 | £1,800.00 | £1,800.00 |
| Paid social spend, September, Meta (at cost) | 1 | £4,250.00 | £4,250.00 |
- Subtotal
- £12,050.00
- VAT (20%)
- £2,410.00
- Total
- £14,460.00
Every line is taxed at 20% here; your accountant decides how pass-through costs are treated in your case.
Questions
Can I show partial payments on the invoice?
The invoice itself shows the total due. Inside an account you record payments against it, partial ones included, and the dashboard shows the remaining balance.
How do I invoice media spend?
As its own line at cost with the platform and period, and attach the platform invoice to your email. Whether tax applies is for your accountant.
Can I use my own numbering scheme?
Yes. Set a prefix and a next number in Settings; numbers are then assigned in order at issue time. As a guest you type the number directly.
Can I keep the client’s PO on every monthly invoice?
Yes. The PO reference is a field on each invoice, and “Bill again” copies it with the rest of the document, so change it only when the client raises a new one.
Can the client pay by card from the invoice?
Only through a payment link of your own that you add to the invoice. Invoira does not process payments or hold funds.
Related
- Consulting invoice templateConsulting invoice template
- Designer invoice templateA designer’s invoice: deliverables, rounds and rights, priced clearly
- Web developer invoice templateWeb Developer Invoice Template
- Open the generatorStart typing your invoice. No account, free PDF.
- Invoira homeThe three layouts, and what an account adds.
Your turn
Turn this example into your invoice.
The line items are already there. Change the client, work, rates and dates, then download the PDF.
Updated 2026-09-10. Invoira formats what you enter; it does not give tax or legal advice.