Consulting invoice template
An invoice for consulting services that procurement will approve
Consulting invoices are read by procurement before they are read by the person who hired you. That reader wants the engagement named, the period stated, the PO matched and the terms unambiguous. Everything else is decoration.
Here is how to lay one out, what to write for each kind of engagement, and a generator that prefills the template.
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What a consulting invoice must state
- The engagement or statement of work it belongs to, by name, in the first line or the notes.
- The period covered, for example “1 to 30 September 2026”, so a monthly invoice cannot be confused with the previous one.
- The PO or contract reference, in its own field.
- Days or hours with the rate, or the phase and its agreed fee.
- Expenses as separate lines at cost, itemised.
- Tax as its own row, with the label and rate, and your tax number.
- A due date computed from the agreed terms.
Billing models and how to write them
Time and materials. One line per role or person: “Senior consultant, 12 days at 1,200”. If a client asked for a breakdown, add a line per week rather than pasting a timesheet into the description.
Retainer. “Advisory retainer, October 2026” at the fixed fee, with any over-run as a second line: “Additional days, 2 at 1,200”.
Fixed-fee phases. “Phase 2: process design, on acceptance” at the agreed amount. Invoice on the milestone date in the contract, not when you happen to finish, and reference the acceptance email in the notes.
Expenses. Travel, accommodation and per diems as separate lines with the dates. Keep them off the tax line unless your accountant says otherwise.
What procurement and accounts payable want
A PO number that matches theirs; without it the invoice sits in a queue. The vendor name exactly as registered with them. A currency stated on the document. Terms that agree with the master services agreement. A PDF with selectable text so their system can read the number and the total. Invoira prints the PO under the dates, names the PDF after the invoice number, and builds the PDF as real text, not an image.
Using the generator
Start from the Modern template; the coloured rail suits a firm’s letterhead, and switching templates keeps everything typed. Put the engagement name in the first description. Add a line per block of days or per phase. Set your tax label and rate once; if one line is exempt, set that line’s Tax % to zero. Paste the PO into the PO reference field. Add “Bank: …”, “Account: …” and “IBAN: …” lines in payment instructions and they print as a table. Download the PDF.
Consultants invoice the same client monthly; a free account keeps the client and the retainer service saved, hands out consecutive numbers when you issue, and records payments so the month-end chase is a filtered list rather than a search of your inbox.
A worked example
- From
- Ardent Advisory, Priya Nair
- To
- Corvid Logistics GmbH
- Number
- INV-0088
- PO reference
- PO-44871
- Period
- 1 to 30 Sep 2026
- Due
- 10 Oct 2026 (Net 30)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operations review, phase 2 (on acceptance) | 1 | €6,500.00 | €6,500.00 |
| Additional workshop days, 2 at 1,200 | 2 | €1,200.00 | €2,400.00 |
| Travel, Hamburg, 3 to 4 Sep (at cost) | 1 | €412.60 | €412.60 |
- Subtotal
- €9,312.60
- VAT (19%)
- €1,691.00
- Total
- €11,003.60
The travel line has its Tax % set to zero, so the VAT row covers only the fees. Whether that is right for you is a question for your accountant.
Questions
Should I invoice monthly or per phase?
Follow the contract. Time-based work is usually billed monthly with the period stated; fixed-fee work on the milestone dates. Either way, one invoice per period or phase, never both on one document.
Where does the PO number go?
In the PO reference field under notes. It prints beneath the dates on every template so accounts payable can match it without reading the lines.
Can I show hours instead of days?
Yes. Quantity accepts decimals, so 7.5 hours at an hourly rate works, and the amount is rounded to the currency’s precision.
How do I bill expenses without tax?
Add them as their own lines and set that line’s Tax % to 0. The tax row then covers only the taxable lines. Whether that is correct for you is a question for your accountant.
Can the client pay online?
You can put your own payment link in payment instructions and it prints on the invoice. Invoira does not process the payment or take a fee.
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Updated 2026-09-10. Invoira formats what you enter; it does not give tax or legal advice.