Virtual assistant invoice
A virtual assistant invoice for hours, retainers and expenses
Most VA disputes are about hours nobody wrote down. An invoice that groups the month into a few named blocks — inbox, scheduling, research — with hours against each is read in ten seconds and paid without an email.
This page covers hourly billing, retainer packages with included hours, over-run, and the small expenses you fronted.
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What to put on it
- The period the invoice covers, stated plainly: “1–30 September 2026”.
- Either a retainer line with the hours it includes, or grouped hourly lines by task type.
- Over-run hours as their own line, at the agreed over-run rate.
- Expenses you paid on the client's behalf — a subscription, a courier — at cost.
- Your payment details and a due date. Net 7 or Net 14 is normal for ongoing support work.
Retainer or hourly
Retainer. One line: “Executive support retainer, September 2026 — 20 hours included” at the package price. Then “Additional hours, 3.5 at 28” underneath if you went over. The client's finance team likes this because the base amount is the same every month.
Hourly. Group by what you did rather than by the day: “Inbox and calendar management, 14 h”, “Travel research and booking, 6 h”, “CRM tidy-up, 4.5 h”. A 30-line day-by-day list looks thorough and gets queried more, not less.
Unused hours and rollover
If your agreement rolls unused hours into next month, say so in the notes and do not discount the invoice — the retainer is for availability, not only for hours consumed. If it does not roll over, say that too. Either way the sentence belongs on the invoice, where it is read, rather than in a contract nobody opens.
Expenses you paid for the client
Put them at cost, one per line, with what they were for. If you paid in a different currency, invoice in your normal currency and note the rate you used. Invoira does the arithmetic on what you type; it does not convert currencies for you.
A worked example
- From
- Amara Osei, virtual assistance
- To
- Larkfield Consulting Ltd
- Number
- INV-0089
- Period
- 1–30 September 2026
- Issued
- 30 Sep 2026
- Due
- 7 Oct 2026 (Net 7)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive support retainer, September — 20 hours included | 1 | £560.00 | £560.00 |
| Additional hours, 3.5 at 32 | 3.5 | £32.00 | £112.00 |
| Transcription subscription, September (at cost) | 1 | £18.00 | £18.00 |
- Subtotal
- £690.00
- Total
- £690.00
Unused retainer hours do not roll over; that sentence lives in the invoice notes so it is never a surprise.
Questions
Should I list every task?
No. Group them into three to six named blocks with hours. It is easier to approve and it protects you from a line-by-line negotiation.
How do I invoice a client in another country?
Choose their currency or yours in the generator — both are formatted with the right rounding — and put your international bank details in the payment instructions. Ask your accountant about tax on cross-border services.
What payment terms are normal for VA work?
Net 7 or Net 14 for monthly support. Some VAs invoice in advance for retainers; if you do, say “payable in advance for October” on the invoice.
Can I reuse this every month?
Yes. Without an account you can keep the draft in this browser. With a free account, “Bill again” copies last month's invoice with new dates and a new number.
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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 2026-09-20. Invoira formats what you enter; it does not give tax or legal advice.