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To invoice in FreshBooks, open Dashboard > Create New > Invoice or Invoices > New Invoice, add the client and billable items, review payment settings, then save a draft or send it. For repeat billing, create a recurring template; for hourly work, import unbilled time and project expenses.
Create a one-off invoice
- Open the invoice editor. Choose Dashboard > Create New > Invoice or Invoices > New Invoice. To start with a particular client, open that client’s record, select the Invoices tab, and create an invoice there. FreshBooks’ invoice instructions describe these entry points.
- Select the client and check the details. Choose an existing client or create one. Review the business information populated from Basic Information and confirm the issue and due dates. The issue date defaults to today, according to FreshBooks’ help page.
- Add what you are billing for. Enter each product or service as a line item, including its description, quantity, and rate. After adding line items, you can apply up to two existing sales taxes or create a sales tax.
- Check the total and agreed terms. Review the subtotal and total. Depending on the transaction, the editor may offer adjustments such as a discount, available client credit, deposit request, or payment schedule. Use them only when they match the terms agreed with your client.
- Review payment and client-facing settings. Check online-payment options, currency, language, reminders, and any late fee. Available payment methods depend on region and account setup. FreshBooks’ invoice page names FreshBooks Payments, PayPal, and Stripe Standard, and describes bank transfers as US-only; verify what your account currently offers before promising a method. Confirm that any fee or reminder setting fits your agreement and local requirements.
- Save or send. Save to keep the invoice as a draft, or choose Send. In the send dialog, select recipients, personalize the email, and choose whether to attach a PDF. FreshBooks marks the invoice as sent after it is sent.
FreshBooks says default online-payment options apply to new invoices, while individual invoices can use other available gateways or methods. Its getting-started guide notes that features differ across plans, so check your account for current payment availability and plan entitlements.
Choose the right invoicing workflow
| Workflow | Best fit | What to do | Key consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-off invoice | A single project, sale, or service bill | Create an invoice, enter line items, and save or send it. | Review dates, tax, totals, and payment options before sending. |
| Tracked time or project work | Hourly billing or work recorded against a project | Import unbilled time, expenses, or projects into the invoice. | Generated invoices with tracked time have a 400-line-item limit. |
| Recurring invoice | Regularly repeated charges | Create a recurring template and set its schedule and delivery method. | Recurring invoice generation is separate from automatic payment; AutoPay requires client opt-in for eligible invoices. |
Invoice tracked time, projects, and expenses
For time-based billing, FreshBooks lets you generate an invoice from Time Tracking, from a project, or from the invoice editor. In the editor, choose Add a Line to import unbilled time, expenses, and projects. Generated time entries become billed. See FreshBooks’ instructions for invoicing time and projects.
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FreshBooks documents a limit of 400 time-entry line items on invoices generated with tracked time. For a long invoice, its help page suggests using a grouped or simple format and attaching a time-entry report PDF.
#1 Best Overall
- Two-Part Carbonless Invoice Book: Each invoice book has 50 sets of invoices, each with a white/light yellow section, with the yellow section retained in the invoice book to maintain detailed records.
- Consecutively Numbered: Enlarged red 6-digit numbers in the upper right corner of each invoice receipt book help you quickly navigate through your orders.
- Wraparound Divider Flap: A thick folded cardboard divider is integrated into the back of each invoice book for use between each two-part sales order to prevent the written content from rubbing off on subsequent copies of the invoice, resulting in wasted invoices.
- 2 Packs/50 Sets (100 Sets Total): Each invoice book provides 50 sequentially numbered carbonless sets of 2 invoice books for long-term use.
- Customizable Space: Each invoice book for small business has space at the top to add a company seal or sticker.
Set up recurring invoices
- Open recurring templates. Start from the Dashboard, Invoices > Recurring Templates, or the recurring-template tab in a client record.
- Enter the invoice details. Add the client and line items as you would for a standard invoice.
- Set the schedule. Choose weekly, monthly, yearly, or a custom frequency, then set the next issue date. Choose a finite number of invoices or set the template to generate invoices indefinitely.
- Choose delivery. Set the template to send invoices automatically or create drafts for review. For the current controls, consult FreshBooks’ recurring-template instructions.
Recurring invoices versus recurring payments
A recurring template controls when invoices are generated and whether they are sent or saved as drafts. Payment automation is a separate choice. FreshBooks describes AutoPay as an option a client can opt into so eligible recurring invoices are charged to saved payment details; the company says AutoPay is included with all plans at no extra cost. Advanced Payments also has an AutoCollect capability with different setup controls. Which payment methods are available depends on the account configuration. See FreshBooks’ recurring-payment guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Resend, share, or download an invoice
Open the invoice and select More Actions. FreshBooks lists options to add a payment, send or resend the invoice by email, share a link, mark a draft as sent, duplicate it, print it, or download a PDF. Use the appropriate action for the invoice’s status; for example, sending a draft is different from sharing an invoice that has already been sent. The available actions are described in FreshBooks’ invoice-management instructions.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 6-PACK/50 Sets (300 Total Sets): Six 5-7/16 x 8-7/16" bound Sales Order Books with two-part forms which produces two identical records of each sales transaction, one for the customer and one for your business
- CARBONLESS COPY: No carbon paper! Each 2-part set features a white top sheet for recording each transaction and a bottom canary yellow sheet that captures written text from top sheet.
- CONSECUTIVE NUMBERS: Effortlessly identify the chronological order of transactions in each book by the pre-printed number on each sales order set
- WRAPAROUND DIVIDER FLAP: A thick, folded paperboard divider is integrated into the back of each book to use between each 2-part sales order form.
- PERSONALIZE: Each sales order form sheet contains space at the top to add a company stamp or sticker
Rank #4
- QUALITY INVOICES: Adams Order books provide a professional invoice or customer receipt; a great way to create and maintain a professional image for small businesses and service providers
- 50 TWO-PART CARBONLESS FORMS: Customers get the perforated white top copy; retain the canary and pink copies for your records
- WRAP-AROUND COVER: Fold the back cover between sets to keep invoices neat and legible
- ROOM FOR CUSTOMIZATION: A blank space at top leaves room for your company stamp; a big savings over custom-printed forms
- CONSECUTIVELY NUMBERED: Large 6-digit numbers in the upper right hand corner help you thumb through orders quickly
Rank #3
- This value 3 pack of Adams Invoice Books give you 150 two part carbonless invoices with a perforated white customer receipt and yellow duplicates for your records; 3 50-invoice books per pack
- Unique horizontal invoice sheets capture the purchased by and shipped to addresses; a compact 5-9/16 x 8-7/16 page still leaves plenty of room for details on up to 12 items sold
- Wraparound back cover prevents write-through between sets; pull out the perforated white customer receipt and the yellow carbonless duplicates stay behind for your records
- Unique 6 digit invoice numbers help you thumb through orders quickly; blank space up top gives you room for a company stamp—an affordable custom touch
- In value packs with three 50-invoice books for your small business; buy ahead to keep on site or take on the road for pop-up shop sales
Rank #2
- PACKAGE INCLUDES - Our invoice book per pack has 50 sets sheets, Total of 100 sheets. red code printed on each page with consecutive numbers
- Material - Receipt book is excellent quality carbonless paper is used in their production, tears off easily along the perforation.
- A5 Size - Sales invoice book size of 5.5" x 8.5", and forms are 2 part carbonless white/yellow sets on a sturdy chipboard backing
- WIDE APPLICATION - Sales reciepts/invoice book for small business is ideal for restaurants, food trucks, vendors, service provider, photographers, caterers, florists, bakeries, cafes, boutiques and salons
Check settings before billing clients
- Payment methods: Availability can vary by location and account setup. Check the invoice’s actual payment options instead of assuming every listed gateway is enabled.
- Taxes and fees: Confirm tax treatment and any late fee against the applicable requirements and your agreement with the client.
- Dates and delivery: Verify the issue date, due date, recipients, and whether the invoice should be sent now or retained as a draft.
- Plan and feature availability: FreshBooks says features differ across plans. Check its getting-started guide and your account for current entitlements.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
