To invoice for hours worked, total your hours for the billing period from a time log, then list them as line items with a short description, the hours in decimal form (1 hour 30 minutes is 1.5), your hourly rate and the line amount, followed by the total, due date and payment details. A spreadsheet handles this well: one row per task or day, hours multiplied by rate, and a sum at the bottom. BillBee.work, a free invoice maker for freelancers, bills hourly lines as 8 hours per logged day, which suits full days at an hourly rate; for variable hours, total them yourself and add the amount as a fixed line, with a timesheet if the client wants the detail.
On this page
- Start with a time record you trust
- What should an hourly invoice include?
- A sample hourly invoice
- How to make an hourly invoice in a spreadsheet
- How should you round time on an invoice?
- How often should you bill hourly work?
- Billing hourly work in BillBee.work
- What to do when a client questions your hours
- Common hourly invoicing mistakes
You agreed $70 an hour, the work is done, and now the hours are scattered across a time log, your calendar and a few notes on your phone. The invoice needs to turn that into a total the client can check in a minute and pay without a follow-up email.
This guide covers how to record time so the invoice is easy, what an hourly invoice includes, a sample you can copy, how to build one in a spreadsheet, how to round time fairly, and what to do when a client questions the hours. For the wider process, from your first invoice to getting paid, see how to invoice as a freelancer.
Start with a time record you trust#
An hourly invoice is only as good as the log behind it. Before you think about layout, make sure you have a record of every billable block of time.
Any of these works, as long as you use it every day:
- A time tracker. Start a timer when you begin a task and stop it when you finish. Many can export to a spreadsheet.
- A spreadsheet. One row per task, with the date, start, end and a short description. Fill it in before you close your laptop.
- Calendar blocks. Turn each work session into a calendar event named after the task. At the end of the week, copy the durations across.
- A notebook. Fine for a few hours a week, as long as you write down start and end times, not guesses.
Three habits matter more than the method. Record time on the same day, while you remember it. Note the task in words the client will recognise. And mark what is billable, so internal admin does not creep onto the invoice.
Your invoices and the records behind them are also tax records. HMRC lists sales invoices among the proof self-employed people keep, and the IRS notes that the sales and other transactions in your business generate supporting documents you need for your books. A clean time log is what backs those invoices up.
What should an hourly invoice include?#
An hourly invoice has the same core details as any invoice, plus a clear breakdown of time.
| Field | Example | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Your details | Priya Shah Development, address, email | So the client knows who to pay |
| Client details | Bluebird Apps Inc., address | So it reaches the right company and budget |
| Invoice number | PS-202610-002 | Unique reference for both your records |
| Issue date and due date | 19 Oct 2026, due 2 Nov 2026 | Starts the payment clock |
| Billing period | 5 to 16 Oct 2026 | Shows which hours this covers |
| Line items | Task, hours, rate, amount | The core of an hourly invoice |
| Total hours and amount | 13.5 h, $945.00 | Lets the client check the maths |
| Tax, if you are registered | VAT or GST line | Required where it applies |
| Payment details | Bank transfer details, PayPal | So paying takes no extra emails |
In the UK, government guidance lists a unique number, a clear description of what you are charging for, the date the service was provided, the date of the invoice and the amounts charged among the things an invoice must include. A billing period on an hourly invoice covers the service date neatly.
A sample hourly invoice#
Here is two weeks of freelance development at $70 an hour, grouped by task. The names and figures are illustrative.
INVOICE PS-202610-002
From: Priya Shah Development, 88 Mill Road, Austin TX
Billed to: Bluebird Apps Inc., 410 Lake Street, Denver CO
Issue date: 19 Oct 2026 Due date: 2 Nov 2026
Period: 5 to 16 Oct 2026
Description Hours Rate Amount
API integration (payments) 6.50 $70.00 $455.00
Bug fixes from QA list 4.00 $70.00 $280.00
Client calls (3) 1.50 $70.00 $105.00
Deployment and testing 1.50 $70.00 $105.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Total 13.50 $945.00
Payment by bank transfer within 14 days.
Detailed timesheet attached.
Grouping by task keeps the invoice short and tells the client what they got. If they want to see every day, send a timesheet alongside it. Timesheet invoices covers how to lay one out and get it approved.
How to make an hourly invoice in a spreadsheet#
A spreadsheet is the best manual tool for hourly work because it does the multiplication for you. Google Sheets and Excel both work the same way.
1. Add your header
Put your name or business name, address and email at the top, then the client's details, the invoice number, the issue date, the due date and the billing period.
2. Set up the line items
Make four columns: Description, Hours, Rate and Amount. If the hours are in column B and the rate in column C, enter =B12*C12 in the first Amount cell and fill it down. Format the Amount column as currency.
3. Convert minutes to decimal hours
Invoices use decimal hours, and this is where errors often creep in. Divide the minutes by 60.
| Minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|
| 6 | 0.10 |
| 10 | 0.17 |
| 15 | 0.25 |
| 20 | 0.33 |
| 30 | 0.50 |
| 40 | 0.67 |
| 45 | 0.75 |
| 50 | 0.83 |
So 3 hours 40 minutes is 3.67, not 3.40. If your log stores durations as times, such as 3:40, multiply the cell by 24 to get decimal hours: =A2*24.
4. Add the totals
Sum the Hours and Amount columns. If you charge VAT, GST or sales tax, add a tax line on the subtotal, then the total due.
5. Add payment details and export
Below the total, add how to pay you and a one-line payment term, such as "Payment by bank transfer within 14 days". Export as a PDF, name the file after the invoice number, and send it. In Word or Google Docs the layout is the same, but you do the multiplication yourself, so check every line twice.
How should you round time on an invoice?#
Rounding is normal, but it should be agreed and applied consistently. The choices are the increment (6, 15 or 30 minutes), the direction (up, or to the nearest), and whether you round each entry or each day's total.
Those choices add up. Here is one day with five tasks of 20, 35, 10, 50 and 25 minutes, 140 minutes in all, billed at $70 an hour:
| Rounding method | Billed time | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Exact | 2.33 h | $163.33 |
| Each entry to the nearest 6 minutes | 2.30 h | $161.00 |
| Day total to the nearest 15 minutes | 2.25 h | $157.50 |
| Day total up to the next 15 minutes | 2.50 h | $175.00 |
| Each entry up to the next 15 minutes | 3.00 h | $210.00 |
Rounding every entry up to 15 minutes bills 29% more than the exact time on this day. A client who reads your timesheet will notice. Rounding each day's total to the nearest 15 minutes, or each entry to the nearest 6, stays close to the real figure and is easy to defend.
If you search for rounding rules, you will mostly find employment law. US Department of Labor guidance, for example, allows employers to round employees' time to the nearest quarter hour, and warns that always rounding down can breach minimum wage and overtime rules. That is about paying staff. Between you and a client, the rule is whatever your agreement says, so write it down.
How often should you bill hourly work?#
| Cadence | Good for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | New clients, heavy weeks, agencies that pay weekly | More invoices to make and track |
| Every two weeks | Steady ongoing work | A sensible middle ground |
| Monthly | Long-running clients with modest hours | You carry a month of unpaid work |
| At milestones | Projects with clear stages | Gaps between payments if a stage slips |
Shorter cycles mean smaller invoices that are easier to approve, and less money at risk if a client goes quiet. Whatever you choose, invoice on the same day each cycle so the client's accounts team expects it.
If a project has an estimate or a cap, say 40 hours, show progress on each invoice: "Hours to date: 26.5 of 40". Tell the client before you reach the cap, and get written approval before you go over it. Surprises at the cap are what turn hourly work into disputes.
Billing hourly work in BillBee.work#
BillBee.work, a free invoice maker for freelancers, handles hourly rates differently from a timesheet, so it is worth knowing how before you use it.
An hourly line in BillBee.work is charged as days × 8 hours × your hourly rate. You pick the days on a calendar, and each logged day counts as 8 hours. It does not track time or accept a custom number of hours per day. That suits full days billed at an hourly rate: 3 full days at $70 an hour comes to 3 × 8 × $70 = $1,680, and the work log can print those days on the invoice as a small calendar.
For variable hours, like the 13.5 hours in the sample above, total them in your time log and add a fixed line instead: "Development, 5 to 16 Oct: 13.5 h at $70", with an amount of $945. Then send your timesheet with the invoice if the client wants the detail.
You can mix rate types on one invoice, so a fortnight with two full on-site days and some remote hours could look like this:
- Hourly line: "On-site development", 2 days at $70 an hour = $1,120
- Fixed line: "Remote development, 5 to 16 Oct: 13.5 h at $70" = $945
- Total: $2,065
Save the hourly rate on the client so it is ready next time, share the invoice by link (the client needs no account, and on Pro they can download a PDF), and mark it paid when the money arrives. If the due date passes first, it is marked overdue automatically.
If most of your hourly days are full days anyway, a day rate may be simpler for both of you. Day rate vs hourly rate weighs the two, and day rate invoices shows how to bill one.
What to do when a client questions your hours#
Questions about hours are common and usually easy to settle if your records are good.
- Send the detail. Share the timesheet for the period, with dates and task notes.
- Break it down by task. "The payments integration took 6.5 hours because their sandbox was down on Tuesday" answers more than a list of times.
- Point to approvals. If they approved scope changes or extra calls by email, quote them.
- Fix genuine mistakes properly. If you billed something twice, reissue a corrected invoice rather than quietly knocking money off.
- Prevent the next one. A short weekly summary of hours keeps the client informed, so the invoice is never a surprise.
Common hourly invoicing mistakes#
| Mistake | Why it hurts | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Writing 1.20 for 1 hour 20 minutes | You under-bill by 8 minutes | Divide minutes by 60: 1.33 |
| Rounding every entry up | Inflates the bill and invites scrutiny | Round the day total, or to the nearest increment |
| One line: "Development, 40 h" | The client cannot tell what they paid for | Group by task, or attach a timesheet |
| Billing admin you did not agree to charge | Erodes trust | Agree what is billable at the start |
| No billing period | The client cannot match hours to dates | Add "Period: 5 to 16 Oct" |
| Old rate after a rate change | A reissue and an awkward email | Update the rate the day the new one starts |
Get the record right, keep the invoice short, and let the timesheet carry the detail. That is most of what makes hourly invoices get paid on time.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Invoicing and taking payment from customers, what an invoice must include (checked October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Business records if you are self-employed, what records to keep (checked October 2026)
- IRS: Recordkeeping for small businesses and the self-employed (checked October 2026)
- US Department of Labor: Fact Sheet #53, hours worked (includes the rounding rule) (checked October 2026)
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rules differ by country; check with your local tax office or an accountant before relying on it.
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Create your first invoiceQuestions, answered
How do I write hours on an invoice?
Use decimal hours, not hours and minutes. Divide the minutes by 60, so 7 hours 30 minutes is 7.5 and 2 hours 20 minutes is 2.33. Show the hours, the hourly rate and the line amount in separate columns so the client can check the maths.
How do I bill for 15 minutes of work?
Fifteen minutes is 0.25 hours, so multiply 0.25 by your hourly rate: at $80 an hour, that is $20. If short tasks are common, agree a minimum increment or minimum charge in advance, and group small tasks into one line so the invoice stays readable.
Should I list every task on an hourly invoice?
Group tasks into a few clear lines with total hours for each, and attach a timesheet if the client wants every entry. A long list of small entries is hard to approve. A short invoice plus a detailed timesheet gives the client both the summary and the proof.
Is it okay to round up my hours?
Only if your client has agreed to it and you apply the rule consistently. Rounding every small entry up can add a large amount over a month, so a fairer approach is to round each day total to the nearest 15 minutes instead. Put the rule in your agreement.
How often should I send an hourly invoice?
Weekly, every two weeks or monthly all work. Shorter cycles mean smaller invoices that are easier to approve and less money at risk, while monthly suits steady long-term clients. Pick one and send it on the same day each cycle.
Should I charge hourly or by the day?
Hourly suits short, unpredictable tasks where the time varies a lot. A day rate suits work that fills whole days, and it is simpler to invoice and leaves less room for arguments over minutes. Many freelancers use both, depending on the client and the job.