Free template · Excel · Invoices by trade
Free consulting invoice template
A consulting invoice for hourly, day-rate or retainer work, with the hours by task and expenses billed at cost, the way clients' finance teams expect them.
Consulting invoice template
Excel workbook (.xlsx) · 22 KB · 4 sheets
| Item | Description | Qty | Rate | Amount | Tax? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retainer | Monthly advisory retainer, October | 1 | 2,500.00 | 2,500.00 | Y |
| Workshop | Leadership offsite facilitation (day) | 1 | 1,800.00 | 1,800.00 | Y |
| Hours | Pricing review and model (hours) | 9.5 | 175.00 | 1,662.50 | Y |
| Expenses | Flight and hotel for offsite, at cost (receipts attached) | 1 | 642.30 | 642.30 | Y |
| Subtotal | 6,604.80 | ||||
| GST | 330.24 | 5% | |||
| TOTAL | 6,935.04 |
Why a consulting invoice needs its own layout
Consulting invoices are read by someone in accounts payable who wasn't in the meetings. They need the purchase order or contract number, a clear period, and lines they can match to what was agreed. Hours grouped by task, rather than one lump of time, also make your value easier to see.
This template has a field for the client's PO or contract number and lines for hours by task, day rates and expenses at cost. The example is a month of strategy work for a company in British Columbia.
What to include on a consulting invoice, and why
- The client's PO or contract number. Many companies can't pay an invoice without it. It goes near the top.
- The billing period. Retainers and hourly work need a clear period so nothing is billed twice.
- Hours by task. Grouped hours show what you worked on and make the invoice easy to approve.
- Expenses at cost, with receipts. Most contracts say expenses are billed at cost. Attach the receipts and say so.
- How to pay. Bank details or a payment link. Finance teams pay faster when they don't have to ask.
How to price it
Hourly
Easy to start with and fair when the scope is unclear. Track your time as you go; reconstructed timesheets are always short.
Retainer
A monthly fee for a set amount of availability or a standing role. Say what happens to unused hours.
Fixed fee by milestone
Price the outcome and bill at agreed milestones. The invoice names the milestone reached.
Typical payment terms
- Net 30 is standard for business clients; Net 15 is common for smaller ones
- Retainers billed at the start of the month
- Expenses billed monthly at cost
- Late interest only if the contract says so
Whatever terms you use, put them on the invoice itself. A due date printed on the page is easier to enforce than one mentioned on the phone. See how to collect overdue invoices for what to do when a customer is late.
Sales tax, GST/HST and PST on consulting work
United States
Most states don't tax consulting or professional services, but a few tax a wide range of services, and some tax specific ones. Check the rules where your client is, as well as where you are.
Expenses you rebill are usually treated the same way as the service they relate to. Ask your accountant if you rebill large amounts.
Canada
GST/HST applies to consulting fees once you're registered, at the rate of the province where the client is (place of supply rules). Expenses you rebill are part of your fee for tax purposes.
Services to a non-resident client outside Canada can often be zero-rated. Check the conditions before leaving GST/HST off.
Check a rate with the US sales tax calculator or the GST/HST calculator, then set it beside the tax lines in the template. Both tax lines can be renamed, so one invoice works for sales tax, HST, or GST plus PST or QST.
The example, filled in
The Invoice sheet opens filled in with the example in the preview: a British Columbia consultant billing a month of work, invoice 2026-019 for an example customer. The lines come to a subtotal of $6,604.80 and a total of $6,935.04. Payment terms are 30 days. The figures are made up to show the layout; they are not market rates.
In British Columbia, a registered consultant charges 5% GST. PST doesn't apply to most consulting services, though BC does charge it on some services such as legal services.
The notes box reads: “Please quote PO 4410 with payment. Payment due in 30 days by bank transfer. Expense receipts attached.”
Lines on the price list sheet
The Price list sheet starts with the lines consulting businesses usually charge for. Add your rates once and copy them onto each invoice.
| Line | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | per hour | By task or phase. |
| Day rate | per day | Workshops, on-site days. |
| Monthly retainer | per month | A set number of hours or a standing role. |
| Fixed-fee project | per milestone | Billed in stages. |
| Travel time | per hour | Often at a reduced rate; agree it first. |
| Expenses | at cost | Flights, hotels, materials, with receipts. |
| Mileage | per km or mile | Local travel to client sites. |
What's in the file
| Sheet | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Invoice | The printable consulting invoice, filled in with the example on this page: your details, bill-to, engagement, 15 lines, two tax lines, deposit received and balance due. Fits one letter page. |
| Price list | The lines consulting businesses usually charge for, with the unit for each. Enter your own rates once and copy them onto each invoice. |
| Invoice log | One row per invoice: payments as they arrive, balance, status (Open, Overdue, Paid) and days overdue. |
| Instructions | How to fill it in, plus the notes on this page about what to include. |
Pale yellow cells are for your entries; white cells calculate. Nothing is locked, so you can rename lines or change the layout. The Instructions sheet repeats the steps and the notes on this page.
Download the consulting invoice template (.xlsx)
Or send it from AcboBooks
Need one invoice today? The free invoice generator makes a PDF in your browser. Sending them every week? AcboBooks keeps your consulting price list, turns estimates into invoices, tracks what each customer owes and adds up the tax you collected. It's Windows desktop software, bought once; try it free for 15 days.
Sources
Checked October 25, 2026. Tax rules change and differ by state and province; confirm with the tax agency or your accountant.
- Canada Revenue Agency: input tax credits (information an invoice needs)
- CRA RC4022, General Information for GST/HST Registrants
- CRA: GST/HST rates by province
- IRS Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records
- Federation of Tax Administrators: links to every state tax agency
- Government of British Columbia: provincial sales tax (PST)
Questions
Should I list hours by day or by task?
By task, with the total hours for each, is easiest for clients to approve. Keep the daily detail in your timesheet in case they ask.
Do I charge GST/HST on expenses I rebill?
Generally yes. Rebilled expenses are part of what you charge for the service, so GST/HST applies to them too. Bill them net of any GST/HST you can claim back.
How do I bill a retainer?
One line for the retainer and the month it covers. If extra hours go beyond the retainer, add them as a separate line.
What if the client needs a PO number?
Get it before you start. Put it at the top of every invoice. Invoices without it often wait in a queue.
Related
- Time tracking software
- Self-employment tax calculator
- How to collect overdue invoices
- Input tax credit (glossary)
- Accounting software for consultants
- General invoice template
- All invoice and estimate templates by trade
General information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Check with your accountant or the tax agency before relying on a template for tax.
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