The consulting business needs to take note of all the details that are being included in the document. The
details need to be put as per the client's requirement so that the amount quoted you cannot be questioned by
them.
Here are some points to ensure that your consultancy invoice format provides your client with the
professional invoice you aim to get.
The details to be included in a consultancy invoice format are:
Business contact information:
This section contains all the details about the consultancy business, like the business's name, phone
number, logo, link to their website, and other essential information. These details are vital as they
help in identifying the professional consultant. Using a standard form of a header can ensure that it
can be reused for your future consultancy invoices.
Client contact information:
Including the client's contact information is as essential as the consultancy business
information. Their details should also be included in the invoice, including their name and phone
number.
Date of invoice and due date:
Both parties need to date the invoice. It is a crucial step to avoid any form of
confusion regarding the creation of an invoice. Similarly, the due date should also be presented
clearly. Both dates are the only ways to keep track of paid and unpaid amounts by the client.
Put numbers for your invoices:
An invoice number is significant as it is the first thing one will search for to find out
the record of a specific client. It is also used for reference purposes. An invoice number is unique for
every new invoice. It helps in distinguishing between the different consultancy invoices developed for
various clients.
Description of goods/items or services:
You need to include an in detail description of the goods/items or services you provide
to the client. It should be done separately for each item or service delivered. To give the details, you
must mention the service or thing provided, with the amount charged for the item and other information
describing the item in the consultancy invoice format.
The number of hours put in for the service:
As mentioned before, a professional consultancy invoice also contains the billable hours'
details. That is the number of hours put in by the business in the project.
Most consultancy businesses charge based on the hours they took to complete the project. Hence, it
becomes essential for this detail to be communicated to the client through an invoice.
The breakdown of the billable hours can be presented by mentioning the different activities done and the
milestones achieved during the completion of the project with the time put in.
State the prices:
The consultancy business needs to provide a clear picture of the calculation done. So,
you should mention the current rate that your company charges for the project. Then you must multiply
the charge per item with the billable hours to present a total amount that needs to be paid by the
client. It is the total amount the client is expected to pay to complete the project.
Details of discounts if applicable:
It is common for many consultancy businesses to provide discounts for their new clients,
frequent clients, or extensive projects. So, you can mention the discount in the invoice with details of
the reason for presenting a discount.
Applicable taxes:
The amount to applicable tax charges like VAT, GST, or any sales tax should be mentioned
before listing the total amount in the invoice. If more than one form of taxation is available, then it
should be mentioned in one separate section for the client to notice.
Terms and conditions for payment:
To avoid any form of confusion, the terms and conditions for the payment should be
mentioned by the consultancy business in the invoice. It should be mentioned if the payment must be made
as a lump sum or through any other plan.
Mentioning the due dates is also one good step that the business should take. Also, the preferred mode
of
payment by the company should be mentioned in the document.
A description of the policies and rights:
There are always policies regarding privacy and rights with a company that needs to be
mentioned in the document. Sometimes, a consultancy invoice might contain some information worth
protecting from other parties, which should be mentioned in the document. By issuing such guidelines,
the business ensures that the information provided stays safe between the two parties.
Stating the final or total amount:
The monetary unit for the transaction should be taken care of and explicitly mentioned in
the document. The subtotal amount should be mentioned at the bottom of the list present in the document.
The business should ensure that the final amount is the one which is the final figure after the calculation
of all taxes and discounts. This amount should then be presented in bold and a different font.
A thankyou note:
We suggest that you add a thank you note to your invoice. This simple step provides the
transaction with a personal touch. Showing gratitude to the client for choosing your services indicates
that you would like to maintain an excellent professional relationship with them.