Freelancer invoice from your hours, in PDF, with a follow-up built in
You finished the work, and now you're fiddling with a template at 11pm. Tell your todo.is agent what you did and for whom, and it makes a numbered PDF invoice with the right totals, drafts the email to the client and reminds you if it isn't paid by the due date.
The prompt
- Create a freelancer invoice as a PDF. From: [MY BUSINESS DETAILS]. To: [CLIENT DETAILS]. Invoice number [INVOICE NUMBER], dated today, payment due in [PAYMENT TERMS]. Line items: [WORK DONE AND RATES]. Add [TAX OR VAT] if it applies and show subtotal, tax and total in [CURRENCY]. Include my payment details: [HOW TO PAY ME]. Use a simple, professional layout with my name at the top, and add a short thank-you line. Then draft the email to the client with the PDF attached and save it as a Gmail draft (don't send). On the due date, check my Gmail for a payment confirmation from them; if there isn't one, message me on WhatsApp with a polite reminder email ready to send.
What to change
- [MY BUSINESS DETAILS]: Your name or business name, address, email and tax or VAT number if you have one. Your agent remembers it for next time.
- [CLIENT DETAILS]: Company name, contact person, billing address, and a PO number if they gave you one.
- [INVOICE NUMBER]: E.g. "2026-014". Or say "next number after my last invoice".
- [PAYMENT TERMS]: E.g. "14 days", "30 days" or "on receipt".
- [WORK DONE AND RATES]: E.g. "website copy, 12 hours at $85" or "logo design, fixed $1,200". Or attach your timesheet.
- [TAX OR VAT]: E.g. "VAT 20%", "GST 10%" or "no tax". Ask your agent if you're unsure what applies.
- [CURRENCY]: E.g. "USD", "EUR" or "GBP".
- [HOW TO PAY ME]: Bank details, IBAN, or a payment link you use.
Example result
- Invoice 2026-014
- From: Maya Ruiz Copy Studio, 18 Alder St, Portland, OR · maya@mayaruiz.co
- To: Fernhill Outdoor Co., attn. Daniel Park, Accounts Payable · PO 7731
- Date: October 8, 2026 · Due: October 22, 2026 (14 days)
- Line items
- • Website copy, 6 product pages: 12 hours × $85 = $1,020.00
- • Email welcome sequence, 4 emails: fixed fee = $1,200.00
- • Two rounds of edits: 4.5 hours × $85 = $382.50
- Subtotal: $2,602.50
- Expenses: stock photo licence, receipt attached = $19.50
- Total due: $2,622.00
- Payment
- • Bank transfer: Maya Ruiz Copy Studio · account details on the PDF
- • Please put 2026-014 in the payment reference
- Thank you, Daniel. It was a pleasure working on the fall launch.
- Email draft (saved in Gmail, not sent)
- Subject: Invoice 2026-014, Fernhill fall launch copy
- Hi Daniel,
- Please find attached invoice 2026-014 for the fall launch copy and welcome emails, $2,622.00, due October 22. The PO number is on the invoice.
- Let me know if accounts payable needs anything else.
- Thanks,
- Maya
- If it's late
- On October 22 your agent checks Gmail. No payment email? You get a WhatsApp message with this ready to send: "Hi Daniel, a friendly reminder that invoice 2026-014 was due today. Could you let me know when payment is scheduled?"
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your details, the client, the work and how you get paid.
- Paste it into todo.is or send it to your agent on WhatsApp. Attach a timesheet if you track hours.
- You get the PDF invoice and, with Google connected, an email draft in Gmail. Check it and send it yourself.
- Next time just write "invoice Fernhill for 8 hours of edits": your agent remembers your details and numbering.
Tips for a better result
- Always include an invoice number, issue date and due date. Accounts teams often can't pay without them.
- Ask clients for a PO number before you start. Many companies reject invoices without one.
- Describe line items by outcome ("6 product pages"), not just hours, so the client sees what they paid for.
- Short terms like 14 days get paid faster than 30 or 60 days, if your contract allows it.
- Keep a running list: ask your agent to log each invoice in an Excel sheet with status paid or unpaid.
freelancer invoice: FAQ
- What must a freelancer invoice include? Your name and contact details, the client's details, a unique invoice number, the date, a description of the work, amounts, the total, the due date and how to pay. Some countries also require your tax or VAT number.
- Do I need to charge VAT or sales tax as a freelancer? It depends on your country, your income and where the client is. Check your local tax office's rules or ask an accountant.
- Can todo.is send the invoice for me? Yes, once you approve it. With Google connected it saves the email as a Gmail draft, and it only sends after you say OK.
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