How to Create an Invoice in FreshBooks (2026 Guide)

Quick answer: To create an invoice in FreshBooks, open Invoices and click New Invoice (or use the Create New button on the dashboard). Choose the client, add line items or import unbilled time and expenses, set taxes, the due date and payment options, then preview and send it by email or save it as a draft.

FreshBooks is cloud accounting software designed around invoicing for freelancers and service businesses. Its strengths are a clean invoice editor, time tracking that flows straight into invoices, expense rebilling and automated reminders. This guide explains how to create an invoice in FreshBooks step by step, how to bill time and expenses, how online payments work and the mistakes that slow down payment. FreshBooks updates its design from time to time, so if a button label differs on your screen, look for the closest match or search the FreshBooks support center.

What to set up in FreshBooks before your first invoice

• Business information: company name, address, phone and tax numbers in your settings.
• Invoice customization: logo, colors and a template style.
• Default terms: payment due period (for example, 15 or 30 days), notes and terms and conditions.
• Taxes: add the sales tax, VAT or GST rates you charge, with your registration number if required.
• Items and services: saved descriptions and rates for work you bill often.
• Online payments: enable card and bank payments through FreshBooks Payments or a supported processor.
• Reminders and late fees: choose a reminder schedule and, if your terms allow, a late fee.

How to create an invoice in FreshBooks: step by step

1. Start a new invoice. Go to Invoices and click New Invoice, or use the Create New button on the dashboard and choose Invoice.
2. Choose the client. Select an existing client or add a new one with their email and billing address.
3. Import unbilled work (optional). If you tracked time or recorded billable expenses for this client, use the option to add unbilled time and expenses. They become line items.
4. Add line items. For each item, enter a name, description, rate and quantity (or hours). FreshBooks totals each line.
5. Apply taxes to taxable lines; the tax summary appears near the total.
6. Set dates and number. Check the issue date, due date and invoice number. Add a reference such as the client's PO number.
7. Add a discount or deposit request if needed. Requesting a deposit is useful for larger projects.
8. Write notes and terms, for example "Payment due within 15 days. Bank details below."
9. Choose payment options for this invoice: card, bank transfer, or both.
10. Preview and send. Send by email with a short message, or save as draft. You can also download the PDF.

After sending, FreshBooks shows status changes such as sent, viewed, partially paid, paid and overdue.

Worked example: a FreshBooks invoice with imported time and expenses

A freelance video editor tracked time in FreshBooks for a client's product launch and recorded a stock footage purchase as a billable expense with a 10 percent markup. Figures are illustrative; no sales tax applies to her services in this example.

Item	Description	Rate	Qty/Hours	Line total
Editing	Launch video, rough cut and revisions (Oct 1 to Oct 14)	$85.00	18.5	$1,572.50
Color grading	Final grade, 3 deliverables	$95.00	4	$380.00
Motion graphics	Lower thirds and end card, flat fee	$350.00	1	$350.00
Expense	Stock footage license ($120.00 + 10%)	$132.00	1	$132.00
Subtotal				$2,434.50
Deposit received Sept 28				-$600.00
Amount due (Net 15)				$1,834.50

Importing time avoids missed hours, and showing the deposit makes the balance due unmistakable. Our guide on how to invoice for hourly work covers how much detail clients expect in time descriptions, and deposit invoices explains how to request money up front.

How to set up recurring invoices in FreshBooks

1. Create a new invoice as usual, or open the recurring templates area under Invoices.
2. Turn the invoice into a recurring template and set the frequency (weekly, monthly, yearly and so on), start date and number of invoices or no end date.
3. Choose whether each invoice is sent automatically or saved as a draft for review.
4. If the client agrees, enable auto-bill so their saved card or bank account is charged each cycle.
5. Save and confirm the first invoice in the schedule.

See our recurring invoices guide for best practices.

Payments, reminders and late fees in FreshBooks

Tool	What it does	Tip
Online payments	Client pays by card or bank from the invoice link	Check current processing fees and prefer bank payment for large invoices
Manual payment recording	Mark checks, cash or direct transfers as paid	Record promptly to stop reminders
Automatic reminders	Emails before or after the due date	Keep the tone friendly; use a personal email for big balances
Late fees	Flat or percentage fee after a set number of days	Only if your terms disclose it; see late payment fees
Deposits	Request part payment up front	Use for large or long projects

To compare processing costs, read our overview of credit card processing fees.

Editing, duplicating and correcting FreshBooks invoices

• Edit a sent invoice if no payment has been recorded; FreshBooks keeps the client view up to date. Tell the client if the amount changed.
• Duplicate an invoice to bill similar work again without retyping.
• Credit part of an invoice with a credit note when you agree a reduction after payment; see our credit note guide.
• Archive or delete only drafts or genuine errors; keep sent invoices in your records for audit purposes.

How to turn a FreshBooks estimate into an invoice

FreshBooks includes estimates (and proposals on some plans) so you can agree the price before work starts:

1. Create an estimate for the client with line items, taxes and notes about scope.
2. Send it; the client can accept it online.
3. Convert the accepted estimate into an invoice. The line items carry over, and you can edit anything that changed.
4. Send the invoice, or request a deposit first if the project is large.

Agreeing scope in writing before invoicing prevents most disputes. Our estimate template guide shows what a good estimate includes.

Tips for better time tracking in FreshBooks

• Assign every time entry to a client and project so it appears when you import unbilled time.
• Write the note when you log the time, not when you invoice. "Revised homepage hero per Oct 3 feedback" is easier to approve than "design work."
• Use different services for different rates, such as design and project management, so each line shows the correct rate.
• Review time weekly to catch missing entries while you still remember the work.
• Bill on a regular cycle (weekly, biweekly or monthly) so invoices stay small and clients are not surprised.

When a free invoice generator is enough

FreshBooks is worth the subscription when you rely on time tracking, expense rebilling and automated reminders. If you send only a few fixed-price invoices a month, a free invoice generator can produce the same professional PDF without a monthly fee; see our comparison of an invoice generator vs accounting software.

Common mistakes when invoicing in FreshBooks

• Forgetting to import unbilled time, leaving hours unpaid.
• Vague time descriptions like "work" that trigger client questions.
• Late fees without disclosure in your contract or terms.
• Not recording offline payments, so reminders keep firing.
• Charging card fees you have not accounted for in pricing.
• Restarting invoice numbers and creating duplicates; see our invoice numbering system guide.

FreshBooks vs other invoicing options

FreshBooks suits service businesses that live on time tracking and client billing. Product sellers and businesses needing deep inventory may prefer other tools. For side-by-side comparisons, see FreshBooks vs QuickBooks and FreshBooks vs Wave. If you are not ready for a subscription, a free generator covers the basics.

Knowing how to create an invoice in FreshBooks mostly comes down to setting defaults once, importing your tracked time and expenses, and sending with clear terms and payment options. If you only need a single invoice or want to avoid another subscription, try the free invoice generator. It requires no sign-up and builds a professional PDF in your browser that you can download and send immediately.