Audiobook narration invoice template
Audiobook narration invoice template: narration and editing per finished hour, pronunciation research and pick-up sessions, with the edition named.
Templates by industry
- Narration, per finished hour
- Editing and mastering, per finished hour
- Pronunciation research for names and terms
- Pick-up session for corrections
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Confirm scope and quantities
Example: reconcile the approval and work record for "Narration, per finished hour" to establish the quantity for this invoice.
Record delivery and acceptance
Check completion for every line, including "Pick-up session for corrections". Hand over approved versions and a file manifest, confirming usage scope and completed revisions.
Send the billing record
Send the final charges, delivery reference and due date to the customer, then reconcile payment against the invoice number.
Audiobooks are priced by the finished hour, the length of the final recording, not by the far longer time spent in the booth. A long novel can run to ten finished hours or more, and the publisher budgets on that figure. This template bills narration and the editing that follows on that basis, adds the research needed for foreign names or technical terms, and keeps a pick-up session for corrections on its own line, so the cost of late changes stays visible.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Narration, per finished hour, Editing and mastering, per finished hour, Pronunciation research for names and terms, Pick-up session for corrections: record the quantities actually supplied and the service period.
- Narration, per finished hour
- Give the finished running time to the minute, taken from the delivered files, with the title and edition recorded.
- Editing and mastering, per finished hour
- Bill editing on the same finished hours as narration unless the publisher edits in house.
- Pronunciation research for names and terms
- Say how many names or terms were researched and attach the pronunciation list you used.
- Pick-up session for corrections
- Separate corrections caused by changes to the text from fixes to your own misreads, which are not billed.
- Quantity and output format
- Record pages, images, word counts or running time, final file formats and whether editable source files are included.
- Review and usage scope
- Specify the draft approver, revision rounds, intended media and duration, and who supplies third-party assets.
- Scope to agree
- Price by the finished hour of audio rather than studio time, keep research and pick-ups on their own lines, and name the edition of the book recorded.
Before sending
- Does “Narration, per finished hour” show the quantity actually supplied, not the quantity first quoted?
- Is “Editing and mastering, per finished hour” charged at the rate the customer agreed to, with any change approved?
- Is “Pronunciation research for names and terms” finished and accepted, or does it belong on a later invoice?
Show 4 more
- Does “Pick-up session for corrections” show the quantity actually supplied, not the quantity first quoted?
- Agree when a change of direction after draft approval becomes additional work.
- Check separately whether editable sources and final delivery files are included.
- Match completed work to the order or approval record, and confirm the payment due date and amounts already received.
Worked example with sample figures
The figures below are invented to show how the template adds up: 4 lines in USD, with an example tax rate of 8%.
| Item | Quantity × unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Narration, per finished hour | 7.5 × $220.00 | $1,650.00 |
| Editing and mastering, per finished hour | 7.5 × $90.00 | $675.00 |
| Pronunciation research for names and terms | 1 × $120.00 | $120.00 |
| Pick-up session for corrections | 1 × $150.00 | $150.00 |
| Subtotal | $2,595.00 | |
| Sales tax (8%) | $207.60 | |
| Total | $2,802.60 | |
Net amount $2,595.00, sales tax $207.60, total payable $2,802.60.
What the document must show
The details an invoice has to show, and why each one matters, are set out in the guide below.
The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending.
Official rate reference: US government: state and local taxes
Full requirements: How to write an invoice: a step-by-step example
Frequently asked questions
The author changed a chapter after recording. How is that billed?
Re-recording changed text is new work. Bill it as a pick-up session with the chapter named, at the session price or per finished minute, whichever your agreement uses.
Should a royalty share appear on this invoice?
No. If you also receive a share of sales, that is settled through royalty statements. This invoice covers the fee for recording and production only.
How is the sales tax worked out on this invoice?
The worked example above uses an example rate of 8%: $207.60 on a net amount of $2,595.00, for a total of $2,802.60. The editor recalculates all three when you change a quantity, a price or the country.
How should I number invoices?
Use one unbroken sequence per business, never reuse a number, and issue a credit note rather than deleting an invoice you have already sent.
Can I add my logo and signature?
Yes. The From section of the editor has a place for your company logo and for a signature or seal image. Uploading a picture needs a free account, and a member can keep both in settings so that every new document starts with them.
Read next
Reading for the Audiobook narration invoice template: How to write an invoice: a step-by-step example and Invoice numbering: sequences and corrections. The VAT and GST calculator works out the tax line for you.