Copywriting invoice
Invoice template for copywriters: product introduction copy, email copy and copy revisions. Fill it in online, download Excel or Word, or print to PDF.
Templates by industry
- Product introduction copy
- Email copy
- Copy revisions
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Confirm scope and quantities
Example: reconcile the approval and work record for "Product introduction copy" to establish the quantity for this invoice.
Record delivery and acceptance
Check completion for every line, including "Copy revisions". 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.
Copywriters often bill per piece rather than per hour, and the invoice is where the count is settled: how many product texts, how many emails, how many rounds of changes. This template keeps new writing apart from revisions, so a client can see that extra rounds were extra. It works for freelance writers billing an online shop, a marketing agency or a direct client once a batch of copy has been approved.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Product introduction copy, Email copy, Copy revisions: record the quantities actually supplied and the service period.
- Product introduction copy
- Bill per product text and name the batch, for example 25 product descriptions of about 150 words for the spring collection.
- Email copy
- Count the emails written, subject lines included, and name the campaign or automated sequence they belong to.
- Copy revisions
- Bill only rounds beyond those included in the price, and name the text and the round, such as “third round, welcome email”.
- 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
- Record the number and length of product descriptions and emails, and the completed revision rounds.
Before sending
- Does “Product introduction copy” show the quantity actually supplied, not the quantity first quoted?
- Is “Email copy” charged at the rate the customer agreed to, with any change approved?
- Is “Copy revisions” finished and accepted, or does it belong on a later invoice?
Show 3 more
- 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: 3 lines in USD, with an example tax rate of 8%.
| Item | Quantity × unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Product introduction copy | 3 × $95.00 | $285.00 |
| Email copy | 1 × $2,400.00 | $2,400.00 |
| Copy revisions | 2 × $180.00 | $360.00 |
| Subtotal | $3,045.00 | |
| Sales tax (8%) | $243.60 | |
| Total | $3,288.60 | |
Net amount $3,045.00, sales tax $243.60, total payable $3,288.60.
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
Should I wait until the copy is published before invoicing?
No. Invoice when the copy is approved or delivered, as your terms say, not when it goes live. Publication dates move for reasons you do not control, and your payment should not move with them.
How do I bill a rush job?
Show the rush fee as its own line with the agreed percentage or amount and the deadline that made it necessary. The client then sees what the speed cost and can decide next time whether it is worth it.
Do usage rights need to appear on the invoice?
If the price depends on how the copy may be used, such as on the website and in email only, repeat that scope in the notes. The invoice is the document the client files, so the agreement travels with it.
How is the sales tax worked out on this invoice?
The worked example above uses an example rate of 8%: $243.60 on a net amount of $3,045.00, for a total of $3,288.60. The editor recalculates all three when you change a quantity, a price or the country.
Can I download it as Excel, Word or PDF?
Yes. A PDF needs no account: fill in the template and use Print / PDF. The Excel and Word files download from this page with a free account, and the spreadsheet keeps its formulas, so changing a quantity updates the tax and the total.
Read next
Reading for the Copywriting invoice: How to write an invoice: a step-by-step example and Credit note vs invoice (and credit memo): how to issue one. The VAT and GST calculator works out the tax line for you.