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Guide

How to invoice as a freelance interpreter: what to include

A checklist for invoices that get approved the first time, from assignment lines to payment terms.

Start with the basics every invoice needs

An invoice is a polite, clear request for payment. The easier it is to read, the faster an accounts-payable clerk can approve it. Whether you bill an agency, a hospital, a law firm or a school, these items belong on every one:

• The word “Invoice” and a unique invoice number. A simple running number (INV-0101, INV-0102) is enough. Never reuse one.
• Invoice date and due date. State the due date, not just “net 30.” Clerks work from dates.
• Your name or business name and contact details. Add a mailing address and an email where questions can reach you.
• Bill-to details. The agency or client name and the accounts-payable contact or address they gave you.
• A tax ID or W-9 on file, if the client requires it. Many agencies collect this separately when they onboard you. Ask them what they need rather than guessing.

Describe each assignment so it can be matched to their records

Agencies reconcile your invoice against their own booking. Mismatches are the number one reason an invoice gets sent back, so make every line easy to match:

Do not put patient, defendant or other party names on an invoice. Use the reference number the agency gave you. Check your agreement for its confidentiality terms.

Minimum blocks, cancellations and flat fees

Interpreting is rarely billed as pure clock time. Many clients pay a minimum block, such as two hours for an in-person job even if it ends in 45 minutes. Some pay a flat fee for a defined event, and some have cancellation terms for short-notice changes. Whatever your agreement says, show it on the line so nobody has to ask:

• “2.00 hr minimum (actual time 0.75 hr)” is clearer than a bare total.
• For a cancellation, name the date the booking was cancelled and the policy you are applying.
• Keep your own wording for late fees and cancellations in one place, and only use it if it is in your agreement with that client.

Travel, parking and other charges

List mileage and parking on their own lines, not folded into the hourly total. Show the miles and the per-mile amount you are charging, and only bill what your agreement allows. Some clients reimburse parking only with a receipt, so keep receipts and mention “receipt available.”

Payment terms, in plain words

At the bottom, say how you want to be paid (check, ACH or another method), where to send it, and when it is due. Add a short line inviting questions and a thank-you. It costs nothing and gets better replies.

A short pre-send checklist

1. Invoice number is new and the date is correct.
2. Every line has a date, a reference number and times.
3. Minimum blocks and mileage are shown on separate lines.
4. Totals add up (re-add them if you typed them by hand).
5. Due date and payment instructions are stated.
6. No party names, only reference numbers.
7. Saved as a PDF with a file name like Invoice-0101-AgencyName.

Then follow up on a calm schedule. A friendly reminder a few days after the due date is normal. An aging view, which sorts invoices by how long they have been outstanding, makes it simple to see who to nudge.

Doing this in a spreadsheet

You can build an invoice in any word processor, but if you log assignments in a spreadsheet anyway, it is faster to generate the invoice from the log so lines never disagree with your records. The full Interpreter Business Kit does this: log assignments once, type an invoice number, and the lines, totals and due date fill in on a printable Invoice tab. It also shows unpaid invoices by age. The free tracker covers the logging and paid/unpaid totals if you prefer to write invoices yourself.