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The engagement or statement of work it bills against, the client's PO number, days or hours worked with their dates, and the deliverable completed in the period. Expenses sit on separate lines, and the payment terms should match the contract, because a corporate payables team checks the invoice against both before releasing money.

It depends on your specialty and track record, what the decision is worth to the client, how much preparation and follow-up the session needs, and whether a written summary is included. A session that leads into a paid engagement is sometimes credited against the first invoice. The generator opens this line at $500 as a placeholder, and you replace it with your own figure.

By the day for work that fills a day, by the hour for advisory time that does not. Both can sit on one invoice as long as each line says which unit it uses and when the work happened. Keep a timesheet for hourly work, because a client questioning three hours will want to see when they were worked.

For a fixed-fee project, invoicing a portion at kickoff and the rest against deliverables keeps you from financing the client's project. For ongoing advice, a monthly retainer billed at the start of each month pays for your availability, and the invoice should say what happens to unused hours: they roll over, expire or are credited.

Ask accounts payable whether the invoice is in their system and carries the right PO number and vendor details, because a mismatch stalls approval without anyone telling you. Then send a statement of open invoices. If your contract allows it, pause further work, add a late fee, or hold the final report until the balance is paid.

Consulting and advisory services are not taxed in many states, but some states tax certain services, and the line between consulting and a taxable service such as data processing or training differs from state to state. Software or materials you resell to the client may be taxable as goods. Set tax per line and check your state.

At cost on separate lines, grouped by trip with dates, and within the client's travel policy, since many clients cap hotel rates or require receipts for anything over a set amount. If you charge a flat per diem instead, say so in the engagement letter. Show any handling charge openly, because corporate auditors look for markups hidden inside expenses.

A project fee suits work with a clear end, such as a review that finishes with a written recommendation: price the scope, then bill a share at the start and the balance on delivery. A monthly retainer suits ongoing advisory time.

Write what is out of scope in the engagement memo, then price any extra request as a change before you do it: a short estimate with the added hours and the new total, billed on its own line.

Yes. Many consultants bill a share at signing and the balance when the final recommendation is delivered. Put the milestone and its share of the fee on each invoice.

Usually a vendor setup: your legal business name, address, tax ID on a Form W-9 and bank details for ACH. Many also need their purchase order number on every invoice.