How to turn a timesheet into an invoice
A practical guide for freelancers who bill by the hour: what to put on the invoice, how to do it by hand from a spreadsheet, and how to skip the retyping with a tool that keeps the timer and invoice together.
Last updated November 1, 2026
What goes on an hourly invoice
- Your business name and contact details, and the client’s billing name and email
- An invoice number, issue date and due date
- One line per date or task: description, hours, hourly rate, amount
- Subtotal, any tax, and the total due
- How to pay: bank details or a card/PayPal pay link
The manual way: timesheet spreadsheet to invoice
- Filter your timesheet to the client and the billing period.
- Mark which rows are billable and check the rate for each.
- Total hours per line (decimal: 1:30 is 1.5 hours) and multiply by the rate.
- Copy the lines into an invoice template, add the number and due date, and export a PDF.
- Mark those rows as invoiced so they are not billed again next month.
It works, but steps 3–5 are where hours get missed or billed twice.
The faster way with Hourledge
- Track with the timer, or add past time as start/end or a duration like 1:30.
- Set hourly rates once per client, project or entry.
- Open Invoices: unbilled time is grouped by client. One tap creates a draft with dated lines.
- Export the PDF with your logo, bank details and a Stripe or PayPal pay link, and send it.
- Billed time drops out of unbilled time automatically.
Your client can also get a read-only report link showing the hours behind the invoice, no account needed. Free during early access. One simple flat price later, no per-seat fees.
Coming from Harvest? Import your Harvest time CSV. Comparing tools? See Clockify vs Harvest and free time tracking and invoicing.
Questions
What should a timesheet invoice include?
Your name and the client’s, an invoice number and date, a due date, one line per date or task with hours and rate, the total, and how to pay (bank details or a pay link).
Do I need software to turn a timesheet into an invoice?
No — a spreadsheet and an invoice template work. Software saves the monthly retyping and avoids missed or double-billed hours.
How does Hourledge stop me billing the same hours twice?
Time added to an invoice is marked as billed, so it no longer shows in unbilled time for the next invoice.
Is it free?
Yes. Free during early access. One simple flat price later, no per-seat fees.
Free during early access. One simple flat price later, no per-seat fees.