Invoicing After the Fact

Has this ever happened to you? You’re humming along, performing the services your client requested, and just as you’ve slapped on the finishing touches and are about to hit “send” on your invoice… your client pays you.

While you might be thrilled that your client is such an eager beaver about paying on time (no one likes a late payer!), things might get a little hairy in the days to come. One such “hairy” instance is when the client, having already paid, requests that you send them an invoice.

Send them an invoice? For what? They’ve already paid!

Seeing as it’s far more common to send an invoice and have to wrestle a payment out of a client than it is to have them pay before you invoice them, there’s a good chance you’ve never encountered this issue. And, if that’s the case, know that your confusion is perfectly understandable. It’s a strange position for a freelancer to be put in – but I guarantee you that if it hasn’t happened to you already, it will at some point.

There’s no need to panic. I’ll walk you through this.

What They Say vs. What They Mean

Much of the confusion in this instance stems from the fact that what the client says they want (an invoice) isn’t really what they’re requesting. Not by definition, at least.

Like most writers, I’m a word guy; therefore, I’m going to turn to my old friend, the dictionary, to back me up on this one. Here’s what the client says they want:

“Invoice: an itemized bill for goods sold or services provided, containing individual prices, the total charge, and the terms.”

That doesn’t sound quite right, does it? An invoice, by definition, is a written request for payment after goods or services have been provided. So why would your client want you to invoice them after they’ve already paid you? That would be like paying for a bowl of pasta, eating it, and then asking to pay for it again!

Well, I can assure you that – unless you have the best, most generous client in the world – your client does not want to pay you twice. So, what they’re actually asking you for is a receipt:

“Receipt: a written acknowledgment of having received, or taken into one’s possession, a specified amount of money, goods, etc.”

In other words, they’re simply asking for written proof that you received their payment and everything between you two is copasetic.

“Invoice” has become somewhat of an umbrella term when dealing with paying freelancers. I’ve had instances where “invoice” has been used as a synonym for “contract.” In this case, it’s being used interchangeably with “receipt.” When it comes to money talk, clients will often latch onto the term that they know and stick with it, whether it’s correct for the situation or not – thus stemming confusion.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, here’s what should be on your receipt:

7 Items to Include on Your Receipt

Lookswise, receipts don’t differ much from a standard invoice. Much of the same information will appear on the form. Things like:

1. Your Contact Information

When it comes to money matters, even if you’ve already been paid, you want to make yourself as easy to contact as possible. Include:

• Your company name (if you have one).


• Your full name.


• Your address.


• Your telephone number.


• Your e-mail address.

I’d also recommend adding your company logo, if you have one. Even something as relatively boring as a receipt is still representing you and your brand and should be in-line with the rest of your business materials. It also makes for a subtle marketing opportunity by reminding the client exactly who they were dealing with.

2. Their Contact Information

The larger the company is that you’re working for, the more important this step is. A single individual can typically keep track of the paperwork they’re given; however, a multi-department corporation may have a bit more trouble.

In addition to your client’s general contact information, make sure that you’ve also addressed it to the person directly in charge of the project you were working on.

3. The Products/Services Provided

Create an itemized list of the products or services you’ve provided. Be brief, but detailed. If you took photographs at their wedding, don’t just write “photography,” write “5 hours of photography services for Example Couple wedding.” If you wrote copy for their website, don’t write “copywriting,” write “long-form sales page for Example Product.”

Basically, you and your client should be able to look at this receipt in another two years and still know exactly what it was for.

4. An Identification Number

Just like an invoice, it’s advisable to add some form of identification number somewhere on the receipt. Having the date on there is great; however, if your client receives multiple receipts daily – from others or from you – things can get confusing quickly. If a problem arises you’ll want to have an identifier other than “please look at the receipt I sent last Tuesday.”

5. Your Terms

On an invoice your “terms” would usually include when you expect to be paid. You can leave that part off in this case. However, you should state what your refund policies are. Also share how long your client has to contact you should they need additional help (repairs/rewrites/other) after the receipt has been issued.

6. Acknowledgment That They’ve Paid You

This is where a receipt most differs from an invoice. Rather than prompting the client to pay you by stating how much they owe, you’ll be writing down how much they’ve already paid.

You can do this a few ways. You can build your receipt to look exactly like an invoice and then stamp “PAID” on it (that’s always a classic). Or, you can type “Receipt of Payment” at the top of the form. Or, you can simply type “Amount Paid” rather than “Amount Owed” next to the “Total” box. Or, any combination of those methods. It doesn’t matter so much how you acknowledge the client’s payment, just so long as you do – and it’s in writing.

7. A Short Thank You

This step is optional, but recommended. Someone hired you, utilized your services, and paid you for them accordingly… that’s pretty great. Someone just helped to fund your dream career. Thank them.

Or, from a less altruistic viewpoint, saying “thank you” is a great way to encourage them to thank you with a testimonial.

Partial Payments (aka Where Things Get Tricky)

There is one scenario in which your client paying before you’ve invoiced won’t result in simply sending them a receipt. That’s when they only pay you part of what they owe you.

This can lead to an uncomfortable series of conversations, and will require much more paperwork.

Initially, you’ll want to send them the receipt for what they’ve already paid you. However, instead of simply marking it as “paid” – which will lead the client to believe that your business together has been wrapped up satisfactorily – you’ll need to indicate that they’ve only paid you a percentage of what they owe.

Next, you’ll need to send them an invoice for the remaining funds. From there, you’ll follow your normal invoicing/follow-up procedures.

And always, whether you’re sending out contracts, invoices, or receipts – make sure you get everything in writing.

Have you ever had to “invoice” a client after they’ve paid you? Let us know how it went in the comments!

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