Invoicing Solutions by Industry
Invoicing for accountants and bookkeepers
Accounting is leaving the billable hour behind. Fixed monthly fees, retainers collected by direct debit, and billing in advance reward efficiency and remove most receivables risk, while a tight engagement letter keeps scope creep from eating your margin.
Switch repeatable work to fixed monthly pricing
Under hourly billing, finishing a client faster cuts your pay; under fixed fees, efficiency is pure margin. Package recurring bookkeeping as a flat monthly retainer, invoice on the first, and auto-collect by ACH or direct debit. Predictable, automatic payments smooth cash flow and end the monthly chase for routine work. Many firms have already moved most engagements to fixed or value pricing for exactly this reason.
Bill in advance, especially for tax and new clients
Invoice on engagement-letter signing, before work starts. For fixed compliance jobs, charge the full fee upfront; for variable-scope or first-time clients, take 50% upfront and 50% on delivery. Collection odds drop sharply the longer an invoice ages, so prepayment removes most of your bad-debt risk. Price tax work per return or per form so complexity is reflected in the fee.
Make scope creep visible and price it
Define scope tightly in the engagement letter, with explicit terms for additional work. Add an out-of-scope category to your time tracker and review it monthly. When a client asks for something beyond the agreement, name it in the moment and reflect the added fee on the invoice rather than absorbing it silently. Monthly invoices commonly run Net 15 to 30 with a late fee on overdue balances.
When to bill across accounting work
| Work | Pricing | When to invoice |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring bookkeeping | Fixed monthly retainer | On the first; auto-collect by direct debit |
| Catch-up / clean-up | Fixed project fee | 50% upfront, 50% on delivery |
| Tax returns | Per return or per form | On engagement-letter signing |
| Advisory | Quarterly package | In advance, per cycle |
Accounting invoicing FAQ
Hourly or a fixed monthly fee for bookkeeping?+
Fixed monthly fees are increasingly preferred. Hourly penalizes efficiency, since faster work means less pay. A flat retainer rewards efficiency and gives clients a predictable bill, ideally collected automatically by direct debit.
When should I invoice, before or after the work?+
Bill in advance. Invoice on engagement-letter signing for fixed compliance work, or take a 50% deposit for variable-scope and new clients. It protects cash flow and removes bad-debt risk, since collection odds fall the longer an invoice ages.
How do I stop clients adding work without paying?+
Define scope precisely in the engagement letter, including terms for additional work. Flag out-of-scope requests immediately, track them in a separate category, and reflect the added fee on the invoice instead of absorbing the cost.