Playbooks
Business guides for invoicing and payments
Practical workflows for freelancers and small businesses: what to send, when to follow up, and how to keep documents consistent from quote to cash.
Billing in Australia? See Australian guides for GST and ATO-focused checklists. Billing in New Zealand? See New Zealand guides for IRD-focused GST invoices. Billing in Canada? See Canadian guides for GST, HST, and CRA-focused checklists. Billing in the United Kingdom? See United Kingdom guides for HMRC-focused VAT invoices. Also serving United States clients? Browse the full United States guides hub for net terms, deposits, and collections playbooks.
Compare regions
International comparison
United States invoices rarely show a federal VAT-style tax line the way Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Canada often do for GST or VAT. When you bill across borders, compare each country’s registration rules, invoice fields, and agency record-keeping expectations before you copy a template from another market.
Official guidance for this hub
Other tax agencies (quick reference)
When you research cross-border billing, open the primary agency pages for each market alongside our guides.
Step-by-step
Browse every guide
Open a guide for scripts, checklists, and links back to glossary terms.
How to ask for a deposit before starting work
How to ask for a deposit before starting work: scripts, written terms, typical U.S. contractor amounts, and when state law limits upfront pay on home jobs.
Open guideHow to charge late fees on invoices
How to charge invoice late fees in the U.S.: written terms first, fee math on each bill, consistent AR notes, and attorney review for your state.
Open guideHow to convert an estimate to an invoice
Turn an approved estimate into a U.S. invoice: match line items to the quote, add PO and tax fields, set net terms, and send the bill right after sign-off.
Open guideHow to follow up on unpaid invoices
Follow up on unpaid invoices: cadence after net 30, scripts for email and phone, and invoice checks before you escalate. For U.S. small businesses.
Open guideHow to get paid faster as a contractor
U.S. contractor tips: deposits, progress invoices, fast pay methods, net terms in writing, and bills right after milestones. For trades and independent pros.
Open guideHow to invoice as a 1099 contractor
U.S. 1099 contractor invoicing: match W-9 and invoices, net terms, Schedule C records, Form 1099-NEC basics, and payment blocks that clear AP. For freelancers and independents.
Open guideHow to invoice as a general contractor
U.S. GC invoicing: schedule of values, pay apps, retainage, change orders, lien waivers, and clean owner-facing bills. Align contracts, AP, and subs on one billing story.
Open guideHow to invoice for a change order
U.S. contractor playbook: written notice, priced change request, signed approval, then invoice with CO number, PO, and schedule of values for AP teams.
Open guideHow to write a construction estimate
Write a U.S. construction estimate: site review, line-item takeoff, materials and labor, overhead, contingency, inclusions, and a clear path to quote or contract.
Open guideWhat to include on a contractor invoice
U.S. contractor invoice checklist: legal name, PO, line items, tax, totals, pay link, and net terms that match your contract. For trades and independents.
Open guideOperational playbooks
Turn billing definitions into repeatable processes
Each guide pairs with the glossary: terms first, workflows second. Use them together so estimates, quotes, and invoices stay aligned when cash flow gets tight.