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Virtual assistant invoice template

A virtual assistant invoice template that makes the retainer legible

VA work is invisible by design, which is exactly why the invoice matters. A retainer line, an overage line, and a reimbursement line tell a client what their month actually bought.

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The line items below are pre-filled for this kind of work. Edit anything, add your amounts, and download the PDF — no account needed.

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Free — no signup required. 5 invoices/day limit.

What to include

Retainer clients do not see the work happen. The invoice is the main artefact proving the month had shape.

  • The retainer plan, the month it covers, and the hours included
  • Hours used against hours included, so the balance is visible
  • Additional hours beyond the retainer at the stated overage rate
  • Subscriptions or tools you paid for on the client's behalf

Retainer, hourly, or per project

Retainers are the goal because they make income predictable, but almost every VA also runs hourly overflow and one-off setup projects. Keep the shapes separate on the page.

  • Retainer: invoice in advance for the month ahead
  • Hourly overflow: invoice in arrears with the date range worked
  • Project work: quote and invoice against a defined deliverable
  • Never let project work quietly consume retainer hours — it hides the value of both

Overage and rollover — the line every VA argues about

A twenty-hour retainer where the client used twenty-six hours is a normal month and a difficult invoice. So is the month where they used eleven and expect the other nine to carry forward. Both are decided by a policy you set at the start and restate on every invoice: hours used, hours included, what happens to the difference in each direction.

  • Show hours used against hours included on every retainer invoice, even in a quiet month
  • State the overage rate in advance and bill it as its own line, not as a larger retainer
  • Say explicitly whether unused hours roll over, and if so for how long
  • Flag an approaching overrun during the month — an invoice is a terrible place to break that news
  • Bill reimbursed subscriptions at cost as pass-through, and keep them out of your hours

FAQ

Common questions

Should a VA invoice a retainer or hourly?

A retainer for the core relationship, invoiced in advance, with hourly billing for overflow. Retainers make your income predictable and give the client a fixed cost; hourly is the honest way to handle everything beyond it.

Do unused retainer hours roll over?

Only if you say they do. Many VAs treat the retainer as reserved capacity that does not carry forward, because the hours were held whether or not they were used. Either policy works — deciding it after a quiet month does not.

How do I bill hours over the retainer?

As a separate overage line at a rate agreed in advance, with the hours shown. Tell the client during the month that the overrun is coming; an invoice is the wrong place for that to be news.

Should I invoice a retainer in advance or in arrears?

In advance, for the month ahead. You are reserving capacity, and advance billing is the norm for retainers across professional services. Bill overage and project work in arrears once the amounts are known.