The timing of your invoice affects how fast you get paid — send it too late, and you're waiting even longer on top of your own payment terms.
The single biggest timing mistake is delaying. Every day you wait to send an invoice is a day added to how long you'll wait to get paid, since the clock on your payment terms (e.g. "Net 14") doesn't start until the client actually receives it.
One-off projects: send the invoice the same day the work is delivered, ideally within a few hours. Waiting until "end of week" or "when I have time" is where most delays start.
Ongoing or retainer work: invoice on a fixed schedule — weekly, biweekly, or monthly — rather than waiting until you remember to. Clients also prefer predictable billing over surprise invoices.
Large projects with milestones: invoice at each milestone rather than waiting for full completion. This protects your cash flow and reduces risk if the project changes scope or stalls partway through.
New clients: for the very first project with a new client, some freelancers invoice a deposit upfront (before starting) and the remainder on delivery — reasonable given there's no payment history yet to build trust on.
Yes, in specific cases: large projects, new clients, or anything requiring you to buy materials/tools upfront. A partial deposit invoiced before work begins is standard practice in many industries and protects you from doing unpaid work if a client disappears.
Beyond the obvious cash-flow impact, late invoicing signals disorganization — clients notice, even if they don't say anything. Consistent, prompt invoicing is a small thing that quietly builds trust over a working relationship.
Ledger sends automatic reminders too — so late payment isn't just on you to chase.
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