You create a FreshBooks invoice from the Dashboard with Create New and then Invoice, from the Invoices section with New Invoice, or from a client's Invoices sub-tab with the + button. Pick the client, add your line items and taxes, check the dates and settings, then Save it as a draft or use Send To to email it or generate a link.
Here's the catch. A FreshBooks invoice can only become a recurring template while it's brand new. Once you've saved it, the Make Recurring option disappears, so the fix is to duplicate it, make the copy recurring and delete the original. The same idea runs through the whole tool: some settings stick from your last invoice and some don't, and knowing which saves you sending the wrong terms to a client.
What carries over and what doesn't
| Field | How FreshBooks handles it, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Notes | Unique to each invoice and not remembered next time |
| Terms | Remembered from the last invoice created, so update your most recent invoice to change them |
| Due Date | Remembered from the last invoice you created |
| Invoice style | Template, logo, colour and font are remembered from the last invoice created |
| Attach a PDF copy | Remembered from the client's last invoice or their client profile |
| Attachments | Individual invoices only, up to 30MB per file |
That's why Terms is the place for things that apply to every client, like contractual terms or payment instructions, and Notes is the place for a one-off comment to one client.
Building the invoice, section by section
- Choose the client under Billed To, or click Create a Client to add a new one. Edit Client also updates their client profile.
- Set the Date of Issue, which defaults to today, and the Due Date: On Date of Issue, After a number of days, or a Custom date.
- Use the Reference field, up to 25 characters, for a PO number, project code or work order number.
- Click Add a Line to add an existing item or service, create a new item with name, description, rate and quantity, or import unbilled time and expenses.
- Select Add Taxes under an item's rate to apply up to two sales taxes.
- In the Subtotal area, add a discount, apply the client's credit, request a deposit or add a payment schedule.
- Add notes, terms and any attachments, check the invoice settings, then click Save or Send To.
New items you type in are added to your Items and Services list for next time. If you bill the same things over and over, set the description, rate and sales tax there once and they'll fill in for you.
Invoice numbers have rules
Your first invoice number defaults to 0000001, and you can type your own alphanumeric number of up to 10 characters. Numbers are unique, so the same number can't be used twice, even if the old invoice is archived or deleted. Each new invoice adds 1 to the last one created, whether you made it by hand or a recurring template made it.
Here's a detail that catches people out. When a number runs out of digits, FreshBooks adds an extra character, so 9999 becomes 10000. If you want neat numbering, use leading zeroes, such as 0009999 instead of 9999. In some countries, depending on your Basic Information settings, the field shows as Tax Invoice Number.
Deposits, payment schedules and late fees
The Subtotal area is where you shape how a client pays. Request a Deposit asks for a set amount or a percentage of the subtotal first, before the rest is due. Add a Payment Schedule splits the invoice into instalments on different dates. In the invoice settings you can also allow partial payments, switch online payments on or off, and pick a gateway such as FreshBooks Payments or Stripe Standard for that invoice.
Client-level settings sit alongside. You can send up to three personalised payment reminders at set intervals, charge a one-time flat or percentage-based late fee a set number of days after the due date, and change the client's currency and language. Reminders, late fees and payment schedules all work off the Due Date.
What each invoice status means
- Draft: not shared with the client yet and not in your reports.
- Sent: emailed to the client and unpaid. Viewed: the client has opened it.
- Outstanding: unpaid and not yet past the due date. Overdue: unpaid and past it.
- Partially Paid and Paid: part or all of it settled.
- Auto-Paid: generated by a recurring template and paid through recurring payments.
- Disputed: the client has started a chargeback.
Sent an invoice by mistake? You can't simply pull it back. FreshBooks' route is to duplicate it with Bulk Actions, save the copy as a draft, then delete the original, and let the client know the old link won't work.
Recurring templates for regular work
If you bill the same client on a schedule, a recurring template generates invoices for you. You fill it out like any other invoice, then set How Often (Weekly, Monthly, Yearly or Custom), the Next Issue Date, the Number of Invoices (Infinite or a specific number) and the Delivery Options: send automatically, or create drafts and send them yourself.
Two useful extras. You can add an Import Unbilled Time and Expenses line, so each generated invoice pulls in whatever's unbilled for that client. And dynamic variables in the item description, notes and terms fill in dates for you: ::month::, ::quarter:: and ::year::, with +# or -# to shift them. A template that generates in June turns Hosting for the month of ::month:: into Hosting for the month of June.
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A few timing details from FreshBooks' help. Templates start creating invoices at around 1 AM EST on the day they're set to run. The first of the month has a bigger queue, so FreshBooks suggests the second or another date. If you choose the last day of the month, it adjusts on shorter months. Drafts won't stop recurring payments if a payment method is saved, and templates are deactivated automatically if your account is suspended or cancelled. To stop one, open it, choose More Actions and Pause Recurring.
My verdict on FreshBooks invoices
I'd set up your Items and Services list and your standard Terms first, because so much of FreshBooks remembers your last invoice. For retainer clients, I'd use a recurring template with draft delivery for the first month, check it looks right, then switch to automatic sending. If you're still deciding on your tool, compare FreshBooks or QuickBooks or browse these FreshBooks alternatives.
Invoicing is one of the first chores I'd hand to automation in a small business. I run AI training and workshops for teams, and help businesses with AI enablement and workflow automation, so the busywork runs itself and people get time back. Most of that work is with SaaS marketing teams and small businesses. Here's how we can work together.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I make a FreshBooks invoice recurring?
Recurring templates can only be made from brand new invoices. If you've saved it, duplicate the invoice, choose Make Recurring on the copy, then delete the original.
How do I ask for a deposit on a FreshBooks invoice?
In the Subtotal area, select Request a Deposit and ask for a specific amount or a percentage of the subtotal to be paid before the rest is due.
Can I reuse an invoice number in FreshBooks?
No. Invoice numbers are unique and can't be used twice, even if the original invoice is archived or deleted.
What time do FreshBooks recurring invoices go out?
Recurring templates start creating and sending invoices at around 1 AM EST on the day they're set to run, and can take longer at the start and end of the month.
What does Disputed mean on a FreshBooks invoice?
It means the invoice is undergoing a chargeback by the client.
