How specific do you get in your invoice?

chris f

chris f

Veteran
As I noted in an earlier thread I have a client where I am doing open ended work for him by the hour and I'm coming up on the agreed upon billing cycle and wanted to get some opinions on how specific I should get on the invoice.

For example:

2.5 hrs - Interview shoot
0.75 hrs - DVD rip and file conversions
0.5 hrs - Collecting photos from subject
1.0 hrs - Scanning photos
4.0 hrs - Transcribing Interview
2.0 hrs - Capturing and organizing video files

or should I just do something like:

2.5 hrs - On Location Production
8.25 hrs - Post Production & Video Editing

or should I just ask him how specific he would like the invoice?

I personally am leaning towards being more specific since it's a per hour type of job and this way he knows exactly what he's getting and can budget accordingly for future shoots, because like most clients he probably doesn't realize how much time it actually takes from start to finish. However, I think being this specific may open the door for him to nickel and dime me to cut corners and save money where he can.
 
I think being this specific may open the door for him to nickel and dime me to cut corners and save money where he can.
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That's what I would think.

When making estimates and budgeting, I get specific like your first example. This allows me to work with my client to find a budget/quality level we are both happy with, as they can see how much more a ___________ will cost them.


For one-off shoots or quick cuts I don't get specific at all, and it's like your latter example, or just flat rates.
 
When I quote/invoice a job I do a general line item breakdown of the cost:

Equipment Rental
Voice Over
Travel/Mileage if applicable
Shoot Time (including setup/teardown)
Edit/Graphics/Audio Mixing (lumped together because they often overlap)
Author DVD
X # of DVDs for free (costs little to me, they love that they get 20 or so free DVDs)
Additional DVDs at Y cost (if they need/want more than the free number)
Additional Expenses Line itemed out (hard drive for archiving, tape stock, etc...)

I don't break down the actual post portion. It may take me 20 hours to edit a piece, but I might spend at least that on graphics/audio, so it goes into a lump category of Post.

If they want it broken down into Post line items I explain that while the system is capturing footage we're making graphics, finding music, etc... There's too much overlap to break it down into neat, Audio Hours, Edit Hours, Graphic Hours, etc... If they still want it, I take the total production hours and just start dividing them into categories so their sum equals the total hours billed.

If you can accurately break your Post time into categories, go for it. Otherwise, make it a lump sum but include a description that XX hours post includes transcription, edit, capture, audio, graphics, etc... That way they see how much you do.

Michael.
 
hmmm

hmmm

Hey,

My friend uses a program called iBiz for his Web and programming clients, including me, and it breaks down everything by minute and second even, so he can easily stop it as he's working and take a break or whatever else, it bills exactly. Very nifty for me as the client to see what I'm paying for.
 
I just put the date, my hours, my hourly rate and a total, along with the invoice number, the job number/name and the client's/producer's name. I itemize very little to nothing, even on a bid.
 
grinner said:
I just put the date, my hours, my hourly rate and a total, along with the invoice number, the job number/name and the client's/producer's name. I itemize very little to nothing, even on a bid.
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Ditto for me. I just add anything additional such as equipment rental or additional crew as a separate line item.
 
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