The fields on a professional invoice are the same across trades: who, whom, number, dates, lines, tax, amount due, and how to pay. What changes is how you describe the work. The examples below are starting points for three common US sole-proprietor businesses. Save them as items in your catalog so the next invoice takes a minute, not a blank page. In Fjordbill you can do that on the free plan and on your phone.
Landscapers and lawn care
Split labor, materials, and haul-away so the client can see what they are paying for, and so you can trace costs later.
| Example line | How to write it |
|---|---|
| Recurring maintenance | “Weekly lawn service, April–October, 1 visit/week: mow, trim, blow clippings.” Put the property address on the job title. |
| Project work | Separate lines for design, demolition, plants or materials, installation labor, and disposal. Note plant warranties if you offer them. |
| Trip or fuel charge | Use a clearly named line if you bill it, instead of burying it in the labor rate. |
| Change orders | “Change order 2: add 8 yards mulch, front beds,” not a silent edit of the original estimate. |
Many landscapers start with an estimate and a deposit, then invoice progress or the balance when the install is done. Recurring maintenance is a natural fit for recurring invoices in Fjordbill Pro — you still confirm before each one goes out.
Cleaners and janitorial work
Frequency and scope matter more than a single word like “cleaning.”
- Name the property and the rooms or areas included.
- State the cadence (one-time move-out, weekly, or after-hours commercial).
- List add-ons as their own lines: inside oven, inside fridge, windows, supplies if you bill them separately.
- If you charge a minimum visit or a same-week surcharge, say so on the estimate and the invoice.
If a commercial client needs a purchase order number on the invoice, put it in the PO field so their accounts payable team can pay you without a back-and-forth.
Independent consultants
Consultants get paid faster when the invoice maps to a statement of work.
- Use a job title that matches the project name the client already uses.
- Bill time as “Strategy workshop, 8 hours at $X” or a fixed milestone (“Phase 2 delivery, per SOW 3.2”), not just “Consulting.”
- Put expenses you pass through (travel, software bought for the client) on separate lines, with receipts ready if the client asks. For your own books, see the Schedule C category map.
- State the period covered (for example “Services 1–15 November 2026”) so the invoice can be matched to an internal budget.
Sales tax and all three trades
Landscaping, cleaning, and consulting are taxed differently from one state to the next, and sometimes differently from one service to another inside the same state. Do not assume a service is tax-free because it is “labor.” Read US sales tax on invoices, then confirm with your state. In Fjordbill, mark only the taxable lines and keep the tax amount visible on the PDF.
Reuse the structure, not a blank PDF
Create the items once, pick a template and accent color, and convert approved estimates so the language never drifts. That is the whole idea of a “template” here: consistent line items, consistent terms, and a PDF you can send from the driveway if you work offline.
Frequently asked questions
Does Fjordbill include trade-specific templates?
Fjordbill includes invoice templates with accent colors (Fjord and Classic on the free plan; additional templates on Pro). You create the line-item structure for your trade in the item catalog, then reuse it on every job.
Should landscaping or cleaning always include sales tax?
Not always. Some states tax those services; others do not. See the sales tax guide and your state department of revenue. Do not copy a tax line from someone else's invoice in another state.
Can I send an estimate first?
Yes. Build the estimate with the same line items, get approval (and a signature on Pro), then convert it to an invoice.
Are these examples required by the IRS?
No. They are practical billing structures. Income and expense reporting still follows IRS rules and your own facts.