Invoicing Software for Architecture Firms
How architects and small design firms can bill clients with Billed: a fee split into phase invoices or a payment schedule, hourly additional services from tracked time, consultant and reimbursable costs on their own lines, and card, PayPal or check payments recorded against each invoice.
Key Takeaways
- Invoice each design phase when it's done, or put the whole fee on one invoice with a payment schedule: Billed's help center says "A payment schedule lets you add a payment plan to the invoices."
- Bill additional services by the hour from an hourly rate project, where "Billed tracks the charge for each task as you log it" (Billed's time tracking page).
- Add consultant fees and reimbursable costs, such as printing for a permit set, to the invoice as their own lines.
- Clients can pay by card through Stripe or by PayPal from the invoice, and you can record checks as offline payments.
Billing a fee by phase
If your agreement splits the fee by phase, there are two ways to bill it in Billed.
One invoice per phase. When a phase is complete, create an invoice with a line naming the phase and its share of the fee. This suits phases that end when the client approves the work, because you bill when the phase is done.
One invoice with a payment schedule. Billed's help center says "A payment schedule lets you add a payment plan to the invoices." You turn on scheduled payments on the invoice, "Choose a suitable option among percentage or flat amount," and "Fill out the payment amount and due date of each payment." The same article says "the sum of all the payments should be equal to the total balance of the invoice." Each payment has a due date, so this suits a fee paid on set dates rather than when a phase ends.
Before work starts, you can send the fee as an estimate. Billed's features page says "your clients can approve or reject your estimates online."
Worked example: a phased fee and an extra design option
These are sample figures, not suggested rates or splits. A firm's agreement sets a fee of 120,000.00 for basic services: schematic design 15% (18,000.00), design development 20% (24,000.00), construction documents 40% (48,000.00) and construction administration 25% (30,000.00). The four phases add up to 100%, or 120,000.00.
When design development is complete, the firm invoices 24,000.00 for the phase, plus a line for 186.40 of printing for the client's review sets. The invoice total is 24,186.40.
The client then asks for an extra lobby design option outside the agreed scope, billed by the hour. The firm logs 6.5 hours in an hourly rate project at 140.00 an hour, so Billed tracks 910.00, and the firm invoices the task from the project dashboard.
Consultants and reimbursable costs
When your agreement passes a consultant's fee or a cost through to the client, add it to the invoice as its own line, naming the consultant or the cost and what it was for. Billed's help center says: "Click 'Add a Line Item' and fill this section to charge against new items and services." Common examples are a structural engineer's fee, printing, and travel to the site.
In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (page last modified August 27, 2026) says architects "also visit construction sites to prepare initial drawings and review the progress of projects to ensure that clients’ objectives are met." Keep the costs of those trips with their receipts: Billed's expense tracking page says "Attach the receipt when you record the expense, and it stays with that entry in your Billed account."
Retainers, payments and reminders
If you take a retainer before design work starts, send it as an invoice. Put how the retainer will be applied in the invoice's additional notes: Billed's help center says "You can also add any terms and conditions in this section."
Billed's invoice software page says: "Connect Stripe and each invoice gets a pay button for card payments, or connect PayPal to add a PayPal option." It also says: "When a client pays by check or cash, record it as an offline payment so all your income is in one place." and "After a client pays, you can send them a payment receipt."
Billed's help center says you turn on payment reminders on the invoice, and "You can set a schedule of payment reminders before and after the invoice's due date."
What this page doesn't cover
This page doesn't cover licensing, contract forms, or how fees, retainers and reimbursable costs should be set. Those come from your agreement and the rules where you practice, so check them with your state licensing board and a lawyer.
Challenges Architecture Businesses Face
Months of design work between invoices while a phase waits for the client's approval
Consultant fees and printing costs the firm paid that never reach the client's invoice
Extra design options requested outside the agreed scope, with no record of the hours
Retainers requested by email, with no invoice for the client's accounts payable team to process
Tasks and the Billed feature for each
| You bill | In Billed |
|---|---|
| A design phase | Phase invoice or payment schedule |
| Additional services | Hourly rate project |
| Printing or consultant fee | Invoice line |
| Check payment | Offline payment |
Invoicing for Architecture
Phase invoices
Invoice each phase when it's complete, with a line naming the phase and its share of the fee as your agreement sets it.
Related Invoice Templates
Invoice templates related to this page.
Related Resources
- Architecture invoice template →
- Hourly invoice template →
- Retainer invoice template →
- How to invoice as an architect →
- Free architect invoice generator →
- Projects in Billed →
- Time tracking and timesheets in Billed →
- Expense and receipt tracking in Billed →
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Architects (US) →
Frequently Asked Questions
When this isn't for you
If your firm manages its projects in other software, read this page for billing alone: phase fees, additional services, reimbursable costs and payments.
Start Invoicing With Billed
Set up your account and send your first invoice with Billed.