Timesheet Approval Template for Client Billing
Use a timesheet approval request with billable hours, excluded time, rate references, and a client response before invoicing.
Free text file with blank fields and a filled example. No signup required.
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At a glance
Use a timesheet approval request with billable hours, excluded time, rate references, and a client response before invoicing.
Best for
Consultants and agencies sending time-based service invoices for client review.
Evaluation method
Reviewed 2026-10-02
Original service-billing worksheet and fictional worked example. Workflow reviewed October 2, 2026; not a claim about measured customer outcomes. Approvals, payment allocation, client portals, and tax decisions remain separate from scheduled delivery.
Using InvoiceAgent
After approvals and amounts are checked, use InvoiceAgent to prepare and schedule invoice delivery.
Illustrative example
Weekly hours for approval
- Implementation
- 12 h × USD 100 = USD 1,200
- Support
- 4 h × USD 75 = USD 300
- Internal admin excluded
- 2 h / USD 0 billed
- Requested approval subtotal
- USD 1,500
Illustrative before-tax amounts; hours and rounding must follow the client agreement.
See the recorded product workflowWhat this document helps you record
An exported timesheet proves that time was logged; it does not by itself settle which time is billable. This request separates the service period, approved work categories, billable hours, and excluded time before the invoice owner drafts the charge.
Use one currency and identify the rate agreement for each work category. A capped engagement also needs the cap and remaining allowance. Do not send sensitive internal notes merely to make a timesheet look complete: share the descriptions needed to verify the billed work.
The filled example has 12 implementation hours at USD 100 and four support hours at USD 75. It excludes two hours of internal administration and requests approval of USD 1,500 before tax. The client can approve the request or return a precise question about a line.
Quick context
Section
Invoice templates, reminder templates, and billing trackers that lead naturally into a scheduled workflow.
Best for
Consultants and agencies sending time-based service invoices for client review.
Outcome
Use this page to move from general research into a calmer, more repeatable invoicing process.
How to complete the template
Freeze the review period
Use a start and end date, timezone where relevant, and an export version. Late edits should produce a revised request, not change the hours after approval without notice.
Separate billing categories
List billable hours and the rate reference, then list excluded hours with a short reason. Check rounding and caps against the agreement before calculating the subtotal.
Ask for a clear response
Request approval of the stated hours and subtotal by a date. Record approved, queried, or pending. A missing reply should not be silently converted to approval unless the agreement expressly provides that process.
Preview the blank template
Replace the bracketed fields with your client’s details. The download also includes the filled example shown on this page.
TIMESHEET APPROVAL [ID / export version] Client / project: [details] Period: [start / end / timezone] Rate agreement reference: [reference] Billable category | hours | rate | subtotal | work evidence [rows] Excluded time | hours | reason [rows] Approved budget cap / remaining allowance: [amounts] Currency / requested subtotal: [details] Rounding method: [agreed method] Questions or adjustments: [line / reason] Decision: [approved / queried / pending] Approver / response date / evidence: [details] Final invoice reference: [ID]
Free resource
Use the editable document
Download the blank worksheet and filled example, then adapt them to your client agreement.
Download text fileWhere teams usually lose momentum.
Avoid this
Charging every logged hour
Internal administration, rework, or travel may be excluded under the agreement. Apply the billing policy before asking the client to approve.
Avoid this
Sending a changing export
Save the version actually reviewed. If the approved total differs from the tracker now, you need the approval snapshot to explain why.
Move from reading about the workflow to running it.
InvoiceAgent is designed for the last mile of getting paid: scheduled invoice delivery, reminder timing, professional PDFs, and send-time FX conversion when global billing is involved.
Related topics
Find more templates and practical tools in the resources below.
Questions people usually have before changing the workflow.
Is the request an invoice?
No. It is a pre-invoice approval record. The invoice still needs a unique number, due date, and required billing details.
Can one request contain two rates?
Yes. Separate the work categories and reference the agreed rate for each. Do not average rates in a way that hides the charge.
What if the client questions two hours?
Identify those hours and hold the queried line for review. Record the agreed resolution before finalizing the charge; do not rewrite the original export silently.
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Decision pages
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