Recurring billing
Automate retainer invoices on a monthly or custom cadence with proration and renewal settings to reduce manual work and missed billings.
A template aligned to public relations tasks standardizes client invoices, improves clarity for retainers and media costs, and reduces manual errors in recurring or complex billing scenarios.
A solo consultant who manages client retainers and ad hoc media placements. They need a compact invoice template that shows hours, deliverables, and media fees, supports quick edits, and attaches proof of placement or third-party receipts for client transparency.
A billing lead at a mid-size PR agency who issues recurring retainer invoices, itemizes campaign costs, and coordinates with finance for client reconciliations. They require templates that support multi-line items, taxes, discounts, and exportable reports for accounting systems.
Agencies, independent consultants, and in-house communications teams all use PR-specific invoice templates to standardize billing and speed approvals.
Consistent templates reduce back-and-forth, simplify bookkeeping, and make it easier to reconcile invoices with campaign reports.
Automate retainer invoices on a monthly or custom cadence with proration and renewal settings to reduce manual work and missed billings.
Include automatic currency selection, exchange-rate display, and cross-border tax fields for international clients and media buys.
Implement multi-step internal approvals so invoices require finance or account lead sign-off before sending to clients.
Generate CSV or accounting exports that map invoice lines to GL codes, enabling efficient reconciliation with accounting systems.
Maintain versions for different services, clients, or contract periods to ensure billing consistency across campaigns.
Add API or app connectors to sync invoices with CRM, accounting, and project management tools for end-to-end visibility.
Separate retainers, hourly work, media buys, and vendor passthroughs with optional description fields to clarify scope and reduce payment disputes.
Allow supporting documents such as placement confirmations, third-party invoices, and purchase orders to be attached to each invoice for client verification.
Offer multiple payment options, such as ACH, card, or direct transfer, and display accepted payment methods prominently on the invoice.
Include client-specific payment terms, late fees, tax handling, and invoice numbering to meet contractual and accounting requirements.
| Setting Name | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Reminder Frequency | 48 hours |
| Auto-send Recurring | Monthly on bill date |
| Approval Required | Yes |
| Attach Receipts Automatically | Enabled |
| Invoice Numbering Scheme | ClientCode-YYYYMM-Seq |
Templates should work across desktop, tablet, and mobile to support client review and payments from any device.
Ensure templates render consistently in Shopify and any connected invoicing or eSignature apps, and test PDF exports and mobile payment flows to confirm formatting and attachment accessibility.
A regional PR agency standardized monthly retainer invoices to include campaign hours and media passthroughs, improving client transparency
Resulting in reduced billing questions and faster payments.
An in-house communications team issued milestone invoices tied to campaign deliverables and approvals, integrating placement confirmations as attachments
Leading to clearer audit trails and simplified month-end close.
| Criteria | signNow (Recommended) | DocuSign |
|---|---|---|
| Template library | ||
| Bulk Send | ||
| API access | ||
| Mobile signing |
Use ISO format YYYY-MM-DD for consistent records.
Net 30 is common; align with client contracts for exceptions.
Specify grace period, e.g., 7 days, before late fees apply.
Keep invoices and attachments for at least seven years for audits.
Archive closed invoices quarterly to secure cold storage.
| Feature | signNow (Recommended) | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | HelloSign | PandaDoc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level monthly price | $8–$12 per user/month | $10–$25 per user/month | $14–$30 per user/month | $15–$20 per user/month | $19–$39 per user/month |
| Free tier availability | Limited free trial | Trial only | Trial only | Free limited plan | Free trial available |
| API included | Available in most plans | Enterprise/API plans | Enterprise/API plans | Paid plans | Available in paid plans |
| Bulk sending support | Included in higher plans | Add-on or higher tiers | Higher tiers | Higher tiers | Included in some plans |
| Enterprise services | Custom onboarding and SLAs | Dedicated enterprise support | Enterprise deployments | Business plans | Enterprise and custom support |