I thought I was done with this project, but now I’ve got to split one invoice into three because of separate PO numbers.
What was supposed to be a quick send-off is now dragging on because of the extra admin work. Just typical corporate red tape, really.
Just do it this time but tell them upfront that invoice splitting costs extra for future projects.
I learned the hard way that saying yes to every admin request just creates more requests. Now I bring up potential extra fees during our initial chat so nobody’s surprised later.
Yeah this stuff happens. I just bill for extra time now.
This happens all the time. After the third client asked me to split invoices, I added a line to my contracts about it.
I charge $25 per extra invoice when they want splits after the work’s done. Most clients either stick with one invoice or pay the fee since it’s their process creating extra work.
Saved me tons of frustration and makes the admin time worthwhile.
Just do it fast and get paid. Twenty minutes isn’t worth fighting over when you’re this close to finishing.
But ask them to email their invoice requirements for future work. Some corporate clients have weird splitting rules or need specific formats, and knowing that upfront saves you from last minute surprises.
Had this exact situation with a construction client. Halfway through the project, they suddenly wanted separate invoices for different departments because of their budget tracking.
I asked them to send their PO template and preferred format. Turns out they had specific line item descriptions they needed too. Getting that template upfront saved me multiple revisions.
Now with bigger companies, I ask about invoicing during kickoff. Some want monthly splits, others want it by department or location. Ask early and you won’t get hit with surprises at the end.
It’s still extra work, but at least you can plan for it.
Twenty minutes is billable time. Do it this time since you’re almost done with the project. But next time you quote multi-department jobs, build admin time into your upfront estimate. Corporate clients want PO numbers and separate invoices - factor that in so you don’t get blindsided by their internal bureaucracy.
Make a simple template for these splits so you’re not starting from scratch each time. Takes maybe 5 minutes to set up but saves you later.
I keep a basic invoice template that I can copy and adjust the line items on. When clients spring this stuff on me, I can handle it faster:
Still annoying but at least you’re not recreating everything from zero. Plus having the template ready makes you look more professional when they inevitably ask again.
Corporate stuff always drags on longer than it should. Just get it done and move to the next job.