Germany estimates need VAT-ready detail before work starts. Everhour turns approved billable work into cleaner invoices later.
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A Germany estimate helps you quote services, materials, scope, timing, and commercial terms before the client accepts the work. It should identify the supplier and customer, describe the work clearly, show prices in euros, and state whether VAT is included, excluded, or not charged because an exemption or reverse-charge treatment applies.
The estimate is a commercial document, not the same thing as the final VAT invoice. Treat it as the source record for the invoice that follows. German standard VAT invoices under § 14 UStG require details such as supplier and recipient names and addresses, supplier tax number or USt-IdNr., issue date, unique invoice number, supply details, taxable amounts, VAT rate, VAT amount, or an exemption note.
Germany's VAT regime is Umsatzsteuer or Mehrwertsteuer. The standard rate is 19%, and the reduced rate is 7% for specified categories of supplies. A practical estimate separates net amounts, the VAT rate, the VAT amount, and the gross total so the customer sees the tax treatment before approval.
Use the supplier's Steuernummer or USt-IdNr. if the estimate is intended to become the basis for a formal invoice. Add the expected supply date or service period, because standard German VAT invoices require the supply date or payment date for advance payments. For mixed supplies, split taxable amounts by rate or exemption instead of showing one undifferentiated total.
A German estimate should make the later invoice easy to issue within the correct workflow. For taxable supplies to another entrepreneur for its business, or to a legal person that is not an entrepreneur, the supplier generally must issue the invoice within six months after performing the supply, except for many exempt transactions under § 4 nos. 8 to 29 UStG.
Domestic German B2B invoicing is also moving toward structured e-invoices. For supplies performed after December 31, 2024, invoices between domestic German entrepreneurs generally fall under mandatory e-invoice rules, while private end consumers are not covered. Since January 1, 2025, a simple PDF is another type of invoice, not a structured e-invoice.
A free estimate template is enough for a one-off quote, a small fixed-price job, or a simple service proposal where you only need a clean document to send to a client. It works best when the scope is stable, the VAT treatment is straightforward, and you can manually copy the accepted details into the final invoice.
A managed billing workflow fits recurring client work, time-and-materials billing, and projects where billable time, expenses, non-billable tasks, tax defaults, and invoice status must stay connected. Everhour Billing & Invoicing converts tracked billable time and expenses into invoices, calculates invoice amounts from rates while excluding non-billable work, and exports invoices to QuickBooks Online, Xero, or FreshBooks.
This content is for general information only, may not be fully up to date, and is provided without any warranty or liability.
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No. An estimate is a price proposal, while a VAT invoice is the tax document issued for the supply. A Germany estimate can include invoice-ready fields, but the final invoice must meet the § 14 UStG requirements, including the supplier tax number or USt-IdNr., taxable amounts, VAT rate, VAT amount, and supply timing details.
Use 19% for supplies subject to Germany's standard VAT rate and 7% only for specified reduced-rate categories. If VAT is exempt or not charged under a valid rule, state the exemption or reason instead of forcing a VAT amount into the estimate.
Include the supplier's Steuernummer or USt-IdNr. when the estimate is meant to support a later VAT invoice. German VAT invoices must show either the tax number issued by the tax office or the VAT identification number issued by the Federal Central Tax Office.
A PDF estimate does not satisfy Germany's structured e-invoice standard for covered domestic B2B invoices. Since January 1, 2025, a German e-invoice must be issued, transmitted, and received in a structured electronic format that enables electronic processing. A simple PDF is treated as another invoice type.
State the payment term directly, such as due 14 days after invoice date or due on receipt. If no payment time is specified, German civil law allows performance to be demanded immediately, and default can arise at the latest 30 days after due date and invoice receipt.
Everhour Billing & Invoicing turns tracked billable time and expenses into invoices, calculates invoice amounts from rates, and excludes non-billable tasks from billable totals. Client records can store contact details, tax rate, discount, and payment terms so invoice defaults stay consistent.
Everhour exports invoices to QuickBooks Online, Xero, or FreshBooks as drafts, then shows synced invoice status, invoice number, issue date, and amount in Everhour. That keeps project billing reports connected to the invoice records managed in the accounting tool.
Use Everhour Billing & Invoicing to convert tracked billable time and expenses into client invoices, apply rates and client defaults, and keep invoice status connected to accounting exports.
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