How to Invoice a Corporate Client as a Musician

Corporate gigs pay well — and they come with more admin than a pub gig. The client is usually a company with an accounts payable team, an approval process, and specific requirements for supplier invoices. Getting this right the first time saves a lot of back-and-forth.

Get the Invoice Address Right

For a pub gig, you might email the invoice to the venue manager directly. For a corporate gig, the invoice often goes to an accounts department — not the event coordinator who booked you. Ask before the gig: "Who should I address the invoice to, and what email address should I send it to?"

Some larger companies also require a purchase order (PO) number on the invoice. If they haven't mentioned one, ask. An invoice missing a required PO number can sit unprocessed for weeks.

Make the Description Specific

Accounts teams process many invoices. The description on yours should be unambiguous: "Live music performance — [Company Name] [Event Name], [Venue], [Date], [Start Time]–[End Time]." This removes any question about what the invoice relates to and speeds up approval.

If you were hired for a specific number of sets or hours, include that. "2 × 45-minute sets" gives the approver something to verify against whatever the event brief said.

ABN Is Non-Negotiable

Corporate clients cannot process an invoice without your ABN. If your ABN is missing, they're required under ATO rules to withhold 47% of the payment and remit it to the ATO. Most accounts teams will simply reject the invoice and ask you to resubmit — which delays everything.

Full ATO invoice requirements for musicians covers the rules in detail. The short version: always include your ABN.

Payment Terms for Corporate Clients

Corporate payment terms are often 30 days from receipt of invoice — longer than you'd expect for a pub gig. Some larger companies run on 45 or 60-day terms. Ask about payment terms before you accept the booking so you're not surprised when the invoice sits unpaid for a month.

If you need to improve cash flow, you can try negotiating shorter terms — "we're a small music business and would appreciate payment within 14 days" is a reasonable ask, and many corporate clients will accommodate it.

Superannuation on Gig Invoices

If you're engaged by a corporate client as an individual contractor and the work is primarily labour (as most performance work is), the client may be obligated to pay superannuation on your fee. This varies depending on how you're engaged and whether your invoices are through an ABN as a sole trader or through a company.

This area can be complex — it's worth raising with your accountant if you're doing regular corporate work as a sole trader.

Dashplan for Corporate Invoicing

Dashplan generates professional, ATO-compliant tax invoices with your ABN, GST breakdown, and payment details — exactly what a corporate accounts team needs. Choose from five professional themes, save as PDF, and send with confidence that the document will clear their approval process without a reissue.