Invoicing Clients in Three Currencies Without Losing Track (or Margin)

Frequently asked

Should I invoice in my currency or the client’s?

Invoice in the currency that protects your margin. If you bill in the client’s currency, build a buffer into the price for exchange swings; if you bill in yours, the client carries the conversion. Decide deliberately rather than defaulting and absorbing the loss.

How do I keep books clean across currencies?

Record each invoice in its original currency and the rate on the date it is paid, not the date it is issued. Your accounting software should store both; reconciling on the paid-date rate is what keeps your reported income honest.

How does currency drift eat my margin?

You quote a price, the client pays weeks later, and the rate moved against you — plus a conversion spread on top. Across many invoices that drift is a silent discount you never agreed to. Buffer it or convert fast to limit exposure.

Is it worth holding foreign currency rather than converting?

If you also spend in that currency, yes — hold it and spend directly, skipping conversion entirely. Only convert what you actually need to move into your home currency, and do it in batches at a good rate, not invoice by invoice.