Getting paid accurately and on time is the most important part of a freelancer’s job. Poor invoicing procedures and the resulting cash flow problems can wreak havoc with the paying of bills, work productivity, and peace of mind.
Ensuring smooth and secure payment requires the best invoicing software. The faster and easier the invoicing process is, both for you as the service provider as well as your client, then the sooner you receive payment.
There are numerous invoicing options available to freelancers across many different platforms. Knowing which platform to choose and quite how each of the features will benefit you as a freelance professional can be difficult.
Essential invoicing features and tools
Modern invoicing should make your life easier and deliver zero hassle to either you or your client. With this in mind, what are some of the core invoice tools and features you need from an invoicing platform, so as to make invoicing clients faster, safer, and smoother?
Customizable invoices
Branding is hugely important for freelancers and solopreneurs. When it comes to brand continuity, even the look and style of invoice documents matter. An advanced invoicing platform, like Invoice Ninja, allows you to create customizable invoices quickly and easily. We have a variety of professional templates which can be modified according to brand colors, logo, and text requirements.
Such customization makes ongoing invoice creation a lot faster. The tables and sections are already in place, as is the brand style, and all you need to do is fill in the details for each project and client.
Simple and secure billing and payment
Facilitating the billing and payment of invoices is a core component of great invoicing software. You gain the capabilities to quickly, securely, and effectively process payments in a way that is easy and safe for both you and the client.
With Invoice Ninja, you can create simple quotes or invoices to send to the client. They’ll receive clear instructions and quick payments can then be made direct from the invoice itself, all with just a few clicks of a mouse button.
Invoice tracking
When you have a number of different clients and projects at the same time it can be confusing and overwhelming trying to keep track of whether invoices are overdue and reminders need to be sent. Advanced invoice software provides you with an array of invoice tracking tools.
Invoice Ninja’s tracking tools alert you to when an invoice is overdue and by how many days. Our software also notifies you when a client has opened your invoice document email and made a payment. This allows you to contact the client if, for some reason, the invoice has not been opened.
Multiple payment options
The payment of an invoice needs to be efficient both for the client and the freelancer. When the client is able to pay quickly and easily, then the freelancer receives money in the bank sooner. Fast payment means providing the client with the easiest way to send you the money you’ve earned.
Invoice Ninja supports more than 45 payment gateways across North America, Europe, and every other continent. All of which can be seamlessly integrated into an invoice and allow your clients to pay with just a single click of a button.
Invoice automation
Automation of invoicing tasks affords a freelancer more time to focus on client work. Advanced invoice software platforms provide a variety of automation features. At Invoice Ninja we go a step further than most and offer automation for processes like late payment reminder emailing, auto-billing, and reoccurring invoicing for repeat clients.
With our automation features, all you need to do is add a few dates and text templates, and Invoice Ninja does the rest, and provides you with notifications as it does so. Automation inevitably helps your freelancing cash flow.
Deposits and partial payment options
Trusting new clients to pay in full only at the end of a project is a risky strategy for freelancers. Every freelance professional has a story about a bad client who causes all sorts of problems during the work and then vanishes without paying at the end. It’s for this reason it’s advisable to demand a deposit before working with any new client. This is usually 50 percent of the agreed fee.
Any invoicing platform you choose must have this feature and this is something we have also developed at Invoice Ninja. Freelancers and small business owners can accept partial payments as a deposit and then have the invoice automatically update itself once the partial payment has been made. This saves you from writing another invoice and keeps your records transparent and up-to-date.
Time tracking tools
Keeping track of the time you spend on a project can be difficult. When you have different apps for different tasks, it can be both confusing and cumbersome to maintain records for everything. Recording the amount of time you spend working on client projects is incredibly important if you charge by the hour.
At Invoice Ninja we have advanced time tracking tools which have been seamlessly incorporated into our invoicing software. Your timed tasks can now be turned into an invoice with just one click of a button, and then sent off to the client. This saves you time transferring or inputting data from another app, and ensures you get paid exactly what you’ve earned.
Ongoing support and guidance
Invoicing can be a lonely business especially when you’re a little nervous around requesting payments or you’re unsure about software technicalities. Good invoicing software should be easy to set up and use right from the beginning. This is the case with Invoice Ninja. Our platform has been created with the small business owner and their invoicing needs, top of mind.
The platform is extremely easy to use and has clear instructions for every button, form, and action you can possibly image using. When difficulties or confusions arise, we have an in-depth knowledge center and dedicated support team ready to help, and quickly.
Invoice Ninja features
These are just a few of the many tools and features every freelancer and solopreneur needs in their invoicing software. At Invoice Ninja we provide all these and a whole lot more. Our invoicing platform has a suit a features including real-time PDF invoice creation, multiple currency support, client side portals, custom url links, and a product library, among other things.
Invoice Ninja has everything you need when it comes to invoicing clients, receiving payments, and tracking your income, expenses, and time.
