Do Freelance Designers Need Invoicing Software

Start With Templates

Get started quickly with an elegant Word template so you can start sending invoices immediately. You can simply fill out the template, export to PDF, and send via email. This is by far the least cost and friction-intensive method for a single project or if you have 5 or fewer clients and relatively uncomplicated payment terms. There are reputable templates you can download. Invoice templates for Word are excellent starting points.

Use a Lightweight Invoicing Platform

You can use tools such as Wave, FreshBooks, and  Zoho Invoice, which allow you to create, send, accept online payments, and track status. They will also add some automation, basic bookkeeping, and payment gateways. It is worth the time saving for a small monthly fee.

Important Factors to Consider When Making Your Decision

• Cost – With templates, you might pay a one-time purchase fee.  There are free-tier software packages, but expect to pay $7 – $30/month as you add features such as time tracking, multiple clients, or team members.
• Speed & convenience- Templates require you to manually enter the details of the invoice, save it as a PDF, and then send it. Software will create and send the invoice in one flow, complete with automatic reminders and the ability to set an invoice to recur.
•   Branding control- Word templates will give you all the control over how your invoices are laid out. In most invoicing platforms, you will have the ability to include a logo, choose your colors, etc. You may not have total control over what the layout looks like or the fonts that you can use without having to pay for a more expensive equivalent.
• Automation -While templates leave you to calculate tax, send out recurring invoices, or send reminders, the platform will manage this for you. If you place a high value on getting paid faster or hate chasing down late payers, software is going to be for you.
•    Scalability & bookkeeping -the software is going to save you a ton of time when you integrate it with an accounting program or your bank and you epitomize growth. If you are doing manual bookkeeping or managing it in Excel, you increase the potential for errors.

Warning Signs that Show It’s Time to Get Out of Templates

Get out of templates when any of these apply:

• You’re spending more than 4–6 hours per month on billing and collecting payments
•    You’re missing payments or sending multiple follow-ups. (Automation gets you paid once you set this up)
• You have repeat/recurring customers and could bill them automatically
•  You’re getting help or subcontracting and need contractor pay/1099 workflows
•  You need reliable reports for doing taxes, VAT, or applying for loans/investments
•    You’re working with different currencies or need integrated payment gateways

Endnote

Start with a professional invoice template for Word when your volume is low. Gradually, you can switch to an invoicing platform as billing time, missed payments, multi-client complications, or compliance expectations start cutting into your creative act.