Poll: How do you prefer to invoice?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Aug 4, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How do you prefer to invoice?".

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Angus Stewart
Angus Stewart  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:04
Member (2011)
French to English
+ ...
Issue my own Aug 4, 2018

My preference is to issue my own invoices as it is the simplest and most straightforward system which that ensures that they are all in a standard form and contain the same categories of information. Being forced by various clients to use their own preferred systems and templates complicates matters as I have to remember each clients particular preferences and procedures.

Natalia Pedrosa
 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 22:04
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Use a client's management system Aug 4, 2018

Although they are pesky to get used to, they are the easiest in the end.

I have a client that provides a template, but then I have to sign it and return it. It takes me longer. When I have a flurry of jobs (which recently happened), the numbers can get mixed up. But let me just add, once everything is cleaned up and corrected, the payment is in my bank account 5 days later.

Even though I have a standard format for my own invoices, they are more work than either of the p
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Although they are pesky to get used to, they are the easiest in the end.

I have a client that provides a template, but then I have to sign it and return it. It takes me longer. When I have a flurry of jobs (which recently happened), the numbers can get mixed up. But let me just add, once everything is cleaned up and corrected, the payment is in my bank account 5 days later.

Even though I have a standard format for my own invoices, they are more work than either of the previous options. It's my least favorite form of invoicing.
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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 05:04
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Other Aug 4, 2018

Since 2014 I’m required by the Portuguese tax authorities to use a certified billing software called SAFT in order to be legally compliant.

 
Ricki Farn
Ricki Farn
Germany
Local time: 06:04
English to German
It depends Aug 4, 2018

Some clients have management systems that really work - enter my invoice number, click Send, click Save (to my own disk for my tax accountant), done. Those are nice. Over all others, I prefer to use my own invoice template, which I copied off some startup CD from a government authority so long ago that they still sent out CDs in the physical mail.

Teresa, good thing "SAFT" is a system for Portugal - in Germany, the word "Saft" means "juice", but for some inexplicable reason, the wor
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Some clients have management systems that really work - enter my invoice number, click Send, click Save (to my own disk for my tax accountant), done. Those are nice. Over all others, I prefer to use my own invoice template, which I copied off some startup CD from a government authority so long ago that they still sent out CDs in the physical mail.

Teresa, good thing "SAFT" is a system for Portugal - in Germany, the word "Saft" means "juice", but for some inexplicable reason, the word "Saftladen" (juice shop) does not mean a shop that sells juice, but any disorganized and dysfunctional company :D
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Veerle Geens
 
Agneta Pallinder
Agneta Pallinder  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:04
Member (2014)
Swedish to English
+ ...
My own = ProZ Aug 4, 2018

I find the ProZ invoice template and the link to outsourcers address etc. really helpful and use this all the time.

I think there was one case only when the client insisted on their own format.


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 05:04
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
LOL Aug 4, 2018

Ricki Farn wrote:
Teresa, good thing "SAFT" is a system for Portugal - in Germany, the word "Saft" means "juice", but for some inexplicable reason, the word "Saftladen" (juice shop) does not mean a shop that sells juice, but any disorganized and dysfunctional company :D


As far as I know SAFT means Standard Audit File for Tax Purposes and originally is not Portuguese, I believe it was developed by the OCDE and I’m pretty sure the idea was to put a stop to tax avoidance and evasion…


 
Liena Vijupe
Liena Vijupe  Identity Verified
Latvia
Local time: 07:04
Member (2014)
French to Latvian
+ ...
Issue my own Aug 4, 2018

I prefer to issue my own invoices. Some of my clients have management systems which I use to claim payments, but I still have to prepare my own invoices to ensure they contain all the necessary information and are clear. The only difference is that I don't have to send them to those clients, only to my accountant.

 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 06:04
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
My own invoices Aug 4, 2018

I have always issued my own invoices, and I find it quite enjoyable.

Even in the cases where the client has an invoicing system on their portal, and they don't want my invoice. I still have to issue one for my own accounting and to comply with national tax regulations.

[Edited at 2018-08-04 14:05 GMT]


Jennifer Forbes
 
Elías Sauza
Elías Sauza  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 23:04
Member (2002)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Client's management system Aug 4, 2018

Some out there are improving their invoicing systems. My favourite are two clients who create my invoice right away upon work delivery. They pay punctually and using my preferred method of payment. I ask myself why not everybody is able to do the same.

Jessica Noyes
 
Ventnai
Ventnai  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 06:04
German to English
+ ...
Preference is one thing Aug 4, 2018

I prefer my clients to issue a payment document to be quite honest. It saves me time. Those who issue one do it every month and pay over the next 5 to 30 days. I issue my own invoices for the rest of my clients

 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 02:04
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No choice in some countries Aug 5, 2018

I use my onw invoice for almost all my clients.
However, some clients in Brazil require the so-called "nota fiscal" (fiscal invoice), which must follow a legal template and be approved and controlled by government authorities. In Brazil, a personal invoice cannot be entered into the company's accounting records. It must be a "nota fiscal".
It's a very dumb thing, typical of countries where corruption and tax evasion are very high, and I'm totally against it. But it happens in many co
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I use my onw invoice for almost all my clients.
However, some clients in Brazil require the so-called "nota fiscal" (fiscal invoice), which must follow a legal template and be approved and controlled by government authorities. In Brazil, a personal invoice cannot be entered into the company's accounting records. It must be a "nota fiscal".
It's a very dumb thing, typical of countries where corruption and tax evasion are very high, and I'm totally against it. But it happens in many countries.
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Poll: How do you prefer to invoice?






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