[Resolved] What do you use to bill your clients?

[jasonmills58]

Hi folks,

I'm guessing a lot of us do a lot of freelance code work, and end up needing to write invoices asking our clients to actually pay us. :) So far, most of my clients have paid without being promted, or I've just done a little letter and sent it off.

Its worked fine so far, but it seems like I could use a more reliable paper trail, not to mention something a little more professional looking. It would be handy to have something for quotes as well. Do most of you create your own database interface and write something like this from scratch? Is there some amazing program that EVERYbody but me has heard about? :rolleyes: :D

Thanks for any input.
Cheers,
Jason

[drawmack]

I do an itemized quote with my contract attached. I sign the quote and fax or mail it to the client who then also signs the quote and faxes or mails it back. When I receive a down payment of 50% of the completed job cost I begin working. When they aprove the site, but sending me the other 50% I put the work on their server and do a final testing, incase setting changes break anything. Then I send them a completion paper, which looks a lot like the quote but has a certification of successful completion on it which is also faxed/mailed back and forth and double signed as well.

[jasonmills58]

Ok, so is this itemized quote just a letter you write?

[drawmack]

Nope, I went to a lawyer and had a legal contract drawn up. Then my itemized quote breaks the whole job up into sections. Each section is described in detail with what it includes and the time it will take to complete that section. Then a price, based on an hourly rate, is given for that section.

The quote template and contract are in a word template and it all looks very professional.

[jasonmills58]

That sounds cool, I'll have to look into that.

[LordShryku]

I usually write the code out, burn it to disk, then go out to the customer with the disk and my baseball bat. Haven't had too much trouble with this approach :D

[jasonmills58]

LOL I'll have to try that! :evilgrin:

[Elizabeth]

Try Quicken (http://www.quicken.com/quickensw/)

[jasonmills58]

Thanks Elizabeth, I'll look at that. Has anybody here tried Peachtree or Goldmine? Those were also recommended.

Thanks for all the input!