Invoicing software Thread poster: Rad Graban (X)
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Rad Graban (X) 
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:53
English to Slovak
+ ...
Hi all,
Can anybody recommend a good invoicing (hold-it-all) software apart form TO3000? As much as I like the features of TO3000, I find it a little bit of a rocket science. I'm looking for something where I could keep all my projects, POs, invoices and clients' details in one place without hassle of TO3000.
Rad
| | | | Uldis Liepkalns
Latvia
Local time: 22:53
Member (2003)
English to Latvian
+ ...
As I few days ago wrote in a related thread, we do all that in Excel with no problems whatsoever.
For invoices I suggest you create two folders- "invoices (year) sent" and the other "unsent". Name your invoices "invoicee name_number (1,2,3)_your name" and no problems whatsoever either for you or the invoicee.
When creating the new invoice, go to the folder "invoices_sent", open the last one (say XXX_4_Rad Graban),
and resave it as "XXX_5_Rad Graban" in the folder unsent- and t... See more As I few days ago wrote in a related thread, we do all that in Excel with no problems whatsoever.
For invoices I suggest you create two folders- "invoices (year) sent" and the other "unsent". Name your invoices "invoicee name_number (1,2,3)_your name" and no problems whatsoever either for you or the invoicee.
When creating the new invoice, go to the folder "invoices_sent", open the last one (say XXX_4_Rad Graban),
and resave it as "XXX_5_Rad Graban" in the folder unsent- and there you are. After sending the invoice, drag it from the folder "unsent" to folder "invoices (year) sent".
As to POs, the same, create folder "POs in", there subfolder for each client and drag your PO there...
As to clients' details (those that are not mentioned on your invoices), your mailer address book is a very handy place.
But of course, I'd also suggest to backup all this up on an external HDD using any of available (free) automatic backup programs, say, www.cobian.se
HTH,
Uldis
PS. I don't pretend to hand out the ultimate truth, but this system is simple, works, and is easy understandable for all our employees.
U.
Rad Graban wrote:
Hi all,
Can anybody recommend a good invoicing (hold-it-all) software apart form TO3000? As much as I like the features of TO3000, I find it a little bit of a rocket science. I'm looking for something where I could keep all my projects, POs, invoices and clients' details in one place without hassle of TO3000.
Rad
[Rediģēts plkst. 2007-08-25 00:30] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | | Sonja Tomaskovic (X)
Germany
Local time: 21:53
English to German
+ ...
There is still Translation Office Manager.
http://www.jovo-soft.de/index.php
I haven't tried it myself as it used to be very expensive, but the price seems to have lowered now (freelancer version starting at 165 EURO).
I understand what you mean by the hassle with TO3000, although it only took me a few hours to figure out how it works. Once you have created all your temp... See more There is still Translation Office Manager.
http://www.jovo-soft.de/index.php
I haven't tried it myself as it used to be very expensive, but the price seems to have lowered now (freelancer version starting at 165 EURO).
I understand what you mean by the hassle with TO3000, although it only took me a few hours to figure out how it works. Once you have created all your templates, TO3000 is really easy to use. But it is true that getting to grips with the system itself can take you a few hours or even days.
However, most billing applications I have tried (those specifically designed for translators and other, more general packages) are either too simple (i.e., require a lot of manual work each time you create an invoice) or involve a certain learning curve, but once overcome make it very easy to create and track invoices, POs and payments.
The spreadsheet approach Uldis mentioned is definitely the simplest one if you don't feel like spending a lot of time on learning a software. However, I have personally experienced how inefficient it can be. Hopping from one software to another to gather all the necessary information for an invoice is just not the right thing for me. I ended up not recording all details anymore because it just took me too much time to figure out where I had stored addresses and job information, or I realized after some time that my address book application did not have enough fields to enter all the information I wanted to record. It usually required me to migrate that data to another place/software, and that involved much more work than just simply exporting and importing the data again.
Sonja ▲ Collapse
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Uldis Liepkalns
Latvia
Local time: 22:53
Member (2003)
English to Latvian
+ ...
| I have tried | Aug 25, 2007 |
But Practiline invoices are impossible to customize to fully correspond to
Latvian accountancy Law (determining how invoice should look and what data
it should contain), besides it has to be (at least some of it) in Latvian.
Maybe I'm mistaken, but I'm afraid the same would apply to all other invoicing softwares...
Uldis
| | | | Sonja Tomaskovic (X)
Germany
Local time: 21:53
English to German
+ ...
| Customization | Aug 25, 2007 |
Uldis,
Customization is indeed a big problem in most invoicing packages.
I too found Practicount not to be very customizable and therefore never really used it. TO3000 is very customizable even to the point where one might get confused by all the features. But then I have no idea what the Latvian authorities require from you. TO3000 may still not meet your requirements.
I personally think that the perfect software (whether CAT tool or invoicing software) ju... See more Uldis,
Customization is indeed a big problem in most invoicing packages.
I too found Practicount not to be very customizable and therefore never really used it. TO3000 is very customizable even to the point where one might get confused by all the features. But then I have no idea what the Latvian authorities require from you. TO3000 may still not meet your requirements.
I personally think that the perfect software (whether CAT tool or invoicing software) just does not exist, and definitely not for everyone alike. However, some people have personal preferences and those may just be more important than simplicity or feasibility.
I thought that TO3000 was the perfect tool for me, until they introduced V8 (and I switched to Linux). For the moment, I have to use a spreadsheet, but I hope that I'll be able to find (or even make) some better tool myself in the future.
Sonja ▲ Collapse
| | | | Germaine07
Local time: 15:53
English to French
+ ...
Ms Access is the simplest one I can think of. With Access you can built a centralized table that you have the control of. Create a form to enter invoices in your table. Create a report to generate you invoice and they will work every time. It is a no brainer.
Depending on the complexity of what you are trying to do I can build one for you in a time ranging from 2 to 4 hours.
Nadine
| | | | Rad Graban (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:53
English to Slovak
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thank you all!!! | Aug 26, 2007 |
Thank you guys for your inputs. Few options out there and I think I'm more confused than I was before. All of them got something I like and something I really don't need. Suppose will play with all of them for about a month and then will decide. Access seems to be really great thing. I never had a look at it before but now will definetely use it at least for some things.
Rad
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