Perhaps you’re only just starting out on your business venture, or even still planning your business strategy. Invoicing and accounting may seem like a distant problem, but it’s not. It’s a good idea to sign up to some invoicing software as soon as possible and it can be a very useful tool that can help you to organise your company’s finances.
Once your business is up and running, using invoicing software will allow you to optimise your business’ finances, invoice your customers in a couple of clicks, and help you to get paid faster for your work.
Here, we take a look at how you can get started with your invoicing software and offer some tips and tricks to make sure you’re getting the most out of the different features offered.
Try out different invoicing software for free
A lot of invoicing software is specifically designed for people who don’t have a background in accounting and finance and it’s common for invoicing software to offer a free trial before your purchase. Signing up for a free trial is a great way to check that the software is intuitive enough, has all of the features you require, and is the right fit for your business.
If you want to keep track of your assets and their value for example, check that the software can automatically calculate their depreciation for you. The more your invoicing software can do for you, the easier it will be to manage your finances.
Debitoor offers a 7-day free trial before you purchase. All you need to do is select your plan, sign up, and then you’re ready to create your first invoice.
Creating your company profile for the first time with invoicing software
Once you’ve signed up to your invoicing software, you’ll need to add your company information. This should include:
- Your company name
- Your logo
- Your contact details
- Your industry
- Your website (if applicable).
When you then invoice your customers with your invoicing software, this information will be added to the invoice automatically, saving you both time and hassle.
You should also add your bank and payment details. Like your company information, your bank details will be shown on your invoices and will tell your customers how to pay you.
Customising your invoices with invoicing software
One of the great things invoicing software usually offers is the ability to customise your invoices. There are normally predefined templates and themes that you can select from, or if you prefer, you can create your own. It’s always worth looking at the different options your software offers for customising your invoices and you should create a design that is simple, yet really represents what your business all about.
As already suggested, adding a logo can be particularly helpful. It acts as a stamp of approval on your invoice and will make it more easily identifiable for your customers.
In Debitoor invoicing software, it’s very easy to change the design of your invoice. All you need to do is:
- Go to the ‘Invoices’ tab and select ‘New Invoice’.
- Click ‘…’, and then ‘Change Design’ from the drop-down menu.
This will allow you to change the font and primary colours used on the invoice. If you’ve added a logo, the colours on the invoice will update automatically to something appropriate. If you don’t like what you see, you’re free to choose others as well or tap the button ‘I Feel Lucky’ to see what else Debitoor suggests.
Making your first invoice with invoicing software
Once your invoice design is looking polished, you’re ready to start showing it to the world. Invoicing software is designed to be quick and easy, so you should be able to create your first invoice with a couple of simple clicks.
With Debitoor, all you need to do is:
- Click on the ‘Invoices’ tab and select ‘New Invoice’
- Add your customer’s name and address
- Fill in the information about the product or service you’re providing, i.e. its name, quantity, price and VAT
- Click the button ‘Complete Invoice’ and then ‘Send’ to email it directly to your customer.
Saving your products and services in your invoicing software
The whole point about invoicing software is that it’s designed to make your life easier. Therefore, if you have set products or services that you’re going to sell on a regular basis, it’s best to spend some time adding these things to your account early on so that you can invoice your customers faster when they are purchased.
If you’re a freelancer for example, you may have an hourly rate for certain copywriting or video production. If you’re setting up a plumbing business, you may have a set rate for unexpected call-outs or a price list for popular items. If you create a product list from the beginning, this will simplify your invoicing at a later date and help to minimise errors.
To create a product list with Debitoor:
- Tap on the ‘Products’ tab and select ‘New Product’
- Fill in the name, description, price, unit of measurement and VAT details (Debitoor will automatically suggest a product number that can be changed if needed)
- Click ‘Save’.
If you’re changing to new invoicing software, it’s often possible to import your product list from your previous account. Using Debitoor invoicing software, this can be done by simply clicking ‘Import’ and then adding the CSV file with all of your information.
Adding contacts to your invoicing software
Perhaps you’ve been running your company for a while and already have regular suppliers or customers that you work with. Good invoicing software will allow you to save these contacts for easy access in the future. This will make it faster for you to create invoices and record expenses directly from the contacts tab. You’ll also be able to generate an automatic account statement for a customer once you’ve started to issue them invoices if it’s needed.
As well as adding your customers and suppliers, Debitoor allows you to add your accountant to your Debitoor account. By giving your accountant access to your account, you’ll never have to wait until they can see a paper copy of your finances; they’ll be able to check your accounts whenever it’s needed and reassure you that your finances are safe and sound.
Why you should invest in invoicing software
There are many advantages of using invoicing software to support your business. As well as helping you to create professional invoices, it will allow you to work in a paperless environment, access your invoices from anywhere, and improve your customer relationships. Good invoicing software will help you keep an overview of your company’s finances and when the time comes, help you organise your [tax return].
Simply put, invoicing software will make it easier for you to run your business. Try Debitoor invoicing software now!
