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- Member PM.Dip
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Which do people use?
Because I was using the ICB crest I had to get my invoice layout approved by the ICB. Up to now I have been doing it using Excel. I've seen some people mention they do their invoices on Word. Others will use Vistaprint printed invoices. Other will use other printers printed stationery.
Does anyone use Sage to do their invoices? If using compatible stationery (rather than Sage's own stationery) it can work out at about 3p per invoice. It does look rather boring and there is no crest on the invoice (although I guess the invoice could be altered in report designer to include the crest but that is probably beyond me for the time being). Actually - looking at the stationery it would look ugly incorporating a crest down the bottom of the invoice (the only place ICB will allow it).
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I just do mine on word, for now. Can't afford printed stationery just yet, it's on my list of things to get later.
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I use Amphis Customer to produce invoiced then either post or email them. Although for those I post I'm trying to see if there's a way to use the API that CFH Docmail have released. CFH Docmail can print, stuff envelopes and post for less than the cost of a first class stamp so if I can get that working I'm never need to write another envelope or take that trip to the postbox. Does that sound lazy?
Kris
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Peasiesaid:
“Which do people use?
Because I was using the ICB crest I had to get my invoice layout approved by the ICB. Up to now I have been doing it using Excel. I've seen some people mention they do their invoices on Word. Others will use Vistaprint printed invoices. Other will use other printers printed stationery.
Does anyone use Sage to do their invoices? If using compatible stationery (rather than Sage's own stationery) it can work out at about 3p per invoice. It does look rather boring and there is no crest on the invoice (although I guess the invoice could be altered in report designer to include the crest but that is probably beyond me for the time being). Actually - looking at the stationery it would look ugly incorporating a crest down the bottom of the invoice (the only place ICB will allow it).”
Depends on how many invoices you have to issue.
I do mine on word as my number is low.
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- Member PM.Dip
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Ink?
For business use I don't think I'd ever use ink. I suppose if I wanted a colourful invoice I'd have to use ink but everything I do is done on a (mono) laser printer. I'm not sure how the price matches up against ink - but it can't be much of a difference over a printer's lifetime so it's down to speed and if I'm printing out a 40 page document there's no way I'm waiting three days for an inkjet to complete the task.
I got some free (Sage compatible) samples from one website for payslips, invoices and statements and tried printing out an invoice and a statement and it's almost decided I will be doing it on Sage. I hope I never end up as lazy/cheap as some folk that just print these on normal white paper as I've seen when doing bookkeeping for others. Worse is the statements done on normal white paper with no tear off part.
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- Member PM.Dip
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LizFsaid:
Might even start emailing them. Might have to investigate the PDF converters, but it's an option I suppose.
Isn't there a pdf converter built into Word and Excel - one of the formats you save the file to? There is in the 2010 version but I think I jumped from 2000 to 2010 so don't know which point it was introduced.
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- Fellow PM.Dip
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I work for a consultancy company, who work for large multinationals, we use Word to produce all our invoices. I personally would not buy printed invoices, because they are harder to get the type to line-up or change the layout for a different type of invoice (things come up that you least expect). I think well laid out clear invoices, in black (or a little colour but watch the cost) are appreciated. You see lots of invoices, which ones do you prefer to process? My view is to spend your money on advertising, someone is unlikely to show your invoice to a perspective client.
Sylvia
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LizFsaid:
@ Kris - sounds brilliant. Where do I sign up?”
Hi Liz,
If you're talking about for mailing I use CFH Docmail for all my bulk mailing. If I hadn't already decided on christmas cards I'd use them for that too as I was sent a sample the other day and they look good.
Black and white letters are £0.28 each, merged, printed and posted. Colour are £0.38 merged, printed and posted. i think this is great value. It used to only be good for a bulk mail, but they have a new API that makes them good for single mails too.
If you were refering to my Amphis Customer CRM package it's great too and is under £100 if I remember rightly. Not that I'm selling this, but if anyone is thinking about it speak to me, as a customer I get quite good discount for others.
Kris
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Peasiesaid:
“Ink?
For business use I don't think I'd ever use ink. I suppose if I wanted a colourful invoice I'd have to use ink but everything I do is done on a (mono) laser printer. I'm not sure how the price matches up against ink - but it can't be much of a difference over a printer's lifetime so it's down to speed and if I'm printing out a 40 page document there's no way I'm waiting three days for an inkjet to complete the task.
I use both inkjet (well actually I think it's bubblejet) and laser. I can;t afford a laser in colour so I use it for letters and documents. I have to say though peasie, I find the bubblejet quicker for small runs one page or so as the laser printer takes so long to warm up, although it is more crisp.
I couldn't decide thats why I have 2.
Kris
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- Member PM.Dip
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Because I use QuickBooks to do my own bookkeeping I invoice directly from the program (easy to incorporate logos/crests/other information as you wish) and email them in pdf format directly to clients. No ink/envelope/paper cost and clients like the system. Sage report designer can have crests or logos incorporated and if you have Sagecover they will produce you the template for free I believe.
I wouldn't have pre-printed templates personally as you have to faff about lining them up in a printer and to be honest, most clients will prefer emailed invoices anyway. If they need a printed invoice then you can print one from the pdf but this format also allows you to keep copies in electronic format and refer to them easily if you're inspected for any reason.
It took me a while to decide how to do the invoicing but I've found this to be super-quick and very easy, which is exactly what you need at the end of a job and you just want the invoice out asap!
Best thing is it's no cost!
Hope this helps
Clare
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