How often to invoice?
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- doggydoggdog
If you have a regular client that gives you really small jobs every couple weeks ($200), how often would you send them an invoice? Monthly? Every three projects?
- ideaist0
Monthly.
- utopian0
twice a week.
- JamesBoynton0
Once the job is finished.
- breadlegz0
At the start of each month, before the work is done as a retainer.
- i_monk0
Constantly. Every spare moment.
- monospaced0
As often as you want to get paid.
- I have lumped together 3 projects on an invoice before, no harm in itmonospaced
- JG_LB0
ask them
- fate0
At the end of every billable hour.
- bulletfactory0
depends on the project and scope of work.
usually:
Beginning, mid-point and end
Beginning and end
End of each month
- Fax_Benson0
if you want the 200 straight away, invoice straight away. If you'd rather receive a lump sum of 10,400, invoice bi-annually.
- hellobotto0
Everyone's pretty much covered every scenario. I've used the 1st/15th approach myself. If a determined payment milestone (midpoint, end-of-project, etc.) is reached between the 1st-14th of the month, send out invoices on the 15th; if it hits between the 15th and the end of the month, send it out on the 1st.
This allows you to keep variable billings going through two controlled invoicing windows. More importantly, provided you have steady work and you operate on a NET30, it keeps potential income coming in every two weeks. If you start a project on Day 1 and finish it on Day 7 yet wait until Day 30 to invoice, you might not see that money until Day 60...and that's a long time to wait for $200.
- spot130
For small projects, I will always try and sell clients a block of hours at a discount to cut down on admin and accounting and get the cash up front. So for example, if you charge $130 / hour, offer 10 hours for $1200 or 20 hours for $2200, etc. This give your clients and incentive and cuts down on the bullshit.
- ********0
Best to set up an automatic payment system with clients. Everyone else has to bother clients for money, and invoices, often meeting people who do not pay on time. You save everyone lots of time, if you simply auto bill them and send them notices of how much they've paid and thank them every time you withdraw money.