If you are starting your own business or your business is growing and you want to keep better control of your finances one of the easiest ways is to use a billing software package. While the main purpose of an invoicing package is to help you create and send professional invoices, a decent billing software will allow you to track your invoices, i.e. track how much money you've charged people and track how much you've been paid and who still owes you money.
Knowing how much money you are owed and how much money you have left to be paid for the work you've done can be key to financial planning. Knowing how much money you'll have coming in over the next few months is key to working out how much you can invest in new equipment or services to help your business.
So why use a simple billing software instead of a full-blown accounting software? First, let's look at the main differences between the two types of package. Accounting software will let you track your expenditure as well as your sales. While most accounting software will also handle your invoicing needs, a specialist billing package can often do a more complete job by focussing on making billing as fast as possible. Accounting software packages will also be targetted at professional accountants and will use terms and methods not normally known to someone who hasn't got accountancy knowledge. The majority of people who use accounting packages utilize only a small percentage of the features. You can save lots of time, both in learning how to use the software, and then in your regular invoicing, by purchasing an invoicing program that concentrates on the essentials you need for billing your customers and getting cash into your business.
It's important when buying any piece of software, including software for billing, that the software isn't too inflexible. Even though your billing needs may seem simple to begin with, you may soon find that the software you purchased doesn't quite do what you need. One of the most essential features an invoice program needs is the ability to customize the billing templates, e.g. by letting you rearrange the field layout, add your company logo, or add information such as banners and logos about special offers you may be running.
The invoicing market is highly competitive and by searching on the internet you can easily find dozens of invoicing packages. A number of free options are available as well as packages that offer free trials for a limited period. Take the time to make your choice. It's often a good idea to avoid free software as the backup and support is likely to be non-existent.
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