One of the most significant choices a person will ever make is whether to purchase a house or not. Many people can realise their dream of purchasing a house since more reasonable financing options are available. It is quite common practice for people in India and other countries all over the globe to take out a house loan to finance a portion of the money needed to purchase a property. Designing a project in itself is a challenging task, and the job for architects becomes even more daunting when it comes to preparing an invoice. An architect caters to the design and its execution, along with the invoicing process that comes in between. Besides being creative heads, today, architects and designers have to be tech-savvy as well in order to cope with the fast-paced world.
With everything taken to online platforms, technology is helping to smooth the work process and this goes for architecture as well. Everything has an application specially built for that function, which facilitates the ease of working and saves you time to focus on more important tasks. A professional approach to billing can be a powerful tool for your company. An apt invoicing and management software can offer you detailed bills while keeping you on track with the status of every payment.
Let’s take a look at the top ten project management and invoicing software products to make picking one easy for you.
Best Project Management and Invoicing Software
01. Trello
Trello supports the whole process of project management and invoice generation. It aids in smoother collaboration and communication for different team members to discuss and proceed with the project. The software helps in assigning tasks to each team member and lets them post their progress status on the same. It helps in maintaining a work calendar and ensures that work functions smoothly. All the files and their associated bills are safely kept in one place with the adoption of this application into the daily work process.
02. Jibble.io
Wish to boost your productivity and perform tasks easily? Opt for Jibble. This cloud-based application helps in assessing the timelines and generating reports accordingly, which helps you keep a check on the productivity of the team and take measures. You can avail the reports either daily or at any time as per your needs. A monthly review can be conducted to discuss the payroll. A versatile feature of this app is that you can save these sheets and share them in spreadsheet formats for the entire team to have access to. One can use the app for job costing, billing, and proposal submission tracking.
03. FreshBooks
FreshBooks is one of the simplest apps to use to generate invoices. The software has an extremely easy-to-interpret user interface and offers support at any hour of the day. This app not only helps you with its advanced functions but also makes tasks quicker with its unmatched speed. Among the top features of this application is the ability to repeat bills, which saves you plenty of time and energy by not having to go through the entire process again. You can pick an enticing logo on the app and receive money in multiple currencies, helping you stay on a global platform. There’s even an option to monitor the client’s status of payment and check whether you’re receiving money on time or not.
04. Ivy
Ivy is a special application designed for creative heads. This project management and billing software offers easy tools like a time tracker, task manager, billing platform, and even vendor purchasing options. You can set the budget and monitor the work with one click. The best feature of the app is its talk-to-text translation tool, which keeps taking notes as you talk. Another advantage of adopting this application for your design team is its built-in measuring tool. Apart from taking your project further, you can even start a new one by taking measurements with the help of this app.
05. Xero
Another great invoicing and accounting app for architects and designers is Xero. All you need is this simple-to-use application for project and account management. This invoicing app works globally and helps you operate anywhere in the world without worrying about the complications involved with time zones or money. The impressive templates on this platform offer a professional touch to the invoice, and you can personalise it as per your company’s theme with matching colours and fonts. This application will also chase the payments on your behalf by sending timely reminders to the clients in case of a delayed payment.
06. Toggl
Managing or maintaining a log of billable hours can prove to be one of the most challenging tasks for designers. Ease out the process by adopting Toggl, which will keep a timely track of these hours and even define each project and its unique code. You can assess productive hours and keep track of work and time with a monthly report. The invoice generated through this app will project that breakdown of time to the client for a transparent process. This aids in developing better business and marketing strategies for a firm.
07. Asana
Streamline your business with Asana. Whether it’s your team working from different locations or clients sitting at the other end of the country, this application will bridge all the gaps with its centralised management system. You can keep updating and tracking your work’s progress and status. Set a goal and track it from any location. Adopting this application and your design software will aid in producing efficient and on-time results.
08. Honeybook
HoneyBook is another advanced platform for designers that serves as the best base for all client-related tasks. Beginning from the proposal to the work process, bills, and payments, this app can perform any task easily. You can even keep the project files well-organised and keep track of their progress. Take this automated approach for faster delivery of projects and management of invoices and payments.
09. Invoicera
Invoicera is a versatile invoice software that suits invoice generation for freelancers to business owners. You can pick the preferred language, set up the currency, and even get appealing templates to send out your invoices. There’s even a feature to access detailed reports of every invoice for regular budget estimation and profit calculation. This app simplifies the whole billing process for designers and establishes easy communication with the team and clients. You can even opt for a vendor panel on the app and track the timeline and workflow as well.
10. Scoro
One of the best applications for designers to get into accounting is Scoro. This application helps you manage the business by generating bills, adding a billable date, and tracking the same. You can create a work schedule, conduct project reviews, and add real-time data to the app. This aids in the monitoring of each aspect of the project and helps accelerate efficiency.
How to Define a Great Invoicing, Business Management, and Accounting App?
While there are plenty of options in the project management and billing software market, you need to pick the best. This can prove to be harder than picking the right sofa for your living room. But don’t worry, because we have a few key points that define a great invoicing app.
01. Monitoring Money
The main purpose of these invoicing apps is to manage cash inflow. While choosing a billing application, make sure it has the option to link with a personal account as well. The application must have an easy process to receive the money from clients. This aids in the monitoring of money and helps you plan accordingly.
02. Customizable Options
A good application will provide you with the options to customise the template and even values like currency and language. The more options and features you get, the better the rating and operation of that app.
03. Easy Interface
Any application, whether it’s for designing or invoicing, needs an easy interface. The user interface must be easy to understand, and the functions need to be well defined to prevent wasting an entire day learning about their operation.
04. Budget
The key consideration while choosing a billing application is the budget. Even though the application might be free, there could be a few features you can avail of after paying. Make sure that your accounting app integrates well with your company’s accounts.
List of Things to Include in an Invoice
Although the invoicing process seems a bit hefty, it can prove to be a breeze if you’re well aware of the set of data you need to add. To help you out, we’ve composed a list of must-haves on your next billing invoice.
- Make sure that the prepared invoice has your company’s name and contact information. Mention the name of the company and put your qualifications and license number on the template.
- Place the logo of your firm along with the online address and information.
- Write the name of the client and their details.
- Ensure to denote a unique number and code for each type of invoice that’s created by your firm.
- Mark the date of the invoice and don’t forget to mention the due date for the same.
- Give a brief description of the services and mention the rates for each service.
- Make sure that the cost is self-explanatory to the clients by adding tax details and their detailed descriptions.
- Another important point is the terms of payment and the mode in which you’ll be receiving the money.
- End it on a sweet note by saying thank you and adding a touch of personalisation while staying within the limits of professionalism.
What are Time-Saver Invoicing Apps?
Why waste time feeding data manually when apps can help you out? Stay aligned with the latest technology and adopt invoice generation apps to save some time. These modern solutions to traditional practices can help you compile all the expenses and bills with a quick formula and a few features might also aid you in keeping track of the timeline and expenses. You can even assess the profits of the company and analyse the pricing for future projects. These invoice-generating applications save you from putting effort into adding precise details yourself. Another advantage of adopting applications for project and finance management is the zero risk of errors. With everything fed into the computer and advanced algorithms running this software, there’s no room for clashes or errors. All it will take is a few clicks, and you’ll always stay updated with the due payments and billing status.
A Techno-Oriented Designer
Don’t lag in this technology-driven era. With breakthroughs and innovations for every business, make sure you’re also adopting the shortcut that’s quick and more efficient. Whether you’re just setting up your firm or working for a well-established agency, let project management and invoicing software help you manage your tasks and time. Getting money on time is crucial for any business to grow which is why it’s time for all the designers to make the switch to invoicing applications. They will not only keep your bills ready but also notify you of received or delayed payments. As a new-age designer, make sure you stay updated with the trends, and you do the same with high-tech apps as well.
You may also like to read the following article too:
10 Best Interior Design and Decorating Apps!
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Author Bio
Saili Sawantt – She is an Architect and Interior Designer by profession. Writing is what she treats as her passion. She has worked as an Architectural Writer, Editor, and Journalist for various design as well as digital portals, both national and international. Formerly she has also worked with Godrej Properties Limited (GPL) Design Studio, Mumbai, due to her keen interested in learning about Sustainability and Green buildings. Apart from this, she runs her blog ‘The Reader’s Express’ and is a practicing Architect & Interior Designer.
