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Andy replied on October 02, 2008 10:26 to the discussion "So near and yet..." in FreeAgent Central:
So it's been a while since I posted the original message, and my trial has expired, so how we doing on the points I mentioned?...is it better?-
Ed Molyneux replied on September 08, 2008 11:21 to the question "Two projects on one invoice?" in FreeAgent Central:
Tony,
Re-select the 'Edit' button once you've created the invoice (adding the first project's unbilled items while you were at it).
Change the project on the 'Edit Invoice' screen and choose your 'Add Unbilled Time and Expenses options, which will now relate to the project you just switched to.
The new tasks etc will now appear on the invoice.
Of course you can add additional invoice items at anytime.
Does that make sense?
We're looking hard into 'Client-level' invoicing, in which case it may be that the Unbilled Time and Expenses will relate to all that client's projects, as well as expenses that might be rebilled to a client directly. Still some work to do there... -
tony cook replied on September 08, 2008 11:03 to the question "Two projects on one invoice?" in FreeAgent Central:
I too need to invoice several projects in the one invoice. Each project has it's own set of tasks and additional invoice items but instead of printing out 10 invoices I'd just want one.
Other than copying out all the info from freeagent and into an indesign invoice template I've got, I don't see how I can do this within FA. You say:
* Create an invoice for the first project, adding time and expenses as required.
* Edit the invoice details, switching to the second project and again adding time and expenses from that one.
* Rinse and repeat
But how do you "switch" to a subsequent project and then add all the tasks assigned to that project? -
A comment on the discussion "So near and yet..." in FreeAgent Central:
Hi - the comments on invoices works well, I was referring more to having a standard message that goes in the email with the invoice. – richallum, on August 14, 2008 08:35 -
Olly replied on August 14, 2008 08:20 to the discussion "So near and yet..." in FreeAgent Central:
Chaps
I forgot to respond to this point:
8. A message window to send with the invoices - Just incase users want to/need to send a message along with the invoice.
We already support the concept of comments on invoices. This sounds like exactly what you want? When you send an invoice by email, we also allow you to write your own email text.
To add to this, it would be very useful to have additional sorting or filtering of the invoices (e.g. all draft invoices for this month, view all invoices over a defined period).
Adding additional invoice views and improving the sorting ability of our data tables is also on our radar -
richallum replied on August 14, 2008 07:54 to the discussion "So near and yet..." in FreeAgent Central:
Hi Andy & Olly.
Really good discussion. I am already using FAC for a small business and it works fine. I am considering moving a larger business over which currently uses Freshbooks too but Sage for the accounting. You have pulled out some of the features of Freshbooks I would love to see in FAC. Just to add a couple of things:
Ref 4 - it would be really good to have a 'price list' of regular services. We only really have 5 services most of which have a fixed cost and it would be good if the menu for invoice items could include these so that we can click and have the fields populated rather than having to type the same thing over and over.....
Ref 6: I have already 'liked the idea' but this is a really good feature.
Ref 8 - another good idea.
To add to this, it would be very useful to have additional sorting or filtering of the invoices (e.g. all draft invoices for this month, view all invoices over a defined period).
I know that Freshbooks is a dedicated invoicing solution whereas FAC is combining this with accounting but I think you could really get more conversions from these invoice only apps if the features could be tweaked a bit.
Keep up the good work. -
Andy replied on August 13, 2008 13:05 to the discussion "So near and yet..." in FreeAgent Central:
Ah thanks for the reply Olly, so nice to see a company actually listening to what users say....so plus points on that!
Ref.1 - excellent
Ref.2 - As a freelancer what I tend to do (and this might be a tip for other freelancers) is add a project to Basecamp and give it a individual number (similar to the invoice numbering). Currently I generate this number using Studiometry (nice desktop based software but far too bulky and ugly for me personally) as Basecamp doesn't do project numbers (don't think they listen as often to user requests). That number then gets used alongside a project name for whoever client in Basecamp and currently for me Freshbooks so it helps keep track of it instead of relying on names particularly if I have two clients with separate similar projects. Finding "Company Brochure in blue" for client A instead of "Company brochure in blue" for Client B is more difficult than finding "123_Company Brochure in blue" or "32_Company Brochure in blue" without the project numbers which are listed under basecamp under that client and in the Freshbooks list. Plus all my artwork files are then kept on my harddrive in folders labeled with the numbers ie. 123_Company Brochure in blue again for easy finding as if the project numbers are listed on the invoice then client can say "fetch out project No. 123 as we need a version in Red", then I just search for 123, if that makes sense?
Ref. 3 - Yep saw Eds reply and noted, just thought Id post it here for the record while I was on the subject....slimlined version would be nice.
Ref. 4 - Ah I see it now, thanks
Ref. 5 - Yep client import and separate project import if possible, client details are in there you see so it would save typing them all out again.
Ref. 6 - Excellent!, I hate phoning and chasing! (it costs)....send heavy mob feature as an option perhaps?? hehe!
Ref. 7 - Yep sounds better, generally the less time I spend filling in info that could be used globally the better...so I have more time working with the heavy mob chasing payments! :)
Hope that helps! -
Olly replied on August 13, 2008 12:28 to the discussion "So near and yet..." in FreeAgent Central:
Hi Andy
Thanks a lot for the feedback, and for providing it in so much detail. Here are a few inital thoughts from me:
1. Estimates: This is near the top of our priority list -- it won't be too long until you see these in FreeAgent.
2. Project numbering: Could you maybe explain a bit more about what you'd like here?
3. Multiple projects on one invoice: Ed replied to the other thread about this today. Rest assured we're looking at how we can accommodate you on this, but there is a workaround for now.
4. Fixed cost option: You can do this already. Just create an invoice and when you add an invoice item, just select 'Product' or 'Service' etc in the type list.
5. No Basecamp import (as yet): Could you let us know what Basecamp integration you'd like to see? Importing your projects from Basecamp into FreeAgent?
6. Send reminder button: Reminders (both automated and manual, and to both yourself and your clients) are high up on the priority list too. See http://getsatisfaction.com/freeagentc...
7. Set hourly rate and payment terms globally: One thing we could do to improve creating a new project is to preset the hourly rate and payment terms to the previously entered (or most common, perhaps) values, just like we do with Expenses. Would this work for you?
Please do keep an eye on us (have you joined the mailing list or subscribed to our blog?) -- we're developing really quickly and we listen to our customers. In fact, it's feedback like this which will help make FreeAgent the first choice for freelancers everywhere!
Cheers,
Olly -
Andy started a conversation in FreeAgent Central on August 13, 2008 12:05:
So near and yet......just a little short. I was almost sold on the FreeAgent idea and ready to ship over from Freshbooks but I'm not quite there yet. Definately impressed with the reporting features as it is more UK based than Freshbooks but think you fall a bit short in a few areas, namely:
1. Estimates - General workflow for me is project - estimate - time tracking/cost - invoice - payment, so an estimates area would be nice to fit in with the workflow.
2. Project numbering - Would be nice to tally together the project number with the projects listed on the invoice aswell as the folder on my system containing the project files. Makes searching for them later easier as you're not having to remember the name of it.
3. Multiple projects on one invoice - Clients could get annoyed with invoice after invoice.
4. Fixed cost option - Not all my work (and Im sure other people too have this) are invoiced based on time. I can't see at the minute where to enter a fixed cost for XYZ project?
5. No Basecamp import (as yet) - do I really have to re-input all my clients details? :(
6. Send reminder button - This would be nice for late payer (like a few of my clients who seem to be happy to skip round the paying process). The idea being all overdue invoices get listed separate from the payed and open ones. I click into overdue invoice no.321 and their sits a nice big button labelled "Send Reminder", which on press immediately dispatches a heavy mob with big sticks....ok Im kidding....more a gentle email reminder saying something like "This invoice is now overdue by XYZ days, if payment sent please ignore this reminder, otherwise prompt action is apprecated blar blar blar".
7. Set hourly rate and payment terms globally - 28 days and hourly rate are pretty normal for me for all projects so a global setting option would be nice. Bit of a pain redoing them for each project.
8. A message window to send with the invoices - Just incase users want to/need to send a message along with the invoice.
That's what Ive found so far from my playing anyway. Not by any means dissing it, it's showing real promise and no Im not affiliated with Freshbooks (it has some of the options above but looks awful I think and falls short in areas too).
Ill keep my eye on this though for the future and come back to it later.
Keep up the good work.
Andy -
Ed Molyneux replied on August 13, 2008 12:03 to the question "Two projects on one invoice?" in FreeAgent Central:
Can't compete with your existing bish - bash - bosh solution at the moment, then!
But I just created an invoice that included time and expenses from three test account projects and it took me 6 additional clicks and 14 seconds to add in the time and expenses from each of the additional projects.
If your existing solution also generates nice PDFs, accounting data, income tax & VAT calculations and an invoice timeline calendar feed from your invoices then those extra seconds are indeed wasted ;->
Of course we can do better, and I want to reduce those 6 additional clicks to just one... -
Andy replied on August 13, 2008 11:48 to the question "Two projects on one invoice?" in FreeAgent Central:
Nice idea Ed, but seems a little long winded to me when at the moment I just tick box the projects and hit an invoice button, bish - bash - bosh! :)
Rinse and repeat editing here and there just doesn't fit in a sole traders time schedule! :) -
Ed Molyneux replied on August 13, 2008 11:40 to the question "Two projects on one invoice?" in FreeAgent Central:
There's just an extra step that's all. Here's what you can do:
* Create an invoice for the first project, adding time and expenses as required.
* Edit the invoice details, switching to the second project and again adding time and expenses from that one.
* Rinse and repeat
The invoice will be recorded against the last-selected project's budget (if you use that facility) and invoice history, but it can certainly contain time and expenses from more than one project.
What we could work on is a way of allocating rebilled time and expenses across their parent projects' budgets, but any manually added items will clearly be assigned to the last-selected project before the invoice was sent.
Would that help? -
Andy replied on August 13, 2008 11:28 to the question "Two projects on one invoice?" in FreeAgent Central:
ooo I was almost sold on this until I found you cant add more than one project to the same invoice. I know my clients would get a bit annoyed with individual invoices.
But yes if you can work on that then I consider having a look again in a few months. -
Andy started following the question "Two projects on one invoice?" in FreeAgent Central.
