When Is The Best Time To Send Invoices To Your Clients?

In any career field, creating invoices and maintaining finances is a necessary step. It advises the client of the amount to be paid in exchange for the goods and/or services received. Creating and maintaining a record of such sales is also necessary. The client will be better able to browse through all of the different fees with the help of a well-designed invoice.

When an invoice is created correctly and efficiently, the payment procedure becomes a breeze. So, how do we go with such invoices now? A strong invoicing system is essential. Yes, it will help a company with effective cash flow management, cost-effective inventory management, and, most importantly, accounting systems.

If you’re a freelancer, invoice day is a joyous occasion. It’s essentially payday as long as your customers pay on time. Unfortunately, many freelancers deal with late payments or even non-payment from clients.

To avoid this, you should thoroughly vet your clients ahead of time, but the day and time you issue an invoice can also have a major impact.

So, when is it better to issue invoices? Here are a few popular choices to think about.

Using an online invoice generator, such as Refrens’, simplifies and streamlines the procedure. Its fast and simple invoicing allows you to make an invoice in under two minutes. Its recurring bills feature allows you to set up regular invoices and ensure that you never miss a payment. It’s ideal for charging on a weekly, monthly, or annual basis.

Moreover, Refrens has free Invoice Templates to make your work look more professional.

Invoicing prior to the completion of a task known as prepayment

Requesting a deposit or a prepayment refers to invoicing before the specified task is completed. If your job necessitates ordering a large number of materials to get started, billing before the job is completed is the way to go.

Construction enterprises, shipping companies, major contracts, and other businesses that require raw materials and equipment to get started generally use this strategy. This invoice is also an excellent concept for fledgling enterprises, as deposit money can help fund the project.

Billing before the task is finished offers you the assurance that your customers aren’t backing out or going in the opposite direction until the very end. This raises the likelihood that your consumers will see the entirety of your effort. Taste the sweet fruit of your labor, which will motivate you to work harder and faster and will serve as an incentive.

However, billing before the service is completed is not always a viable option. You will either have to charge the client extra or the scope of the task will change due to an unanticipated issue. Billing the client becomes a hassle, therefore it’s sometimes best to just say no.

Learn how to charge your first-time customers in this blog article.

1. Higher cash flow

Receiving funds prior to the start of a project is extremely beneficial to your company’s cash flow. Not only may you use the money to acquire the goods and resources you need for the project instead of taking out a loan, but it also boosts your chances of bidding on other projects at the same time. Strong cash flow is important for any organization, but it is especially important for freelancers and startups.

2. Sincerity when it comes to the project

It goes without saying that if your project or services are paid in full before you begin working on them, you have made a legally enforceable commitment and demonstrated your seriousness in completing the assignment on time. If the work is not delivered on schedule, it can affect the company’s reputation and ruin client-customer relationships.

3. Clients who can’t make up their minds

Many customers are undecided about invoicing and get concerned since they have paid in advance for goods and services they have yet to receive. Small field service business owners face the same problem because they have already gotten funding for the project. Moreover, anxious clients add stress to tasks that are already stressful.

4. Clearance of the port

In many circumstances, the client provides a proforma invoice before the service is rendered. Proforma invoices serve as proof of a service or purchase agreement between a client and a vendor. During an import and export transaction, a Proforma invoice template is required for port clearance.

Moreover, you can create a proforma invoice using the Refrens platform.

Final Invoice: Invoicing After The Task Is Completed

The most typical manner of business is invoicing after the completion of work, and the total amount invoiced is what clients should expect as their final payment after receiving their job. It informs the customer that their work has been completed and establishes trust between you and the client.

Invoicing following the completion of the task also ensures that clients will receive only one fixed invoice, rather than multiple invoices with varying rates. Invoicing after the job is completed can be done within 24-48 hours or by submitting the invoice together with the work.

1. Payment Uncertainty

Well, this is a bit of a challenge. The incentives for customers to pay you to reduce once you conclude a project for one of your frequent clients. Sending invoices after completing a job might often leave you with nothing in return if no stringent payment terms have been agreed upon.

2. Customer Expectations Are Met Or Exceeded

The goal of issuing invoices before or after payment is to get paid as quickly as possible. As a result, depending on the client’s payment schedule, it may or may not help you manage your cash flow once the task is completed and bills are received. By delaying billing consumers, you also strive to convey to them the motivation to meet or exceed quality standards.

Including The Invoice With The Delivery Of The Task

Clients are less likely to check for bills buried beneath a mountain of work, so sending an invoice with your job is only occasionally a good idea, especially if it’s your first time working with them.

Invoicing once the service is completed, on the other hand, will necessitate having a professional invoice on hand and discussing payment and form of payment ahead of time. The disadvantage of delivering an invoice with your work is that if the client requires revisions or alterations, they will be disappointed since they will believe you invoiced them for an incomplete service. A straightforward path forward could be as follows:

Within 24-48 hours of delivery, conduct a review

Rather than billing on the spot, call or email your client and ask them to check your work and confirm their satisfaction. Invoicing your client would reflect well on your work and raise the likelihood of them hiring you again in the future.

However, if you have a lot of work lined up, this technique of invoicing isn’t ideal because it’s tough to track down clients who haven’t paid their invoices. This is also a bad idea for new firms because they will have to cover expenses with personal assets, which will not ensure a profit.

The Best Of The Best

Are you still unsure when to send an invoice? Is it possible to get an invoice before the service? Is it better to send the invoice before or after the payment? To round out your use of online invoicing software, here’s one more suggestion.

Taking advantage of getting paid before and after the work is done is the best strategy to achieve a margin for your service. 

To accomplish so, make sure you ask for a deposit of 25 to 30 percent of the project’s entire cost upfront. This should be enough to get you started on the process by obtaining any necessary equipment and materials. Then, provide a final payment that covers the project’s completion.

Whether you issue an invoice before or after the work, be sure to include the project’s payment terms and conditions in a legally binding contract. 

Additionally, you can use automatic invoicing software to assist you with project time and expense tracking. Invoicing and billing software can also assist you with project management, recurring invoices, invoice customization, and a variety of other capabilities.

Refrens Invoice Generator

Refrens Invoice is the greatest alternative for you to consider if you want to simplify your accounting and invoicing process and eliminate unnecessary paperwork.

The following are a few quick methods a company can use Refrens Invoice to avoid a financial backlog.

• Invoices scheduled on time.
• Invoicing directly
• Invoice at any time and from any location.
• Invoicing system that is well-organized
• Manage a number of businesses
• Import, export, print, and sync data quickly.
• Create and manage your personal preferences.
• Manage a variety of payment types, among other things.

The online invoicing tool by Refrens gives you hands-on operational experience and builds professionalism. As a result, we don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t provide your company with the much-needed boost.

Example of how an Invoice should look : 

Conclusion

An invoice cannot be sent on a specific date or at a specific time. Choose the approach that best meets your needs and workflow, as well as that of your client. You can use different ways with different clients if you have more than one. As a result, explore to find the best time to send an invoice so that it can be converted as soon as possible.

Finally, while switching to an invoicing generator is a viable alternative and a significant step, it also saves you time and money. 

So, quit second-guessing yourself when it comes to submitting an invoice when you have a flawless invoicing solution that can handle a variety of invoice designs.

Check out this complete guide on E-Invoicing in GST and excel this with Refrens Online GST Invoice Maker.

Good luck with your invoices!