License: Creative Commons image source
If you are on the verge of selecting invoicing software, then you have landed on the right page. Given below are a few things you should keep in mind when choosing invoicing software.
Cost
Cost is the first thing that should be considered. There are several types of invoicing software, all having different cost plans. You should choose one keeping your budget in mind. It should be remembered that in certain cases cost is dependent on factors, such as additional features etc.
Invoicing Features
Check the features that the software comes with. Most software have the ability to create invoices with auto-fill elements. Most of them are also capable of sharing invoices via email or HTML files. Make sure you take a look at the basic invoicing features so that you get the software that suits all your needs.
Billing and Payment Features
Good invoicing software should have the ability to accept various payment methods, including credits, down payments, and partial payments. Software without such features will cause problems in invoicing and billing. In addition to this, make sure your software has the ability to track unpaid invoices so that you can easily prepare a list of unpaid customers and send them reports. These features are very important for the calculations.
Customer Management
Good invoicing software comes with well-managed customer relationship management. It is important for every business to be on good terms with its customers. The software you buy should be capable of storing every customer’s information, such as name, contact information, addresses, and billing histories. It would be an added bonus if the software comes with the ability to send customer correspondence directly using the software.
Additional Features
As mentioned above, many invoicing software come with additional features. Some of them are free while you may have to pay additional amount to access some. You must carefully look at the additional features that your software comes with. For example: If invoicing software comes with accounting software, it will become easier to handle billing functions.
This way you will find it easier to sync work and there will be lesser chances of making mistakes. This is why it is recommended that you choose software that offers good additional features.
Ease of Use
Make sure the software you choose is user-friendly. The main purpose of using invoicing software is to make everything swifter and easier. If the software you use needs complex understanding, the main purpose of using such software will be lost. This is why it is important to pay attention to this point. You can read reviews or testimonials to know about software’s interface. It will give you an idea on how it actually works.
Help and Support
Many people tend to neglect this point, even though it deserves as much attention as any other point on this list. It is important to choose invoicing software that provides telephone and email support. Some software even have a live help section (paid – most of the times) that is very helpful as you can talk to the experts and get your queries answered.
About the Author: Mark is writing for Chesterfield Group a company that provides Contracting world wide and invocing services for startup companies
