Pages in topic:   [1 2] >
Should we all use the proz.com invoicing feature?
Thread poster: Heinrich Pesch
Heinrich Pesch
Heinrich Pesch  Identity Verified
Finland
Local time: 08:42
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
+ ...
Sep 10, 2015

How many of you use it already? Has it has a positive impact on payment reliability?
I believe such an invoice has better chance of getting paid in time than one issued by an individual freelancer. Are there any issues with the proz invoicing system?

Please do not turn this thread into a discussion about different invoicing systems. I'm looking for feedback from users of the proz invoicing feature. Thank you!


[Bearbeitet am 2015-09-10 07:23 GMT]

[Bearbei
... See more
How many of you use it already? Has it has a positive impact on payment reliability?
I believe such an invoice has better chance of getting paid in time than one issued by an individual freelancer. Are there any issues with the proz invoicing system?

Please do not turn this thread into a discussion about different invoicing systems. I'm looking for feedback from users of the proz invoicing feature. Thank you!


[Bearbeitet am 2015-09-10 07:23 GMT]

[Bearbeitet am 2015-09-10 07:55 GMT]
Collapse


 
Angela Malik
Angela Malik  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:42
German to English
+ ...
I use TO3000 Sep 10, 2015

I have my own invoicing system; I use TO3000 as my jobs database, client database, invoicing system, payments record and business expenses record. I think if you issue more than one or two invoices a month, having a system is definitely a good way to keep track of remembering to issue invoices in the first place, who's been issued an invoice, who's paid and who hasn't. I know some people who use the Proz invoicing system and I guess it's working for them.


Heinrich Pesch wrote:

Has it has a positive impact on payment reliability?


Depends on how you define payment reliability. If you mean does it impact the likelihood of receiving payments regularly and on time, then yes and no.

Yes, if the problem is you -- for example, if you are someone who forgets to invoice or if you do not have a regular schedule in place for invoicing, or if you aren't consistent in reminding clients when payments are overdue. Obviously having a system helps remind you to do those things and allows you to track the details.

No, if the problem is that clients aren't paying on time or at all. In that case I think risk management is more likely to make a difference.

[Edited at 2015-09-10 06:34 GMT]


 
Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.)
Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.)  Identity Verified
Thailand
Local time: 13:42
English to Thai
+ ...
Microsoft Office Accounting Sep 10, 2015

Angela Rimmer wrote:

Yes, if the problem is you -- for example, if you are someone who forgets to invoice or if you do not have a regular schedule in place for invoicing, or if you aren't consistent in reminding clients when payments are overdue. Obviously having a system helps remind you to do those things and allows you to track the details.

No, if the problem is that clients aren't paying on time or at all. In that case I think risk management is more likely to make a difference.

[Edited at 2015-09-10 06:34 GMT]


I used to apply Microsoft Office Accounting with my invoicing system. It was an effective system and linked with e-mail, job completion, billing schedule etc. But the system processing was so slow and I switched to manual invoicing system.
Now Microsoft Office Accounting is already discontinued for the MS Windows system.

Soonthon L.


 
Norskpro
Norskpro
Norway
Local time: 07:42
Member
English to Norwegian
+ ...
Maybe Sep 10, 2015

I use the ProZ invoicing system, and I find that it works well for me. The invoices are organized into open, overdue (marked in red, and I can then choose to send a reminder) and paid (which I record when the money has arrived into my account). For recurring clients, their details are already in the system. There may be better invoicing systems, although I am not familiar with them. So far the proZ invoicing system has been a good help to me with regard to technical aspects, but it would be grea... See more
I use the ProZ invoicing system, and I find that it works well for me. The invoices are organized into open, overdue (marked in red, and I can then choose to send a reminder) and paid (which I record when the money has arrived into my account). For recurring clients, their details are already in the system. There may be better invoicing systems, although I am not familiar with them. So far the proZ invoicing system has been a good help to me with regard to technical aspects, but it would be great if there was an option for choosing a different design for the invoice.Collapse


 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 06:42
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
We should do what works best for our business Sep 10, 2015

The above is my answer to the thread's title. I think if I was just setting up my business now, and found ProZ.com right at the outset, I would probably use it. From what I've seen, it seems a sensible system that covers pretty much everything. As it is, I've got my own system that works very nicely for me, based on Excel spreadsheets and one paper archive.
Heinrich Pesch wrote:
I believe such an invoice has better chance of getting paid in time than one issued by an individual freelancer.

I'd love to know what is behind that claim as I can't imagine that it can possibly make any difference. Unless perhaps you're used to dealing with the bullying type of translation agency client who thinks that they can treat their little freelance "employees" (which is what they seem to think we are) with contempt. I rarely do business with them nowadays as I can smell most of them a mile off. When I get it wrong they are chased unmercifully for payment on MY terms of the first and only invoice. All my regular clients pay within 30 days as agreed (although a couple occasionally miss by a few days), and many months I've received every cent owed by mid-month. But I have to say that I'd been in business at least 12 years before reaching that happy state of affairs.


 
Oliver Pekelharing
Oliver Pekelharing  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 07:42
Dutch to English
Recommend it Sep 10, 2015

I can tentatively recommend it, because it's easy to use and mostly does what it needs to do, but I'll say here AGAIN (in case a moderator is listening) that it is a pity they seem to have discontinued further development of the tool (since 2013!). I would seriously consider changing to an alternative with a bit more functionality (that I believe proz could easily implement) if there was an easy way to transfer all my data.

Olly


 
Maija Cirule
Maija Cirule  Identity Verified
Latvia
Local time: 08:42
German to English
+ ...
I use the proz invoicing system Sep 10, 2015

Heinrich Pesch wrote:

How many of you use it already? Has it has a positive impact on payment reliability?
I believe such an invoice has better chance of getting paid in time than one issued by an individual freelancer. Are there any issues with the proz invoicing system?

Please do not turn this thread into a discussion about different invoicing systems. I'm looking for feedback from users of the proz invoicing feature. Thank you!


[Bearbeitet am 2015-09-10 07:23 GMT]

[Bearbeitet am 2015-09-10 07:55 GMT]


on a regular basis and feel very happy about it - no delayed payments, perfect reminder system.


 
564354352 (X)
564354352 (X)  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 07:42
Danish to English
+ ...
No, is the short answer Sep 10, 2015

As Sheila said, we should all do what serves our individual businesses best.

In my case, most of my clients are Danish, so why on earth would I send them invoices in English?

Also, how hard can it be to set up an individual invoice with your own details, including your company logo?

And finally, any attempts at issuing directions for a completely liberal and deregulated profession's business transactions are futile and unnecessary. ...
See more
As Sheila said, we should all do what serves our individual businesses best.

In my case, most of my clients are Danish, so why on earth would I send them invoices in English?

Also, how hard can it be to set up an individual invoice with your own details, including your company logo?

And finally, any attempts at issuing directions for a completely liberal and deregulated profession's business transactions are futile and unnecessary.
Collapse


 
Elizabeth Joy Pitt de Morales
Elizabeth Joy Pitt de Morales  Identity Verified
Local time: 07:42
Member (2007)
Spanish to English
+ ...
I find it adequate Sep 10, 2015

I've been using it for several years now and find that it works for my needs, though -- as Olly mentioned -- it seems to have been left in a corner to languish.

 
Inga Petkelyte
Inga Petkelyte  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 06:42
Lithuanian to Portuguese
+ ...
I don't and I won't Sep 10, 2015

and not because it is faulty, inconvenient or anything like that; the single reason is that some countries, including ours, require using certified billing programmes registered at the national tax authority. Thus, an invoice issued by any other means is deemed to be not acceptable and breaching the national fiscal law.

 
Triston Goodwin
Triston Goodwin  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 00:42
Spanish to English
+ ...
I prefer my own system Sep 10, 2015

I use Freshbooks, a cloud-based accounting and invoicing program. I wouldn't move to another system unless I absolutely had to.

 
Merab Dekano
Merab Dekano  Identity Verified
Spain
Member (2014)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Try to keep in it one place Sep 10, 2015

I find it almost lovely to have everything in one place. Personally, I use Xero cloud-based accounting system. You do everything there. It has much more features than I will ever need. Not the cheapest one, but certainly the one with the nicest interface (which also counts). Multicurrency feature just takes care of itself. I have bank accounts in thee currencies (USD, EUR and GBP). I can receive money in all those currencies, I can create bills in all those currencies, I can create data for stat... See more
I find it almost lovely to have everything in one place. Personally, I use Xero cloud-based accounting system. You do everything there. It has much more features than I will ever need. Not the cheapest one, but certainly the one with the nicest interface (which also counts). Multicurrency feature just takes care of itself. I have bank accounts in thee currencies (USD, EUR and GBP). I can receive money in all those currencies, I can create bills in all those currencies, I can create data for statutory accounts on one click, I do not have to worry about tracking my payments, or how much cash I have, or how much I received this month, or what my receivables are, etc.

It’s about 25 GBP per month (there are clound-based accounting systems that cost much less). I prefer to save on something else (energy drinks, for example) and avoid like plague dealing with ever disappearing and corrupt Excel files scattered across my hard and soft drives.


[Edited at 2015-09-10 18:08 GMT]
Collapse


 
Balasubramaniam L.
Balasubramaniam L.  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 12:12
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Have not tried it Sep 11, 2015

I have not tried the proz.com invoicing feature.

The reason probably is the fear that if in the future ever I cease to be a paying member of proz.com, my access to my previous invoice data may get cut off.

Another reason is, coming from a place like India with erratic power supply and internet connectivity, becoming too dependent on anything that critically pivots on these two requirements can be suicidal for a business.

I feel much more comfortable and re
... See more
I have not tried the proz.com invoicing feature.

The reason probably is the fear that if in the future ever I cease to be a paying member of proz.com, my access to my previous invoice data may get cut off.

Another reason is, coming from a place like India with erratic power supply and internet connectivity, becoming too dependent on anything that critically pivots on these two requirements can be suicidal for a business.

I feel much more comfortable and reassured having my invoice data in my TO3000 database which I can back up on external drives or even on the cloud (onedrive for example).

Having said that, I did not understand why you included "all" in your thread title. Do you see any particular advantage in ALL translators using this feature as some sort of a norm, or was this just an inconsequential use of "all"?
Collapse


 
Norskpro
Norskpro
Norway
Local time: 07:42
Member
English to Norwegian
+ ...
Wrong addition Sep 24, 2015

I wanted to send off an invoice (through the proz invoicing system) for various jobs. When I checked the total amount, I discovered that it was wrong by 0.01 EUR. It had not added the items correctly. I sent a support ticket about this discrepancy two days ago, and I am still waiting for the matter to be resolved.

 
Katalin Horváth McClure
Katalin Horváth McClure  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:42
Member (2002)
English to Hungarian
+ ...
I don't use it and won't use it for confidentiality reasons Sep 24, 2015

I have signed NDAs with many of my clients that prohibit disclosing the details of our business relationship to third parties. Invoicing through the ProZ system would mean uploading the complete details of the client, the projects, rates etc. I would find that irresponsible, even without having those NDAs in place. I have been a paying member of ProZ for 13 years, but they have yet to convince me that the data I give them is only used strictly for the purpose I gave it to them.

Samira S.
 
Pages in topic:   [1 2] >


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Should we all use the proz.com invoicing feature?







Wordfast Pro
Translation Memory Software for Any Platform

Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users! Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value

Buy now! »
TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »