Invoicing methods if working on a translators' platforms (Germany) Thread poster: Hannah Jäger
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Hannah Jäger
Germany
Local time: 00:17
English to German
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Dear fellow translators,
I sometimes receive offers from translation agencies that do have their own platform, on which I can sign in as an independent translator, get my projects managed, and automatically get my invoices created.
I still hesitate to work with them.
If anyone of you works on that kind of platform besides other clients: How do you manage to keep a consecutive invoicing system for your own accounting if these platforms create automatic invoices?
Do... See more Dear fellow translators,
I sometimes receive offers from translation agencies that do have their own platform, on which I can sign in as an independent translator, get my projects managed, and automatically get my invoices created.
I still hesitate to work with them.
If anyone of you works on that kind of platform besides other clients: How do you manage to keep a consecutive invoicing system for your own accounting if these platforms create automatic invoices?
Do you send them additional invoices with an "already-paid" status?
Thank you a lot in advance!
Best regards
Hannah ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Create your own invoices | May 12, 2020 |
You are not responsible for any internal paperwork the client decides to produce. Just produce your own invoices as with any other client. If they don't want it, don't send it. But you need your own invoices for legal and tax purposes. Many of those 'invoices' some clients produce don't meet the legal requirements for invoices.
| | | | Katrin Braams 
Germany
Local time: 00:17
Member (2018)
English to German
+ ...
| It is smooth sailing | May 12, 2020 |
I like working with clients who offer automatically generated invoices, it takes the stress out of invoicing. Usually all you need to do is enter your unique invoice number, your VAT number and other relevant information such as reverse charge rule and confirm the invoice amount. You always get a PDF copy of the invoice which you may use for tax purposes.
I keep a separate file in Excel with all my jobs in order to verify the agency invoices, but often it turns out their bookkeeping... See more I like working with clients who offer automatically generated invoices, it takes the stress out of invoicing. Usually all you need to do is enter your unique invoice number, your VAT number and other relevant information such as reverse charge rule and confirm the invoice amount. You always get a PDF copy of the invoice which you may use for tax purposes.
I keep a separate file in Excel with all my jobs in order to verify the agency invoices, but often it turns out their bookkeeping is a lot better than my own ...
So far I have never encountered any problems with these platforms. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 23:17
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Be careful of their reputation and the small print | May 12, 2020 |
Hannah Jäger wrote:
I sometimes receive offers from translation agencies that do have their own platform, on which I can sign in as an independent translator, get my projects managed, and automatically get my invoices created.
I still hesitate to work with them.
I only have limited experience as I'm very wary of them too. But what I've seen has been extremely varied. One outfit (a very big and well-known one) produced their own "invoices" (how can the client produce the invoice??? Beats me!). I couldn't edit it any way. As far as I remember, I couldn't even print it very successfully -- I think I may have resorted to screenshots. However, they paid quickly and with no fuss at all. I insisted on sending them invoices which referred to their own "invoice number" and were sent in emails headed "Invoice XXXXX for your records".
Another reasonable big one, at least in Europe, produced an "invoice" that contained a box for my free-form edits, so I was able to customise it enough for my tax authorities. That worked tolerably well until they unilaterally increased the time they allowed themselves to pay  !
I think the only other one I've been involved with has been an online property sales site. The client isn't really a translation agency but offers translations to property owners through an online first-to-claim translation interface. Although the files are grabbed, updated and recorded on the interface, we all send our invoices as we see fit. I like that system as it avoids all the unnecessary overheads while leaving you in control of the regulatory aspects.
However, we had a disturbing thread on one of the forums a while back about an agency that had a habit of deleting jobs after the fact, whenever they fancied it, e.g. if the job wasn't performed to their liking, or even simply because the end-client decided to cancel or not pay. That was quite clearly illegal. But unless you take screenshots every time you do something, it's going to be their (legal department's) word against yours.
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Maciek Drobka
Poland
Local time: 00:17
Member (2006)
English to Polish
+ ...
| No negative experience so far | May 13, 2020 |
I first started working for an agency of the type you described approx. 5 years ago. Currently, agencies in this category, 3 in total, represent roughly 1/4 of my revenue, and I can see a general rise in the trend.
Apart from one-off incidents that can happen in the best business relationship, I've had NO negative experience with these agencies, no matter what aspect you look at.
As far as invoicing goes, I just take their invoices and issue a corresponding invoice for ... See more I first started working for an agency of the type you described approx. 5 years ago. Currently, agencies in this category, 3 in total, represent roughly 1/4 of my revenue, and I can see a general rise in the trend.
Apart from one-off incidents that can happen in the best business relationship, I've had NO negative experience with these agencies, no matter what aspect you look at.
As far as invoicing goes, I just take their invoices and issue a corresponding invoice for each agency invoice for my own accounting and taxation purposes.
For me, invoice-wise, it was more a question of adapting a mindset rather than a real issue. As long as money keeps flowing in and the taxman knows where it's coming from based on my invoices, exactly what kind of e-paperwork goes on behind the scenes is of secondary importance. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | With one client it works well | May 14, 2020 |
I am wary of them to begin with, but in fact I have one client who carefully produces a valid invoice and does all the hard work for me.
I simply have to add the serial number for my invoicing system, check the figures, and click ´Submit`. They have registered my VAT number and all the other requirements, so it could not be easier. I have done up to a dozen or more jobs for the client in a month, so it can be quite a big invoice at times.
I agree, however, that some of... See more I am wary of them to begin with, but in fact I have one client who carefully produces a valid invoice and does all the hard work for me.
I simply have to add the serial number for my invoicing system, check the figures, and click ´Submit`. They have registered my VAT number and all the other requirements, so it could not be easier. I have done up to a dozen or more jobs for the client in a month, so it can be quite a big invoice at times.
I agree, however, that some of these ready-made invoices are not worth the hassle of logging in to the client's platform and all the rigmarole after that. I am in the fortunate situation that I can refuse to work with them, but I let them know why! ▲ Collapse
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