Keeping track of invoices can get tricky. This is especially true if you happen to have a large number of clients. Instead of creating individual invoices every time you complete a project, consider purchasing invoicing software. Most of this software is, indeed, worth the price. Better yet, many online invoicing software options can be used free of charge.

Do You Need a Paid Version?

Most invoicing software will allow you to enter and save up to four different clients. Some will even permit the addition of more than four clients. If you have one to four clients, you may not need to purchase a paid version right away. In fact, you can store lots of information for a handful of clients without every paying a penny.

On the flip side, your business could grow – quickly. When this happens, you will need to send invoices to more than a handful of clients. While upgrading options are always available, some companies may offer limited time specials and deals that are worth taking advantage of right away. Tally up the number of clients you have against the number of clients that you can enter into an invoicing software system. If a good limited time deal comes along, make sure to snag it.

Features

All software comes with features – even invoicing software. In the invoicing world, features that you want to look for include snail mail options, invoice tracking, client log-in information, and any other handy feature that may make your life easier. Currency conversion is another feature that you may want to consider if you currently do cross-border business.

The features that will make invoicing simpler for you really depend on the business that you are currently running. However, an array of features and options is almost never a bad thing. The only time too many features is a negative program aspect is when these options interfere with usability.

User-Friendliness

Some invoicing programs truly are way too confusing. Many of these programs attempt to offer all kinds of features and customization options, but wind up offering a large mess. Try to find a program that offers a trial period, and figure out whether or not additional features are more confusing than they are helpful.

You’ll also want to choose a program that comes with a clean interface. There’s nothing worse than spending ten minutes you don’t have looking for invoicing details. Drop-downs should make sense, graphics should be sparse, and log-in pages should be efficient. Finding a program with a clear interface (such as the one that Freshbooks currently uses) will save you a lot of time and energy.