3 Ways to Manage the Timing of Your Invoices & Why It's Important

The timing of your invoices can help you control when you get paid and manage your cashflow better. With WorkGuru.io, you have control over when you invoice, how much you invoice for and how that affects your projects.

Bill in advance

Being able to bill before or after a project helps you have more control over your cashflow. Whether your business bills before or after the work is done is a complex decision, but in some cases it might make sense to ensure you get paid before work commences. For example, when working with customers for the first time or working on a bespoke project with high costs then it may be suitable to bill before starting work.

Securing payment before work means that you have peace of mind when working on your projects. On the flipside, if projects go over budget, it may be much harder to bill clients for additional costs accrued.

Bill at the end of the project for actuals

If you’re comfortable with the cashflow, billing at the end of the project can help you include all your costs in the invoice you send to the client, rather than guesstimating. If you have pay as you go contracts with your clients, then billing after work means you have an accurate idea of what time and resources were really used. 

If your business uses job tracking and job costing software then you can get very accurate understanding of your costs. It can help you see your margins in real-time and ensure that you’re profitable when you bill. 

Learn More: Get more tips from business.gov.au

Invoice for a milestone or phases

Splitting the difference between the two options mentioned above, you can create invoices for milestones so you can bill at the end (or beginning) of a phase. Milestone invoicing can be great when you work on projects that have a long duration. It means you can manage your cashflow, while also saving the client from a nasty shock at the end of the project. 

With WorkGuru.io you can bill for set phrases that you outline in the quote or invoice for a percentage of the project total. So, as you tick off milestones in the project, it’s easy to bill, and track what you’ve billed for already. 

Why is flexible invoicing important? 

Being able to bill in a way that works for you and your clients can give you a competitive advantage. If you’re able to offer invoicing options that work better for your client, it can help you build better relationships and improve retention.

Flexibility also helps you manage your billing in a way that works for your team and processes. Offering flexible ways to invoice, including invoicing for multiple projects at once, WorkGuru.io can help you bill in a way that makes sense for your business. 

Visit our support site to learn more about how WorkGuru.io can help you invoice, or book a demo with the team.