Poll: Do your clients ever have to remind you to send your invoice after you deliver a project? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do your clients ever have to remind you to send your invoice after you deliver a project?".
This poll was originally submitted by Yetta J Bogarde. View the poll results »
| | | | | No! Never happened! | Jun 5, 2015 |
I LOVE doing the invoices: it means that the work is done and dusted and the money is coming my way (sooner rather than later)…
| | | | | Invoice sent with completed job | Jun 5, 2015 |
We work hard for our money, clients often pay late (in France) and so we are hardly about to start needing to be chased to invoice! As a rule, the invoice is sent with the job. If modifications are expected to follow at some later stage, then I would only trust a client I know well, with a good payment history to say that we will allow a certain period of time before sending the invoice. It would be a matter of days and well established that if nothing heard by whatever date, then I can consider... See more We work hard for our money, clients often pay late (in France) and so we are hardly about to start needing to be chased to invoice! As a rule, the invoice is sent with the job. If modifications are expected to follow at some later stage, then I would only trust a client I know well, with a good payment history to say that we will allow a certain period of time before sending the invoice. It would be a matter of days and well established that if nothing heard by whatever date, then I can consider the job complete and send the invoice. Even in those circumstances, if the job is substantial, I'd request and obtain part payment. This will have been established at the outset.
[Edited at 2015-06-05 09:45 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 13:53
Spanish to English
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| Yes, sometimes | Jun 5, 2015 |
I'm the first to admit that administration is not my strong point. In fact, I'm rubbish at it.
Yesterday my agent (gestor) who helps me with my tax returns informed me that there is a discrepancy of 3000 or 4000 euros between the invoices I issued in 2014 and the income declared by my clients to the tax office. In other words, apparently I was paid more than I billed for? I have no idea how this can have happened, and I'm dreading having to try to work it out, as numbers are definit... See more I'm the first to admit that administration is not my strong point. In fact, I'm rubbish at it.
Yesterday my agent (gestor) who helps me with my tax returns informed me that there is a discrepancy of 3000 or 4000 euros between the invoices I issued in 2014 and the income declared by my clients to the tax office. In other words, apparently I was paid more than I billed for? I have no idea how this can have happened, and I'm dreading having to try to work it out, as numbers are definitely not my thing. For now, it's on my to-do list, but I have several other translations and text revisions to get out of the way before I can even think about that... ▲ Collapse
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Like Nikki and Teresa, I don't need to be reminded to send an invoice. I normally send the invoice with the work or - reluctantly - at the end of the month if the client insists. I love issuing invoices and find it hard to understand how much some translators apparently dislike it. That's why we're working, isn't it? (At least mainly).
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 13:53
Spanish to English
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| Horses for courses | Jun 5, 2015 |
Jenny Forbes wrote:
I love issuing invoices and find it hard to understand how much some translators apparently dislike it. That's why we're working, isn't it? (At least mainly).
In general, I simply don't like doing things that I'm not good at - like admin!
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Definitely a question for the kind of people who leave money dangling out of the cash machine...
My customers do sometimes *hassle* me for an invoice at the end of the month, if that counts.
| | | | | Sorry? Client asking me? | Jun 5, 2015 |
None of my clients has over the years (more than 20 years) ever asked me to send them my invoice. They are of course pleased when I deliver the translation on time, but *they** asking **me** for my invoice is not a part of their business.
We as service providers needs to be well-organized and keep track of our jobs, invoices and outstanding payment. The invested time pays off.
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Elina Sellgren 
Finland
Local time: 14:53
Member (2013)
English to Finnish
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A couple of clients have asked me to send an invoice after every single tiny job, which would mean a lot more administrative work than is necessary. I prefer to send an invoice once a month to save time, and they usually understand the point. But I do wonder why they prefer to receive several invoices instead of one?
| | | | EvaVer (X)
Local time: 13:53
Czech to French
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| Exactly the same | Jun 5, 2015 |
Elina Sellgren wrote:
A couple of clients have asked me to send an invoice after every single tiny job, which would mean a lot more administrative work than is necessary. I prefer to send an invoice once a month to save time, and they usually understand the point. But I do wonder why they prefer to receive several invoices instead of one?
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I keep good track and have a system of issuing invoices once a week, which I find quite enjoyable.
For me it would be much more administration to keep several jobs and wait for invoicing until the end of the month.
Besides the admin there is also the cash flow to be considered.
Very small amounts are not a problem, as I have a min. charge.
[Edited at 2015-06-05 17:46 GMT]
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 13:53
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Some of my clients receive the invoice along with the completed translation. Most of my clients, however, receive either a monthly or a bi-monthly invoice. This way I cannot forget to send it.
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| various systems - but generally no | Jun 5, 2015 |
All my clients get an invoice as soon as the translation is delivered. One of them wants to pay at the end of the month, so I also keep a "cumulative" invoice of all the the work. They usually do ask for it, but it's not a reminder - they only started this system a while back.
I also work for an agency overseas which swallows the transfer charges at their end. Since they are a good customer we have an understanding that they pay every few months to keep the banking charges down. ... See more All my clients get an invoice as soon as the translation is delivered. One of them wants to pay at the end of the month, so I also keep a "cumulative" invoice of all the the work. They usually do ask for it, but it's not a reminder - they only started this system a while back.
I also work for an agency overseas which swallows the transfer charges at their end. Since they are a good customer we have an understanding that they pay every few months to keep the banking charges down. Again I invoice for every job, but send the "cumulative" either when they request it, or when I figure that it's about time that a payment is made.
There is another client which orders a lot of certified translations. They don't want the invoice until the translation actually goes out (hard copy) - no invoice after delivery of the electronic version. Sometimes they have a last minute extra request, such as extra copies, which will change the amount on the invoice. I find this one a bit harder, because it's outside my routine. I then have to alter the amount on the invoice I have already written, and make a note in my books as well. ▲ Collapse
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I want to be sure the client is happy before I send my bill. Lately I've been doing some English-English editing work, and the clients tend to keep coming back with changes and corrections. I much prefer translation; most clients wouldn't dare redo the original text once the translation is in progress.
Also, two of my clients prepare the invoices and they have to let me know when they're ready to be signed.
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