In order to manage information effectively & efficiently as a freelancer, a system is (usually) needed. Whether your system of choice is “old school” (pen & paper) or “new age” (cloud-based) the system itself is only as good as the person using it, something to bear in mind when making that all important decision to buy.
Tools
With the growth in popularity of affordable cloud-based information management tools, it is very easy to find something to fulfil that important role within your freelancing business. There are alot to choose from however, so this ‘review’ (in the loosest sense of the word) should save you time and time (as we know in the Freelancing world) = money!
In my previous blog, I introduced the deceptively simple financial management slash information management tool Invoice Ninja. We’ve been working together for over a year now so, I thought I would explain in more detail why I think it’s so great and why I’m highly recommending it to you, my fellow freelancer!
It is difficult to quantify the benefit of this system to my business but in terms of time (money) saved, it’s absolutely priceless! Designed specifically for freelancers, it has everything I need to run my Virtual Assistant business and I would highly recommend it to anyone considering going down a similar route to me. It can also be used by sole traders or SME’s however my review is from a Freelancing perspective.
Tasks
One of the main functions is timed task tracking which is self explanatory however with a cloud based secure portal your client can view the tasks remotely and see what you are working on and how much time has expired on each task or as an entire project. Adding an extra layer of security and transparency into your business model and definitely adding value.
Invoicing
The process from task to invoice is so simple and with a few clicks the invoice is done and can be sent using the built in email system electronically to your clients inbox. The client can pay online via a secure payment gateway clicking a link in the email OR direct into your bank account if they prefer to forgo the fee. It’s quick, efficient and accurate which is great for your business and great for your clients.
Cash flow
Automated reminder emails for outstanding invoices are easy to set-up and can include the addition of late fees which in my experience is enough to instigate immediate payment! No more awkward conversations with late payers – also time saving and great for cash flow completely removing the need for ‘chasing’ clients for payment!
Reporting
Reporting functions are included to enable the annual production of figures for the tax man or download and send to your Accountant plus the real time dashboard means you can see exactly where you are and how your doing (this single thing is what keeps me moving forward with my business)! An array of standard functions that you would expect from a financial management system are included plus the ability to produce wonderful looking graphs. You also have the ability to use Kanban for planning and recurring invoices for saving time but I have not personally used these as yet.
I am thoroughly enjoying my experience so far but I still have a lot to learn and I’m excited to find out more about what it can do for me and my business! If you have any questions or experiences that you would like to share, please don’t hesitate to contact me via my website or social media links.
Disclaimer – This is an accurate representation of my personal experience of using this product since January 2018. I am not being paid by Invoice Ninja to write this testimonial. I do have an affiliate link which discounts my monthly membership for sign-ups to the Pro version of the website – to find out more please click the logo below.
