good, simple (!) invoice for freelancer

[CThomas]

Version: v.X
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

All the Mactopia templates seem gaudy -- and with more features than I need. There are some very nice simple ones on the Windows site, but alas ....

Can anyone point me to a good Mac invoice template that has these basic features, with a minimum (or no) graphics:

-name and address of vendor
-name and address of client
-a line for the service offered (or item I need reimbursement for)
-the price for the service or item
-the total

I'm a freelance writer, if that info helps.

How are the templates for iWork, by the way -- anyone know?

 

[Elliott Roper]

Version: v.X
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

All the Mactopia templates seem gaudy -- and with more features than I need.
There are some very nice simple ones on the Windows site, but alas ....

Can anyone point me to a good Mac invoice template that has these basic
features, with a minimum (or no) graphics:

-name and address of vendor
-name and address of client
-a line for the service offered (or item I need reimbursement for)
-the price for the service or item
-the total

Make your own in Excel.
Don't bother with templates, just keep a bunch of suitable old ones
ready for plagiarising. (Don't forget to save-as and take care with
back-ups)

I ran a medium sized software business for 20 years with Excel
invoices. We billed millions and millions off the back of Excel.

In fact we ran the whole damn business off one humungous Excel
spreadsheet. Cashflow projections, accounts, bank recs, risk analysis,
aged debtors, the whole nine yards. In the end, our auditors just asked
for a copy of it every year. We later found out they were selling the
techniques to their other clients. I didn't care, none of them were
competitors of ours, and the auditors looked after us very well indeed.
The only bit we didn't do was payroll. The UK legislation was a
nightmare, so we forked over for a payroll package that also ran on
Macintosh. The summaries made their way back into the spreadsheet.

I'm a freelance writer, if that info helps.

Relatively few clients? Big bills? A natural for my methods.

How are the templates for iWork, by the way -- anyone know?

Yep. As usual, templates are over-rated. Roll your own. It is amazingly
easy.
For the invoices, I had the company letterhead as an eps image, and the
rest was pure and simple spreadsheet. Printed 'em off on expensive
paper, and the clients paid up like little darlin's.

We looked like Coutts and Co, but it was a shoestring mum and dad
operation to the core.

There are things you can do to automate it, like a client database in
another spreadsheet. Take my advice, don't overdo it. Concentrate on
looking after your clients and writing great copy.
If you work for a week per invoice, don't waste more than 5 minutes per
invoice mucking about with the technology. Will the client pay if you
write the invoice out longhand and add a photo of your kids and
describe the carpet you can't afford?