I email a PDF Invoice as well. I receive payment by check either by mail or in person. Some people like to pay me when they see me on their property. I do some small engineering surveys for a couple of local engineers. One likes to pay me up front as soon as we agree on a price. The other pays monthly.?ÿ
I started out using a spreadsheet for accounting. My new accountant has convinced me to go with QB. I went with QB Online but I am just now getting started. I will be looking into the Invoicing directly from QB and the CC payment option.?ÿ
@andy-j?ÿ ?ÿI have found PayPal to be the most secure avenue for financial transactions available, less than wire.?ÿ I get Square, Amazon, American Express, Zenmo and Stripe fake emails everyday.
All email. I rarely mail anything except the occasional mylar to out-of-state clients for a notarized signature.
I've been using GnuCash for over a decade.?ÿ
I've told them there is enough digital evidence floating around in the cloud that there should never be a problem.
Speaking of systems that don't always work, last week I contacted contractor client, saying that my records indicated that my invoice was unpaid.?ÿ He said he'd look into it, and a few days later I got a check in the mail.?ÿ It was only when I bothered to check the project file that I saw the scan of the check that he'd sent about a month ago.?ÿ I shredded the new check and sent an apologetic email.
@bushaxe -?ÿ gotcha yes sir your billing & collecting sounds fairly similar to me for the most part. I wanted to do a spreadsheet but the CPA recommended starting with a system adequate for me long term & he felt QB would be easier to grow with (even if I just keep it to solo work). I actually prefer to meet with my clients to go over the deliverable where possible; however I'm finding most are more than satisfied on their initial review of the PDF's to where they don't feel the need to do so? Maybe I'm just old-fashioned or not busy enough but I like to discuss the finished product to make sure they're satisfied haha. But most of my work thus far has been design/engineering for utilities or grading analysis where others have provided the client the field data w/ some occasional surveys on my part for land development.
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Side note - I'm starting to realize that the overhead of surveying is pretty costly in comparison to just offering engineering. I've bought used Trimble data collector, RTS & VRS rover thus far with cash plus finally outfit the truck with all the field supplies I might need - again costly as compared to the engineering services I've been offering - two workstations, a drafting table, a desk & a small library of manuals I like to use. What I don't get is that many local surveyors love to gripe about their competitors' "higher prices" but yet they'll complain about not making a profit typically in the same breath too. Paden said it best earlier (maybe another thread) about never losing a single dollar on a job that he never took. I don't want to be the biggest firm or the flashiest in town - for now I just want to be known as the one who offers an excellent service & isn't a basket case due to accepting too much work haha
I get lofty notions about requiring everyone to get a cashier's check at the bank while they are getting our contract notarized. Then I do stuff for a handshake and cash. So far the worst is personal checks from doctors (illegible, phone app won't deposit them) and attorneys (legible but NSF).
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while they are getting our contract notarized.
That seems a bit overkill.?ÿ I can only remember one or two contracts in 20+ years I have signed that required a notary.
For the few private clients I have, I've started to use Zelle as a payment option.?ÿ Zelle is actually owned by a consortium of US banks and is basically an easy interface to EFT payments, payment is a matter of minutes.?ÿ My understanding is that the fees vary from bank to bank.?ÿ My bank normally charges 2.5% per transaction with a $15 maximum (on the payee's side) although I think currently it is free to small businesses because of COVID.?ÿ If you use a personal account to request money then it is free.
PayPal is free between "friends"
My bank won't let me zelle more than 1000 dollars so I pay my rent via PayPal and my land lord never complains.
Some businesses like to pay with cards, to grab the points.
My geophysicist charged everything (millions of dollars a year in expenses) so he could recoup all the points. He's sti spending those points. May never catch up.
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There are a couple of clients who I wish I had made get the contract notarized. The guys who never call back and never answer an email after a handshake deal and a day of calcs and a day of fieldwork. If I put a lien on their property, will the bank holding their refi mortgage foreclose? Would it be better to go sit on the Harley outside their house at 5AM so all their neighbors know? Things my mentors never discussed.
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Lien on them.
Banks don't like seeing that at all.
Depends on your state statutes on filing, and mileage will vary if they are also DBA as an LLC etc.
Harley them anyway.?ÿ After you lien of course. ?????ÿ
ugh... I have two general contractor clients that require lien waivers notarized before they'll send payment. Payments from them will then by mailed check only. It's a pain in the rear to print the form, go to the bank and get it notarized.
Question on the lien waiver:
Why?
I understand why you would want one for the protection it provides, but what about a more simplified indemnification clause that defines things like Force Majeure or similar?
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I never like give away rights to get something that's naturally exists, especially because it's harder to recover lost financial and material assets.
These are large long term projects.?ÿ The lien waiver is for work completed and paid for as part of a monthly invoicing.?ÿ I've never understood why some clients want it notarized other than it is a one size fits all thing intended for the subs with really big invoices.
Understood. We used liens, then filed the lien releases as the phases were completed and milestones accepted etc.?ÿ
Understand now what you're talking about. Sorry for the non sequitur.
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Thank you for the QB CC recommendations. The very next day after reading about it on this forum I had a client ask if he could pay by CC in advance. I was able to accommodate his wishes and his payment hit my bank account today. I have since invoiced another client with a CC link and have sent a quote to a third with a link to pay 1/2 up front. This is why I love this site.
