The small business guide to mobile invoicing
Gone are the days when small business owners would send invoices with envelopes and stamps. Today, mobile invoicing software can help you create invoices and accept payments faster and more efficiently than ever before.
Let’s take a closer look at how mobile invoicing works and how the right invoicing app can help you make more money while saving time.
What is mobile invoicing?
Invoices are formal documents that represent a request for payment, usually sent from a business owner to a client after the completion of a transaction. Mobile invoices are simply those that are sent via a phone or other mobile device.
This is accomplished using an invoicing app. The app typically complements the features of invoicing software you’re already using on your desktop or laptop. Data is synced across all platforms, which helps you manage invoices and keep your business running smoothly.
7 Benefits of mobile invoicing
Chances are that you’ve already come to rely on mobile apps for a variety of business processes, ranging from your calendar to project management software to accounting services. Mobile invoicing can help you further refine your business processes and provide the following benefits:
- Send invoices anytime, anywhere
Modern technology puts the power of your office in the palm of your hand. Mobile invoicing tools allow you to create and send an invoice on the go, which can be a great solution for small business owners who find themselves on the road a lot.
But mobile invoicing can also make you more flexible even when you’re at home. Nothing beats the convenience and flexibility of mobile invoicing.
- Get paid faster
The quicker you can send your bill, the quicker you can get paid. Most invoicing software tools allow you to automate your billing process, which can help you save time and streamline the entire process. Plus, many invoicing apps include automatic payment reminders, prompting your customers to pay their invoices on time and in full.
- Increase customer satisfaction
Your customers may value the simplicity and convenience that come from mobile invoicing, and the same features that save you time can save time for the customer as well. Additionally, most mobile invoicing software enables you to accept multiple forms of mobile payments. Customers may appreciate the flexible payment options you provide.
- Access your data anywhere
Online invoicing platforms allow you to have access to your company’s financial data in real time, so you always have a clear picture of your cash flow. You can access past invoices and look at future revenue right from your mobile device, helping you refine your strategy as your business expands and evolves.
- Mobile invoicing software enables growth
Mobile invoicing apps allow you to send more than just invoices. You can also use them to send estimates and request that your customers approve these estimates online before you begin your next job. This allows you to book more jobs and scale your business while keeping your core processes automated and easy to use.
- Standardized billing process
Mobile invoicing allows you to adopt a standard process when it comes to billing. This can help customers know what to expect when working with you, and it also makes it easy to train any employees who might work for your small business.
When you use a standard process, you’ll be better equipped to integrate your existing software into a seamless platform to conduct your financial and administrative tasks.
- Build your brand
The ability to send professional invoices can give your company an added layer of legitimacy. You can even customize your invoices to include your company’s logo and other details to set yourself apart. These features can increase the confidence your customers have in your business, which might encourage repeat business or help you to expand your client list.
Is mobile invoicing safe?
Online security is a major concern, especially now that businesses are increasingly relying on cloud-based solutions to store and manage their data. The same technology that offers convenience can also make you vulnerable to security breaches and cyberattacks.
We don’t want to minimize these threats. Instead, we want to highlight the fact that the risks are minimal while the rewards are substantial. Sending these documents faster makes your company more agile and more competitive, ensuring a strong, steady revenue stream.
Modern top software developers are constantly working to ensure safe, secure online transactions, and the digital platforms that you rely on for your industry are more than capable of protecting the information for both you and your customers.
Best mobile invoicing apps of 2022
As a small business owner, you understand the value of convenience and simplicity. A mobile app can improve the way you send invoices, get paid, and manage your revenue. The following represent some of the best mobile invoicing apps on the market today.
Zoho Invoice
Zoho’s products consistently rank highly on lists of tools for small businesses, and it’s easy to see why. Their invoicing app is simple and intuitive, allowing you to provide invoices for your clients, track payments, set reminders, manage projects, and accept payments directly through the app.
QuickBooks Online
The same accounting software giant that you use to run other core processes can also be used to send mobile invoices through a mobile app. This can be a great solution if you already use QuickBooks for your other accounting needs. It can be especially helpful for keeping track of payments or managing your overall cash flow.
Square
Retailers are already familiar with Square’s POS solutions, but the company also offers tools for sending invoices right from your phone or tablet. The app works with iOS as well as Android mobile devices. It syncs to allow users to access their data through the dashboard on their desktop or laptop. This might be a great solution for businesses that already rely on Square’s other POS solutions or have multiple revenue streams to run their operations.
Invoice Maker
If the name isn’t already clear, Invoice Maker allows users to create customized, professional-looking invoices, but it’s loaded with other great features as well.
With this tool, you can send estimates, import client information from your phone, record payments, and collaborate with your accountant or financial team. It also has a built-in scanner which can be used to capture items like expense receipts.
One of the advantages of this product is that it supports multiple users, which can be important when your small business relies on a team of employees or if you need to collaborate with other users.
TinyInvoice
If you’re looking for free software for your small business, look no further than TinyInvoice. TinyInvoice allows you to create and send customized invoices, manage your contacts, and even take advantage of time-tracking and reporting features to help you manage your business.
While TinyInvoice lacks some of the advanced features of other products on this list, it might be an ideal (and cost-effective) choice for freelancers or contractors who need a simple solution for tracking their billable hours and accepting payments from their clients.
Invoice ASAP
This app emphasizes the time-saving features that come with mobile invoicing, but it also has some added features that provide specific value to this product. Users can rely on the signature capture features or add photos to each of their invoices, giving this product added versatility and functionality.
Plus, Invoice ASAP offers integrations with popular accounting software platforms such as Xero and QuickBooks Online, which can even further reduce your administrative burdens while helping you stay on top of your financial data.
Invoice2go
We believe that the services offered by Invoice2go, a Bill.com company can empower small business owners to take charge of their businesses and change the way they interact with their customers.
Our easy-to-use mobile app can help you:
- Create customizable invoices
- Send professional estimates to win more work
- Send invoices right from your phone
- Deliver finished invoices using text, email, or social media messaging platforms
- Send automatic payment reminders to clients
- Offer multiple ways to pay
The advanced reporting features allow you to monitor your sales data and how much money you’re receiving through your business, which can be useful not only for monitoring your current cash flow but forecasting for the future as well.
You can download Invoice2go from Apple’s app store or by visiting the Google Play store.
How to create an invoice using a mobile app
Every invoicing app will be slightly different, but the overall process will look similar regardless of the platform you’re using. We’ll use Invoice2go’s product to explain how to create an invoice using your phone or tablet.
1. Create a new invoice
To get started, open the app and simply click the (+) symbol on your screen. Select “invoice” from the options, which will allow you to use the simple invoice template. Alternately you can customize your own invoices that include your logo and other unique information using our other tools.
2. Add client information
Next you’ll add client details, which should include such information as:
- Company name
- Point of contact
- Company address
- Phone number
- Website
These details can also be generated from your customer list, saving you time when you need to send multiple invoices to the same client.
3. Add details for the product/service
In the next step, you’ll add details about the product or service you’ve provided. Be as specific as possible.
Name the items, their individual prices, and the date they were purchased. You’ll use this data to calculate your subtotal. During this step, you can also add any discounts that may apply before continuing.
4. Add payment terms
Once you’ve calculated your total, you’ll include your payment terms. This includes accepted methods of payment, as well as any stipulations about deadlines or late fees.
Not every company will have deadlines or late fees, of course, but some business guides recommend assessing fees to ensure fast payments. Always make sure you discuss this with your customers beforehand so there’s no surprise when they receive your bill.
5. Review your invoice
Before you hit “send,” you’ll want to look over your finished document to ensure there are no errors. Common errors include mistakes in the company details or products that may have been accidentally omitted from the final tally.
6. Send your invoice
You’re done! You can now hit “send” to transmit the final invoice to your customer via text, email, or any other messaging service that you and your customer prefer to use. This includes popular social media messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
How do I bill for hours worked?
Some independent contractors will need to submit invoices for the time they spent working for customers. Invoice2go allows you to record your time through your phone or tablet. Simply follow these steps:
- From the home screen, tap the “more” button in the right-hand corner
- Next, select “time tracking”
- Hit the (+) button and select from your list of clients
- Hit the record button
This will allow you to track your time. Once your tracking is complete, you can convert this data into a finished invoice.
Try it free
Many business owners try to do too much too fast and burn themselves out attempting to handle bookkeeping, human resources, and accounts receivable all in one. But it’s incredibly challenging to juggle all these tasks without letting things slip.
Mobile apps can actually improve your performance while reducing the weight on your shoulders, and this can prove the greatest value of all.