As a freelancer I like to do all tasks myself, including invoice and client management. With plenty of tools around, it can be hard to make a decision or even find the perfect software that has all the ingredients you need. I’ve done research on a ton of different solutions and most of them require a monthly fee. So I have to pay every month to make use of a program that will handle my customer invoices, no matter if I use it or not. I always try to avoid having returning costs, as in my profession a stable income is not always guaranteed.
One of my requirements for choosing the client management software is that it has to be running on a server. This way it is always accessible, customers can log in and view the design process and I can access it from any device that has an internet connection. After making my list of requirements it was easy to skip some software and to make a final decision. The program I use now is Freelancer Office and I am really content with it.
Things I really like about this project management system:
- One time small fee – It is mine forever.
- Hosted on my own server – I can keep track of my clients and invoices online, wherever I am.
- Task timer – I am able to keep track of how much time each project takes by running the build in timer.
- Easy invoice system – Create automatic invoices when a project is finished or add/delete lines manually.
- Recurring invoices – Let the system send recurring invoices automatically to my clients.
- Accept PayPal payments – Customers can log in or follow the link in their email to pay their invoice.
- Bug tracking – Whenever a software bug is reported, customers can keep track of the solution process
- Ticketing system – The build in ticketing system allows customers to submit service tickets.
- File sharing – Let customers upload images or I can upload the website mock-ups to the server.
- Private messaging – Interact with customers or co-workers
- Sales stats – Keeping track of my sales and see if invoices are paid within time.
- Much more…
Freelancer office has great support via their website and there’s new versions coming out on a regular basis. This project management program is the perfect solution for freelancers of all kinds, writers, small business etc.
