Invoice & Quote Software

Chris Davis · April 3rd, 2010, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Andrada

As far as I can determine it does not use such standard accounting practices

You are absolutely correct and that is the biggest problem with QuickBooks. But it's #1 because most people don't want to be bothered with "real" accounting practices.

Josh Bass · April 5th, 2010, 01:58 PM

Hey, seriously, could one of you fanurio fans send me a sample invoice you've made? The way I think of billing my services vs. the way these invoice softwares are set up makes the process confusing, and I'd like to see how someone else does it. Feel free to leave dollar amounts blank or a billion dollars in there or whatever you like. . .I'd just like to see the layout and how you name/quantify things, etc.

Richard Gooderick · April 7th, 2010, 04:29 AM

Hi Josh
I'll send you one later today. It utilises a template that Fanurio made up for me. I'm not sure if this is part of their regular service of if they were just being nice to me.

Richard Gooderick · April 8th, 2010, 04:20 AM

Josh. I sent you a message via DV Info asking for your email address. But I couldn't find any way to see if it had been sent or to check any messages back to me. I have probably missed something obvious.
For your benefit, and for any one else who is interested, here is a very simple example of one of my Fanurio invoices with the sensitive bits blacked out.
This is a template I like and use. I believe that there is a lot of flexibility in the layout. It could easily have included a breakdown of the hours worked, tasks undertaken, expenses incurred etc. In this case it was a fixed price job and I chose to keep it simple.
If you have any questions about it I am sure that Nicu at Fanurio will help. He is a fantastic communicator and a very nice guy. But do ask me too if you wish.
To raise this invoice and save it as a pdf takes about 5 mouse clicks. I then email the pdf to the client as an attachment.

Brian Drysdale · April 8th, 2010, 05:03 AM

I've just moved over to Sage Instant Accounts, having used Quickbooks for many years. The reason I didn't get a new version was there appeared to be problems with miscalculating the VAT (EU sales tax) in the latest version.

Sage is rather clunky compared to Quickbooks and has an extremely rigid double entry system. Very much written for accountants, however, I did get a phone call from their support people introducing themselves, which is something I wasn't expecting from a program in this price bracket. You do have to spend time working out their system, Quickbooks is an easier program to use, especially if you need to make corrections.

Another downside is you can only run one business on a single licence, if you have a couple of business names eg a production company and also a freelance crew member, you need to upgrade.

Josh Bass · April 8th, 2010, 05:07 AM

Thanks. I guess I thought members could find other members emails in their profile, or something. I don't think I've tried to hide it. Not since that last mafia boss died and they let me out of witness protection.

Richard Gooderick · April 8th, 2010, 11:36 AM

Most members probably can.
I figured it was something like that ;-)
BTW I found it this time. Via your homepage.

Bill Davis · April 15th, 2010, 03:38 PM

Maybe it's because I've been doing this for so long....

But I can't imagine doing business without a general purpose database software where you can learn how to design and store data in your OWN forms.

That's how I run all my invoicing.

Filemaker Pro is the core. The invoices and statements and reports are all there. (There's a very robust TEMPLATE world for FMpro out there including more accounting and invoicing templates than you can shake a stick at - and they're all CUSTOMIZABLE to what YOU need, not just what the program designer THOUGHT you'd need)

Oddly enough, over the years, I've also come to write ALL or my SCRIPTS in it.

Why? Because once the script is approved, I switch to one of the the EXTRA FIELDS view I created more than 10 years ago and all the script content and scene descriptions are right there - ready for me to add the rest of the fields like PROPS, TALENT, LIGHTING NOTES, BLOCKING, and/or whatever.

FMPro might take you a few weeks or even a few months to learn, but it will also solve a thousand production and general business problems day after day, week after week, year after year for you - AND it will keep all your data in one place, NEVER to be lost again.

I couldn't live without it.

Your mileage may vary.

Jim Andrada · April 16th, 2010, 10:20 PM

Yes Sage/Peachtree is real double entry bokkeeping - which is as it should be!

April 5th, 2010, 01:58 PM	#17
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Hey, seriously, could one of you fanurio fans send me a sample invoice you've made? The way I think of billing my services vs. the way these invoice softwares are set up makes the process confusing, and I'd like to see how someone else does it. Feel free to leave dollar amounts blank or a billion dollars in there or whatever you like. . .I'd just like to see the layout and how you name/quantify things, etc. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

April 7th, 2010, 04:29 AM	#18
Richard Gooderick Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 795	Hi Josh I'll send you one later today. It utilises a template that Fanurio made up for me. I'm not sure if this is part of their regular service of if they were just being nice to me. __________________ http://www.gooderick.com

April 8th, 2010, 04:20 AM	#19
Richard Gooderick Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 795	Josh. I sent you a message via DV Info asking for your email address. But I couldn't find any way to see if it had been sent or to check any messages back to me. I have probably missed something obvious. For your benefit, and for any one else who is interested, here is a very simple example of one of my Fanurio invoices with the sensitive bits blacked out. This is a template I like and use. I believe that there is a lot of flexibility in the layout. It could easily have included a breakdown of the hours worked, tasks undertaken, expenses incurred etc. In this case it was a fixed price job and I chose to keep it simple. If you have any questions about it I am sure that Nicu at Fanurio will help. He is a fantastic communicator and a very nice guy. But do ask me too if you wish. To raise this invoice and save it as a pdf takes about 5 mouse clicks. I then email the pdf to the client as an attachment. Attached Thumbnails __________________ http://www.gooderick.com

April 8th, 2010, 05:07 AM	#21
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Thanks. I guess I thought members could find other members emails in their profile, or something. I don't think I've tried to hide it. Not since that last mafia boss died and they let me out of witness protection. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

April 8th, 2010, 11:36 AM	#22
Richard Gooderick Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 795	Most members probably can. I figured it was something like that ;-) BTW I found it this time. Via your homepage. __________________ http://www.gooderick.com

April 8th, 2010, 05:03 AM	#20
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,152	I've just moved over to Sage Instant Accounts, having used Quickbooks for many years. The reason I didn't get a new version was there appeared to be problems with miscalculating the VAT (EU sales tax) in the latest version. Sage is rather clunky compared to Quickbooks and has an extremely rigid double entry system. Very much written for accountants, however, I did get a phone call from their support people introducing themselves, which is something I wasn't expecting from a program in this price bracket. You do have to spend time working out their system, Quickbooks is an easier program to use, especially if you need to make corrections. Another downside is you can only run one business on a single licence, if you have a couple of business names eg a production company and also a freelance crew member, you need to upgrade.

April 15th, 2010, 03:38 PM	#23
Bill Davis Trustee Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Posts: 1,538	Maybe it's because I've been doing this for so long.... But I can't imagine doing business without a general purpose database software where you can learn how to design and store data in your OWN forms. That's how I run all my invoicing. Filemaker Pro is the core. The invoices and statements and reports are all there. (There's a very robust TEMPLATE world for FMpro out there including more accounting and invoicing templates than you can shake a stick at - and they're all CUSTOMIZABLE to what YOU need, not just what the program designer THOUGHT you'd need) Oddly enough, over the years, I've also come to write ALL or my SCRIPTS in it. Why? Because once the script is approved, I switch to one of the the EXTRA FIELDS view I created more than 10 years ago and all the script content and scene descriptions are right there - ready for me to add the rest of the fields like PROPS, TALENT, LIGHTING NOTES, BLOCKING, and/or whatever. FMPro might take you a few weeks or even a few months to learn, but it will also solve a thousand production and general business problems day after day, week after week, year after year for you - AND it will keep all your data in one place, NEVER to be lost again. I couldn't live without it. Your mileage may vary.

April 16th, 2010, 10:20 PM	#24
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Yes Sage/Peachtree is real double entry bokkeeping - which is as it should be!