I guess I’ve just been lucky, because that has never been my experience on either side of the fence in dealing with big businesses (as an in-house employee dealing with incoming invoices or as an outside vendor/contractor/freelancer submitting invoices).

Except for the in-house insistence of using one form to account for/reimburse expenses, outside vendors/contractors/freelancers were never expected nor required to submit invoices in a special template/style. As long as all the relevant information was present, the invoice was accepted and paid.

Regarding your question, “do brick and mortar businesses…,” the answer for many big businesses is yes.

Deb, for ear infections, try this – heat a small plate in the oven (not the microwave) for about ten minutes. Wrap it in a thick towel and let your kiddo hold it to the ear in question. Oftentimes the heat from the plate will cause the pressure in the ear to subside. Worked for my kids.

Anyway, can’t say I’ve ever had that problem. I use a standard invoice. They get to live with it. It’s not like I’m an employee. I like (army)wife’s idea. Simply charge them an hourly fee for “custom invoice preparation.” I get a giggle thinking about how quickly they’ll stop asking for anything but a standard invoice.

Do brick and mortar businesses get to make all the companies they do business with use their particular template? Which business gets to pull rank and decide?

Each business has the right to use the invoice they use, just as each business has the right to decide if they are so perturbed by a particular account’s invoice they are willing to not work with them again. If they want to be petty they can – but its poor business sense, and hassling other businesses to get them to conform to one way is not a good way to do business. IMHO.

I have never (thus far) had a client hassle me over my invoicing template (thank goodness!)but it is something I will now consider how to handle in the future.

I am leaning more towards ‘this is how it is done, get over it’ since that is pretty much how brick and mortar businesses work, and I expect to be treated just as fairly and professionally.

I certainly don’t go around insisting those I do business with have to invoice me using MY template. Dealing with multiple styles of invoicing is just part of doing business, and something seasoned accountants are used to.

PS. A friend who has successfully run his own business for the past 25 years recently gave me a tip about dealing with difficult people. He tells them he will have to talk to his ‘accounting department’ or ‘accountant’ (or whatever is applicable). Then he mulls it over (he is his own accountant – but his clients don’t know that), and gets back to them with what ‘the accounting dept/accountant’ said. He noted that he gets less heat and more understanding when he handles it that way, then when the client hears the decision coming straight from him/his authority. I found that interesting.

Granted, many firms using such systems are much larger than many of us, but technology like this has a way of trickling down to smaller users. Heck, I remember paying $80 for a simple calculator.

Even if human interaction is still required, a standard invoice is going to cut time in processing, which is important if dealing with several invoices a month, as someone mentioned earlier.

It is simply ridiculous for a client to expect a writer to do different invoices for each client. I would think you have a contract between the writer and the client, so they can’t refuse to pay you if they don’t like your invoice. They’re paying you to write, not create 30 different invoice templates. Writers have some power within the writer/client relationship and if clients are “forcing” you to change your invoice to suit them, then I would be charging them for the work it takes you to use their template.

“their” accounting system

“why does it have to be sent back because they prefer the date to be under the address or over the name?”

Two likely reasons here… (I haven’t read all the replies so it may have been covered )

1) They’re putting off paying you. Could be any number of reasons why.

2) They’re accounting system is automated* and/or they’re putting the burden of compliance on you.

*I have designed databases to read data using comma separated values (or CR/LFs or Tabs or..) from outside sources and the order of data is important.

QB should to allow you to create different invoices for different clients. You could also do it in MS Access if you want more control.

How about a letter saying, “We just need you to fill in this one space, please.” ???

Right on, Deb!

kk

For the others, I find my generic template works, but I have a “notes” box where I put the information that each needs in order to process the invoice.

Now I’ve had more than one client with selective memory who’ll come back and ask me to break something down. And that’s annoying. But to send my own invoice back and ask me to rearrange my date? I’d think they were joking. Honestly. Better you than me on that one!

Hope the little guy feels better. I’m not good with strep at 28.

But even if I didn’t, I’d have to take the extra time to look for information on my computer screen to enter into a spreadsheet.

I’m not trying to be argumentative here – I agree with things said on this website the majority of the time, and I see where you’re coming from. It is a pain to set up multiple invoice folders instead of just one. I just wanted to chime in with the opposing perspective. Something that is a small pet peeve for one person can actually be a pretty big deal for another person. I couldn’t imagine a client that was working with, say, 100 writers even considering accepting 100 difference invoice formats. If you’re the only contractor, sure it’s a bit ridiculous for your client to insist on a format, but if you’re one of many, its simply considerate to submit an invoice as asked.

I’d say charge a fee if they make you resubmit. Doctors’ offices charge fees if they have to invoice you. Many professionals do.