If you do freelance work, how do you track time and send invoices?

You can use http://www.blinksale.com/home I used it for my invoices when I was doing freelance work. It also works with Basecamp, so you can import your clients info from.

Its simple and easy to use
R

I’m currently trying out Billings and am quite liking it and considering buying and using it all the time. Before that I’ve just used spreadsheets and created invoices manually… but that’s become a bit cumbersome as my business has grown.

I’ve toyed with Harvest as well, but didn’t like it as much as Billings.

I track my hours in iCal and do invoices in FileMaker. Not über-efficient, I’ll check out these options above.

I’m was always pretty basic when it came to keeping track of my hours. I kept a log of when I started/stopped and kept that log with me always and immediately entered it into my computer (I designed my own type of program on the computer to keep track of jobs, dates of those jobs, and times.) as soon as possible. I was also a graphic artist so I designed my own style of invoices tailored specifically for my line of work that incorporated every aspect of each job and would fill it out the moment I got home and finished a job. I kept copies of each time sheet to include with the invoice sent to my clients as well as kept copies of my time and work logs with details of the job and contact people and job rates agreed upon in a safe in case I ever lost my original log. I never had a problem with this system and neither did any of my clients. I’m sure there are various software programs out there to serve this purpose but this was a cost-effective way for me and since I didn’t have an employer backing the costs, it worked out just great for all involved.

I use billings and love it.

I especially like the timer it has. You start it and if it goes for a certain amount of time without activity it will stop and then ask when you return if you want that time included or not.

It is a very inclusive but useable program for the price. I have had no bug troubles at all

got an iphone? there’s an app for that! ; D seriously, when i was a freelance editor, i had an idea of an “average” amount of time a job would take. i bid on it based on that, and just worked. sometimes i worked for less than i’d anticipated because i wasn’t an expert estimator. but overall, i managed to support my kids. i sent the invoice in with the finished work. if the job was large, i invoiced in stages.

on the other hand, when i was reading tarot/street performing on oahu, i just did what i did and hoped for the best. i managed to always pay my rent, and some months i made quite a bit. of course, that was under the table. editing (and design, i’d think) aren’t.