Invoicing Software for Electricians

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (US) says: "Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems." It also says: "Most states require electricians to be licensed." On hours, it says: "Work schedules may include evenings and weekends. Overtime is common."

So an electrician's invoices cover different kinds of work: a service call, a fixed-price job such as a panel replacement, a larger project paid in stages, and maintenance billed on a schedule. The sections below show how each one fits in Billed.

Billed's mobile app page says: "Quote a client on the spot". Billed's estimating page says: "Enhance your estimates with attachments and customize units and quantities for each product." Billed's help article on estimates says: "You can make an estimate and then send it to your client. Your client can approve it to proceed further."

Once the client approves, Billed's invoice software page describes how you "convert an approved estimate into an invoice". Billed's help article on converting estimates says: "You can add and edit any information here." Add any work found after the job started before you save the invoice.

Save the services and materials you bill regularly. Billed's invoice software page says you can "save the products and services you sell so you can pull them into an invoice instead of retyping them." An after-hours rate or a trip charge can be its own saved service at the price you set.

For hourly work, Billed's time tracking page says: "Create an hourly rate project, set its hourly rate, and Billed tracks the charge for each task as you log it. From the project dashboard you can invoice one task or several at once." For a fixed-price job, Billed's projects page says: "You can add as many tasks as you need in the flat rate project. Invoice your client for the project from the dashboard whenever you want."

Billed's help article on payment schedules says: "A payment schedule lets you add a payment plan to the invoices." The help article on scheduled payments says: "You can let your clients pay the amount in installments through this option." The payment schedules article's steps include: "Choose a suitable option among percentage or flat amount." and "Fill out the payment amount and due date of each payment."

The payments have to add up to the invoice. Billed's help center says "the sum of all installments should be equal to the total balance of the invoice."

These are sample figures, before any tax. An electrician quotes a panel replacement as a fixed-price job: labor 1,400.00, the panel and breakers 950.00, and the permit fee 150.00, for 2,500.00 in all. The client approves the estimate.

The electrician converts the estimate into an invoice and adds a payment schedule with two payments: 50% due before work starts, 1,250.00, and 50% due on completion, 1,250.00. The two payments add up to the 2,500.00 total. The client pays the first payment by card from the invoice and the second by check, which the electrician records as an offline payment.

During the job, the client asks for an extra outdoor circuit. The electrician bills it on a separate invoice from saved services: 2 hours of labor at 95.00, 190.00, and materials at 85.00, for 275.00 in all.

Billed's invoice software page says: "For clients you bill on a schedule, set up a recurring profile once." It goes on: "Choose the billing frequency (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) and how many invoices to send, or keep sending until you stop." and "Billed creates the invoices automatically and either sends them or saves them as drafts for you to check."

Billed's mobile app page says: "Build a professional invoice from your phone the moment a job wraps." It also says: "Add line items, your logo, and tax, then send by email or share a link before you leave the site."

Billed's invoice software page says: "Connect your Stripe account and every invoice you send gets a pay button, so clients can pay by card." and "Connect PayPal to add a PayPal option as well." For checks and cash: "When a client pays by check or cash, record it as an offline payment so all your income is in one place." For unpaid invoices, the same page says: "Invoice reports show which invoices are paid, partially paid or past due, and you can see who owes you money and send them a payment reminder." and "Payment reminders can be customized."

This page doesn't cover licensing, permits, lien rights or which taxes apply to your work. Ask your licensing authority, lawyer or accountant about those.