| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Have you ever forgotten to send an invoice to a client? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever forgotten to send an invoice to a client?".
This poll was originally submitted by Monika Jakacka. View the poll results »
| | | | anna purna 
France
Local time: 07:41
French to English
+ ...
If ever I have forgotten, I'm sure I wouldn't know about it. I can't imagine my clients reminding me to send them their invoice !
| | | | Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 07:41
Member (2006)
German to English
a couple of times when I was very busy as they were only very small amounts that took too much time to write the invoice. Kept pushing it off for the next bunch of invoices and forgot about them. Invoiced them a couple of months later though
[Edited at 2011-02-09 12:14 GMT]
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I don't forget to write the invoice, but it happened a couple of times that, after all the process of making up the invoice, saving it, reporting figures in different places, etc. I finally forgot to send the invoice to the customer.
[Modifié le 2011-02-09 08:57 GMT]
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 07:41
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
On two occassions I didn't forget to send the invoice, but withheld it for a couple of weeks for additional clarification. As soon as everything was set, I sent the invoice to the customer(s).
| | | | Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 07:41
English to French
+ ...
I do not forget but sometimes delay invoicing for quite a while.
I also delay reminders for payment, but never completely forgot any so far.
| | | | Adnan Özdemir
Türkiye
Local time: 08:41
Member (2007)
German to Turkish
+ ...
No forgotten but, for little amounts, sometimes I do not write an invoice... 
Saludos desde Anatolia
Anadolu'dan selamalr
[Edited at 2011-02-09 11:28 GMT]
| | | | Déesse
Local time: 07:41
French to Dutch
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| On a philisophical note | Feb 9, 2011 |
Just wondering: how can one forget an invoice and know he / she's forgotten it? If you remember, then you haven't forgotten...
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Patricia Charnet
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:41
Member (2009)
English to French
and I even had clients reminding me of the overlook I'm not always good with invoices but I'm making progress in that respect, and disciplining myself in getting into a checklist routine
[Edited at 2011-02-09 09:35 GMT]
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 07:41
Spanish to English
+ ...
I'm afraid admin is not one of my strong points and I do have a habit of forgetting to invoice. I only realised at the of January that I had forgotten to bill a client for a job done in November, although I did declare the amount in my tax return, and I think this may have caused them some inconvenience because so far they haven't acknowledged my email or the belated invoice...
I had also forgotten to bill another regular client for the last quarter of 2010, about 1000 euros, and o... See more I'm afraid admin is not one of my strong points and I do have a habit of forgetting to invoice. I only realised at the of January that I had forgotten to bill a client for a job done in November, although I did declare the amount in my tax return, and I think this may have caused them some inconvenience because so far they haven't acknowledged my email or the belated invoice...
I had also forgotten to bill another regular client for the last quarter of 2010, about 1000 euros, and only remembered when they sent me a translation the other day, but that's already in the post.
As long as my rent etc is paid and I have no debts, money isn't the be all and end all of my world. Last week I gave one client an unsolicited discount as a surprise, because they pay me promptly and I appreciate that... ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Not the invoice itself, but the invoice-less agency procedure | Feb 9, 2011 |
Some translation agencies have very complex job management systems, to the extent of not requiring the translator to actually issue an invoice. The translator merely uploads the finished translation via a specific web page, and the system will hopefully pay them on the date it considers adequate (not always what's been already imposed by the agency, most often later).
One of the agencies having such a system requires that the translator, after having so 'delivered' their work, log i... See more Some translation agencies have very complex job management systems, to the extent of not requiring the translator to actually issue an invoice. The translator merely uploads the finished translation via a specific web page, and the system will hopefully pay them on the date it considers adequate (not always what's been already imposed by the agency, most often later).
One of the agencies having such a system requires that the translator, after having so 'delivered' their work, log into their web site frequently, to check if the translation has been 'approved', and then "request payment", which will start the countdown for their payment term, so they may gain a few more days.
They explain it's done so to spare the translator from overspending in transfer fees (which would be covered by agencies, if translation were a normal business) by receiving small payments more often than they should.
In this setting, I forgot to request payment there a couple of times. No worries, as for several other reasons, I stopped working for this agency a while ago. Turned down a job offer from them last night. So it won't happen again, at least with this one. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | No but sometimes it takes a while! | Feb 9, 2011 |
Like a couple of others here (thank you for your honesty!), I am not always the best at sending invoices promptly. I can't explain why because I always get my translations in on time or earlier but I think that I have an innate fear of figures from my school days!
I have never actually forgotten to send an invoice but sometimes it may take a month or two...I'm now trying to discipline myself to send the invoice with or straight after I have done the translation.
Obvious... See more Like a couple of others here (thank you for your honesty!), I am not always the best at sending invoices promptly. I can't explain why because I always get my translations in on time or earlier but I think that I have an innate fear of figures from my school days!
I have never actually forgotten to send an invoice but sometimes it may take a month or two...I'm now trying to discipline myself to send the invoice with or straight after I have done the translation.
Obviously I need to be paid for the work I've done but sometimes I get so wrapped up in the translation itself that when it is finished I think "phew, job done!" and then "I'll just do that invoice when I've got a bit more time...". Yet, like tax returns, it's sometimes best just to do it straight away. (Guess who was up late crunching numbers a day or two before the tax deadline?!). ▲ Collapse
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Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 01:41
Spanish to English
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| Yes, a few times | Feb 9, 2011 |
The more conscientious clients will remind you to submit the invoice but, in one case, I initiated a collection procedure against a client to whom I simply had forgotten to send an invoice. I look at a case like that as one of "shared blame."
Anyway, since that episode (about 4 years ago), I've not forgotten to submit invoices. Pretty important not to, since it can reflect a generally indifferent attitude toward payment and thus be a signal to less scrupulous types that it really do... See more The more conscientious clients will remind you to submit the invoice but, in one case, I initiated a collection procedure against a client to whom I simply had forgotten to send an invoice. I look at a case like that as one of "shared blame."
Anyway, since that episode (about 4 years ago), I've not forgotten to submit invoices. Pretty important not to, since it can reflect a generally indifferent attitude toward payment and thus be a signal to less scrupulous types that it really doesn't matter if the job is paid for a few days--or a few weeks--late. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Theo Bernards (X)
France
Local time: 07:41
English to Dutch
+ ...
| Never, because | Feb 9, 2011 |
I invoice immediately when I have finished a job. I find this the simplest way to ensure every order is invoiced. Set invoice days, be it weekly or monthly, are disasters waiting to happen. I base my invoice numbers on the invoice date, so I can always see when an invoice was sent and when it is due. With the exception of a few trusted customers I also have a fairly rigorous reminders practice: 1st email on the due date, second reminder one week later and a final notice two weeks later. If payme... See more I invoice immediately when I have finished a job. I find this the simplest way to ensure every order is invoiced. Set invoice days, be it weekly or monthly, are disasters waiting to happen. I base my invoice numbers on the invoice date, so I can always see when an invoice was sent and when it is due. With the exception of a few trusted customers I also have a fairly rigorous reminders practice: 1st email on the due date, second reminder one week later and a final notice two weeks later. If payment hasn't arrived at that date, I inform the customer that they cannot use the translation (intellectual ownership is transferred to the client only upon payment) AND I instruct a debt collector to handle collection of all outstanding invoices for that client, regardless of the due date. All extra fees resulting from that are for the client as well. I end that final email or letter to the client with the sentence "I trust you don't want our collaboration to end on this note".
So far it works like a charm... ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Forgotten Invoices | Feb 9, 2011 |
[quote]ProZ.com Staff wrote:
I have, on several occasions, but thankfully I have always (I think) been reminded eventually by my clients, usually at the end of a trimester or the year. The problem usually arises from some agencies demanding a specific date for sending invoices. I won't name them here
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: Have you ever forgotten to send an invoice to a client? | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
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