Billings 3 from Marketcircle is a mac software that helps small business to keep track of clients, time spent on projects, invoice clients and track payments.
Being coded with small business in mind, Billings 3 is just perfect for freelancers.
Billings is based on Clients and data about them can be taken from the Address Book, once a client has been created you can create a Project and define all related details, together with the kind of billing associated ( by time or flat rate ).
After a project has been defined you can track work done for it by using what is called a “workslip” that is a record of how much you have been working, containing a start date, an end date and the billing rate.
Each project can have many workslips and you can associate each at a different phase of the development like for example research, design, slicing, coding, testing etc. and each workslip can have a different billing rate and you can use built-in timers to help you tracking time in case of billing by time.
You can attach URLs, files and text notes to a project.
When work is done you will need to produce an invoice to your client and to do so you have to switch from the Project view to Account view where you can manage invoices and payments. There are 30 built-in invoice templates that you can use or you can choose to design a custom template with the integrated drag and drop editor.
Once ready the invoice can be emailed or printed or even saved as a PDF.
A section is also dedicated to reports generation to have an overview of many business key elements like top clients, unpaid invoices, taxes etc.
The level of informations you will receive on your business and projects depends on the amount of data that you will enter during the life of it, Billings potentially can go deep into your work details but that is up to you and the effort you put into specifying each detail of it.
It can for sure help every freelance to better organize some aspects of his business even if sometimes you could feel a bit lost with all the different fields and options, maybe for a creative mind a much more simple and fast interface could help to enhance workflow.
GIVEAWAY
Marketcircle staff kindly offered 2 free licenses for this giveaway ending on 22nd May.
To win just you have simply to :
- twitter the following text:
“TheLanceLife giveaway: Billings3 http://ow.ly/7s9Y @thelancelife @wpstudios RT pls”
AND
- comment here writing your twitter ID and explaining why you would like a Billings 3 license and how would help your workflow.
The giveaway will end on Friday 22nd 2009 and the winner will be chosen using a random number generator.
Good Luck !
Tags: apps, freelance, giveaway
The Author : WPstudios
WPstudios is a graphic and coding agency specialized in web design, print design, logo and branding, wordpress customization, PHP and Javascript coding, 3D graphic.
May 18th, 2009 on 04:35
I’d really love a copy of Billings 3 – I’ve only recently started freelance web design, and it would enhance my workflow immensely if I won it.
Crossing my fingers!
May 18th, 2009 on 07:55
TwitterID: sgabardi
I testet Billings 3 because of this givaway article, and i must say, it saves nerves, time and lets me concentrate on the things i’m supposed to do as a web designer! great program!
May 18th, 2009 on 07:57
Wow, what an awesome tool. At the moment I am struggling with both my invoices & my dad, as he is trying to help – but with no success… So this would really help my freelance career, as I could focus more on design and less about my dad’s constant nagging over lost invoices and bills! Twitter ID: bbgstudio
May 18th, 2009 on 09:58
I am thinking of going freelance and was looking at billing software yesterday and billings 3 was the one I was considering getting. It covers all the bases from invoicing to managing project completion. From what I saw it looks like the perfect software for me and it even seems like it’s fate that there is now a competition to win it. It’s layout is designed just right and would really help my focus to stay on the project design while billings 3 covers the nitty gritty of the finance and organization. It’s just what a freelancer needs, especially one just starting out.
TwitterID: Designer023
May 18th, 2009 on 10:53
TwitterID: MartaFer
I would love to win a Billings 3 license for my amazing boyfriend, who is just getting started in the world of freelancing in web design. I really think this software will help him deal with the financial and organizational side of his work, leaving him more time to develop his projects.
May 18th, 2009 on 11:04
Twitter ID: inf0rmer
I’d love to get a Billings license! This software is amazing and should be requisite for any freelancer out there using a Mac. I love how project management, time-tracking and invoice management are so well integrated. I particularly like the ability to design one’s own invoices from scratch or apply branding to existing templates.
May 18th, 2009 on 18:42
Hi,
I would love to get this software, it would be very useful to manage my projects on webdesign.
Twitter ID: csgpinto
May 19th, 2009 on 14:52
Now this would really put anyone’s finances in balance
May 19th, 2009 on 16:52
@andysowards
I have been wanting to try billings for a while now! I could use a solid invoicing software like this. I hear its a real time saver! I’ll put it to the test!
May 19th, 2009 on 17:03
@tedi
I just started my freelance business and this software would help tremendously. I don’t have any billing software and this would save me many headaches! Thanks for the opportunity.
May 19th, 2009 on 17:04
Twitter ID: hol410
Billings3 would really benefit me and my freelance design business. I could save so much time normally spent moving from one program to another. I love how time-tracking, project management and syncing with Address Book are also included. I could finally say goodbye to the separate programs I currently use for each step of the billing process.
May 19th, 2009 on 17:24
@srpsco I would love to win since I am converting my admin workflow to the mac. I am hoping to bring in assistant to handle the admin side of things, and this would make both of these tasks easier.
May 20th, 2009 on 08:19
This would be great for our our office as we use a complex php and mysql at the moment. Would make life Easier
Twitter name russellharrower
May 20th, 2009 on 11:07
Let me see if german users also have a chance to win
May 20th, 2009 on 13:47
Would love to win a copy of Billing so that I could use a desktop program instead of paying the monthly fee for the one I use now. Not that the online invoicing program is bad, I would just rather use one I didn’t have to allocate a percent of my monthly income too.
May 21st, 2009 on 20:43
I tend to be an organized gal and have used iBiz and iBank for quite a while – I have been testing out billings and have enjoyed the ability to apply deposits and retainers which bringing out the design with custom templates. I would very much love to win a Billings 3 giveaway – call it a post birthday gift from Marketcircle (May 20th) wink wink
Twitter: bluewavemedia
May 22nd, 2009 on 10:09
@danielbahl
I use bootcamp to switch between Mac and Windows because my old billingsystem is running in Windows only
It could save so much time and so much pain (windows=pain)
Also I love how time-tracking, project management and integration with Address Book are also included.
I would love to switch to Billigs – I tested the demoversion and loved it!
Greetings
Daniel Bahl
Denmark
May 22nd, 2009 on 10:34
@pixelmachine
Currently I don’t really track time on all my projects which I’m feeling is probably a bit of a mistake as I probably spend much longer than I think on everything!
Plus it looks like a fantastic UI and I always have room in my workflow for great looking apps!
May 22nd, 2009 on 16:37
Twitter ID: @jmanstudios
I have downloaded and used the 30 day trial and really liked this software for time tracking & billing. It would certainly help me to manage my small web studio more efficiently.
Jason Bayer
J MAN STUDIOS
http://www.jmanstudios.com
http://twitter.com/jmanstudios
May 22nd, 2009 on 22:42
Wow!! Can’t believe I won. You guys are too great. Thanks!
May 23rd, 2009 on 02:35
Tweeted! @JoelDrapper
June 29th, 2009 on 22:49
My twitter id: chrisowens
Reason I would like a free copy of Billing 3: As with 1 or 2 people on here already, I’m going to be doing freelance work to help supplement my income as we’ve had a baby girl and extra income is much needed.
Thanks!
June 29th, 2009 on 22:52
Bugger… just noticed the ending date.
(