Freshbooks is an online accounting service geared toward small business owners who may need help with bookkeeping duties but may not have the resources to hire someone. The service is especially useful for billing purposes and tracking employees’ time.
(Admin note: I personally use this software and would not be without it. I despise technical, geeky software programs and invoicing software — I found it simple to set up and it is simple to use ongoing)
A company logo can even be added to invoices created through Freshbooks, enhancing the professionalism of the documents.
The system helps owners by sending out reminders on invoices and has been designed to work well with many other cloud-based accounting applications. Freshbooks accepts online payments from several different sources.
Because it works on cloud technology, a business owner can access financial information from any Internet-capable computer or even an iPhone. For example, an owner flying on a trip could receive up to the minute information on their company during the flight. The information remains protected through an encryption system and the data is regularly backed up and saved.
Freshbooks features
*Tracks income and expenses
*No monthly fee if three or fewer clients are billed
*Create or import databases of companies, contacts and products
*Customizable invoices can be e-mailed or sent via U.S. mail
*Payments collected from a variety of online sources
*Clients have online access to invoices and account history
*Status page shows all open invoices and estimates, as well as the last time clients logged in
*Project estimates can be created and e-mailed to clients for approval
*An auto bill feature is available to bill customers’ credit cards
*Data security includes 256 bit encryption, data backups and firewall
Freshbooks User Reviews…
The system receivs almost universally glowing reviews from those who use it. Since many small business owners prefer to concentrate on ways to grow the business rather than the day-to-day details of actually running it, Freshbooks ease of use and simple setup are especially popular features.
The multitude of add on programs Freshbooks is compatible with also seems to be a nice feature. The customer service received very good reviews, which is an area some similar online accounting services seemed to be lacking.
Freshbooks Allows You To Use Multiple Payment Sourcesf
Another advantage for the system is its ability to accept online payment from up to 11 different sources, including PayPal, Google Checkouts and e-checks. One user enjoyed how simple it was to use and even commented that it encouraged him to do more work. Whenever he logged time for a client the submit button changed to an encouraging statement like “Way to go” or “Nice work.”
Small business owners generally prefer to use their time thinking about the product or service they provide and how to make it better rather than worrying about sending out bills. Freshbooks seems like a good solution at an economical price. It has loads of options available and requires no accounting training.
