Create Automated Invoicing MVP

[ghost]

Create Automated Invoicing MVP

This is an invoicing system utilising Google Docs and Autocrat to automate our current internal processes for managing contractor invoices

[Jbarget]

Example of an invoicing app (not automated though):

I use this currently to manage my invoices, their MVP is really great and just does what it needs to with no distractions. https://www.getalbert.com/

[nelsonic]

@Jbarget can you summarise the features you use most and any you've wanted and not had?

[iteles]

@markwilliamfirth A few details on what you're thinking would be good as I imagine this one is quite interesting for people and can be interpreted in many different ways!

[SimonLab]

@Jbarget the application seems nice but

"Albert on Android.
We are working hard to bring Albert to Android.
Leave your email, and we will notify you when it is ready."

and I don't think there is a web app at the moment.

[Jbarget]

yep there is no web app, i use it as a ios app

Features:

• ability to create invoice
• ability to add VAT to invoice (just a toggle)
• ability to add list items to invoice and increase quantity of list item
• ability to search companies house api for company to send invoice to
• ability to set your account (image, bank details, name)
• ability to view outstanding invoices
• ability to view paid invoices
• ability to duplicate a previous invoice
• ability to preview invoice in-app
• ability to send invoice history to email (csv attachment)

Desired Functionality on top:

• ability to set financial year dates
• ability to sort invoices by financial year
• ability to send invoice history by financial year
• ability to edit the date an invoice was paid

[ghost]

MVP has been created:

Contractors can submit their invoices here.

@Cleop please could you test when you run your next invoice?

[ghost]

Form has been linked to http://invoice.dwyl.com

[iteles]

@markwilliamfirth When we last discussed this, the MVP was going to be a spreadsheet that each person can fill in and keep track of their hours in a consistent way that they can refer back to.

What changed the plan? At the moment it seems to me that this system is more laborious for dwylers and doesn't solve the problem of making it so easy to invoice us that this is always done on time.

[Jbarget]

Personally (from a user's point of view) I'd much prefer this form than a spreadsheet. I detest spreadsheets

[ghost]

@iteles it's difficult to have a common spreadsheet if the rates aren't transparent yet (won't be an issue after #140 has been actioned)

People are still welcome to track their own hours in their own spreadsheets if they wish - they only need to copy the number of days into the form.

[sohilpandya]

Hey @/all, I'm personally in favor of either a google doc or a spreadsheet over the form.

My current process has 4 steps:

1. change the date
2. update the number of days
3. update the total
4. Save and send

The above process using the form has a lot more steps than that. 😟

[ghost]

@sohilpandya would be good if you could time yourself doing both. I think this might be quicker. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

[sohilpandya]

So the test results are back:
form took 48 seconds
Personal Invoice took 1min 38sec including sending email to finance

Hmmmm.

[sohilpandya]

Also please ignore those invoices. I will be sending out the real one tomorrow 😟

[harrygfox]

@markwilliamfirth I love the new system! My only comment on improving would be to echo @Jbarget #302 (comment) - monthly & yearly breakdowns to help with taxings

[RobStallion]

@markwilliamfirth SORRY I TOOK SO LONG 😞

but this is fantastic. It is much faster and easier way of sending an invoice which will be less prone to human error (because as you know sometimes I would send my invoice email without the actual invoice attached 😖)

I am having the same issue @katbow mentioned here where the email is being sent to my personal email from [email protected] but other than I have no faults.

[ghost]

thanks @RobStallion !

Yes - at the moment half of the emails are coming from finance and half from my email - not sure why it's done that - doesn't appear to be a pattern though - something needs to be reset!

[ghost]

Another bug spotted by @jackcarlisle - system does not currently allow for non-VAT registered companies

[ZooeyMiller]

@finnhodgkin and I both sent our invoices for last week through on Friday 8th (on the google form), but neither of us received confirmation emails, is there a way to check if they went through?

[samhstn]

@ZooeyMiller
I raised some invoices that weekend and didn't get an email response. I told @markwilliamfirth and got this response.

[ghost]

To update this issue - the above error has been fixed now

[ghost]

Known issues 13 Nov 2017:

1. Some emails come from [email protected] some come from [email protected] (all should come from [email protected]) Create Automated Invoicing MVP #302 (comment)
2. On 10/24/2017 14:12:40 Finn submitted invoice DWYL1135, but the email did not come through, he had to submit again (DWYL1155)
3. The system generated two copies of DWYL1146 instead of one

[rub1e]

Today I've...

• Updated the cc address to [email protected]
• Added the Xero address to bcc so the pdfs get sent there automatically
• Set the from address to [email protected] to resolve the issue of emails coming from different email addresses
• Generally spent a looooong time figuring out how the process works, which I shall document in an md file and PR for the process handbook 😺

(I haven't quite got to the bottom of all the bugs, but I suspect it's something to do with Autocrat being dodgy and not triggering when it's supposed to)

UPDATE 24/1: of the three bugs in #302 (comment), only the third one hasn't been resolved (but it hasn't happened again either)

[iteles]

@rub1e Thanks for the time estimates, update and finally getting some docs on this 🎉 (thanks @Cleop also for starting us off with dwyl/process-handbook#70 (comment). You're both 🌟 s

[rub1e]

Now that dwyl/process-handbook#84 is documented in the process handbook, do we want to close this issue and open a new one when we have time to update the Invoicing MVP, or keep this one open?

[iteles]

@rub1e If we have things that we know need updating, let's open a new issue now. If not, then we can close this one and a new issue will be opened when things arise.

[rub1e]

Closing as all current confirmed bugs have been resolved per #302 (comment)