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Store default payment terms in project details.
Could it be possible to store the default value for payment terms in the project detail, and use this value to auto fill the field when creating a new invoice. I'm currently dealing with projects with a mixture of 14 and 30 day payment terms. The way that "Create new invoice" auto fills the form fields using the previous invoice is making it error prone to getting the terms incorrect.
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The company has this under consideration.
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Inappropriate?HI James,
Thanks for the idea. We'll have a chat about feeding it into the pipeline. -
Inappropriate?I would also like to see this. Except I think the default terms should be set on multiple levels.
1. Default terms at My Account level
2. Default terms at Contact level
3. Default terms at Project level
A new Contact would default to the terms set at level 1, but could be overridden.
A new Project would default to the terms set at level 2, but could be overridden.
A new Invoice attached to a Project would default to terms set at level 3, but could be overridden.
A new Invoice (not attached to a Project) would default to terms set at level 2, but could be overridden.
Personally I think that is the best way to manage it. I'm constantly using the wrong terms on invoices by mistake because I forget to check. If I could set it up like this then I wouldn't have to think about it, and I'd get paid quicker!
Matthew
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Inappropriate?That’s very definitive and offers the most flexibility to cover all scenarios but I could see the chain of inheritance having the potential to cause some confusion. Having lots of repeat default values scattered in the system would do this. These are only auto fill values for high frequency repetitive tasks and I don’t see projects falling into this category.
I would suggest creating a new project would have its default contract terms values copied from the previous project for that particular contact, maybe have a "Use previous contract details". If it’s the first for this contact leave it empty or the use the “My Account” level.
I can see having default values at the ”My Account” level would serve those who maybe have may clients that do not repeat projects but I’m not sure this would be the case or really used that much.
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This is one of the best points
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Hmmm, I'm afraid I have to disagree! Most people will think in terms of 'the Project is based on my client, who has X days terms'. I'm sure one would would expect the terms default to come from an logical tree path (like the one I suggested).
What happens when your client rings up and says: "Can we have different payment terms?". In your scenario, now you've got to remember to override the terms when you get around to creating that Project (or Invoice without project). As soon as you've got to remember to do that for more than one client, things get forgotten and you're back with the same problem. In my solution, you could go straight to the Contact record and change the terms after you get the call, safe in the knowledge that future Projects and Invoices will use that default. And if you really want to, you could override them on a one by one basis.
Just my opinion :P -
I think that's where we differ here as I think in terms of 'the Project is based on my contract agreed with my client, which states X days terms'. So when I create a project it will be from a contract, if there is a change to the payment terms then an amended contract is signed, so changing the terms for the relating project is fine. As is don't create projects that often it doesn't seem needed to me hold a value at the contact level. It also suggests to me business practice that is less than ideal, I assumed that outside of this invoices would be issued by standard payment terms.
I do see the point your making though as there are those that would have different payment terms agreed for a client ongoing (and I assume without a contract!) that would need to be catered for. Whether its best practice or strictly correct it another discussion ;) -
I see your point. The amount of projects that get done without contracts is pretty shocking - we make sure everything is contracted before we open up our code editors or creative suite! Our contracts don't state exact terms, however they do bind the customer into adhering to the terms shown on subsequent invoices generated for that project. I suppose some clients might insist on having it in the contract, but we've (thankfully) not hit that one yet.
In my experience, most businesses assign terms to clients on a client level rather than a contract level, usually as a result of credit referencing. The type of project they want doesn't normally affect their perceived credit worthiness. Now if you are talking about allowing for instalment payments to spread the cost of large projects (which we do), then ideally you'd issue an invoice for each instalment. As opposed to one huge invoice with terms to cover the repayment period.
At the end of the day, everyone works differently. I guess it's up to the guys at FreeAgent to choose a solution that fits the most common approach.
Matthew
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