CESTLO, the online invoicing software

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Summary

SaaS

SaaS, Software as a Service, is software which is hosted by a service.

Definition of SaaS

SaaS is software that can be used via the internet and is therefore accessible from anywhere in the world with internet access. This product does not require a licence but is instead available through subscription. Due to this CESTLO is completely free.

Why is this solution good?

There are many advantages to this software for example it allows the centralisation of data and it can adapt to the client’s needs, activities and budget. Updates are frequent and clients return time and time again, which means that we get a lot of feedback. We are constantly finding ways to improve our products and we provide many more updates than non-SaaS technology.

Online services (Saas) are well established in North America and are progressing in Europe

According to market research by Gatner, SaaS grows by 20.7% annually. Nowadays SaaS is well established in North America and represents nearly 65% of usage worldwide. In 2015, this figure will fall to 60% because it will become more used in other parts of the world.

On demand services (Saas) are well established in North America and are progressing in Europe 2011 saw the fast development of SaaS in Europe, experiencing a growth of 27%. Europe lags behind North America and Asia due to the general cost of the possession of technology however the rising popularity of Saas shows the ease and speed of introducing solutions that are already available.

Cloud Computing (allows the use of online computing resources) and SaaS, which are already being used heavily in Asia and America, are now gaining popularity in Europe. Europe’s original disinterest in SaaS was a result of the cumbersome updates between the different versions of applications, the program’s inflexibility and it’s difficulty to be personalized however SaaS has been able to overcome these issues.

Online invoicing software

Online invoicing software is an alternative to invoicing software which is installed on personal computers. Those installed on person computers often have basic features for creating quotes and invoices, but also some more advanced functions ranging from customer management, payments, stock and sometimes even dashboards, which allow an overview of all information.

Global heterogeneous computing park

Due to the various differences between devices for example the global operating systems (Windows, OS X, Linux, Chrome OS, ...) and the hardware (computers, tablets, phones, ...), it became necessary to find a way for software to work with all devices. Software development has always been quite expensive and so only a few companies can afford to have these expensive customised tools. Software developers must ensure that the maximum number of people can use their products. Thanks to SaaS users who wants to make invoices online simply need to have internet connection and an up-to-date web browser.

Mac OS and Linux

Mac OS and Linux are good operating systems however they lack the software packages that Windows has. It is possible to find good invoicing software for Mac OS and Linux machines but this is normally more expensive due to the reduced number of customers that these companies have. Mac OS and Linux also have some free invoicing software however this is often incomplete and quite basic.

A service

Unlike its previous operating systems, where users bought the system and then used it, we offer a service. Our online invoicing service is constantly improving however this never affects price unlike with other invoicing software where users must pay for software updates. Our clients use the same software so do not need to worry about how changes in the law may affect their program and they never need further software features.

The centralisation of data

Another advantage of online invoicing is that the user’s data is saved by the company hosting this service. This reduces the user’s risk of data loss that can be caused by such things as hardware failure, software failure and computer viruses. The company that manages the online software regularly saves data and this also helps to avoid the loss of information that the technical problems can cause.

Support for start-up companies

Some online invoicing software have free accounts and help start-up companies by allowing them to easily create a limited number of quotes and invoices per month for free, while allowing paying clients to use all the software features without time limitations. There is also a limited number of free invoicing software that can be installed on personal computers however this often comes with limited features or can only be used for a limited time.

Community

The community Online invoicing software is constantly changing and is designed to adapt to its community of users.

The price quote

The production of the quote

A quote is a showcase of your business’s expertise. It should be simple, clear and precise.
Here are some tips:
 - A quote with a simple presentation allows your customer to quickly understand the various services that it includes.
 - In a long quote, separating various services into different categories is a big advantage.
 - A quote must be clear. It shows that you have understood what your customer wants. It also shows that you can do what your client has asked. You are more likely to gain the client’s business even if you are slightly more expensive than your competitors.
 - Computer written quotes are much more legible than handwritten ones. It can be difficult to decipher handwriting. Computer-written ones are also a lot easier to edit if future modifications are necessary.

The follow up

It is important to follow-up your quote once it has been sent to your client. If your client is slow to respond, it is recommended that you contact him again for the reasons below.
For the customer, this will let them:
 - Acknowledge you are interested in their project
 - Explain why they have not contacted you yet (need time, services offered not entirely consistent with what he wants, a competitor was chosen over you etc.)
On your side, it will help you to:
 - Establish a connection with your customer
 - Modify if a quote if necessary
 - Have a better insight into your future business activities (project delayed, project abandoned etc)

The acceptance

Congratulations your quote has been accepted! You have done the necessary work and with a single click you can transform you quote into an invoice. This will save precious time.
Now for the invoice...

The invoice

The set-up

I currently use Excel and for every client’s invoice I must retype all their personal information, even such things as the their name, street, post code and city. I have to re-enter the date by hand for every service and have to be careful that the Excel formula that calculates the total of my invoice is always present. In addition, when my invoice only covers one page the Excel model works well however if my invoice covers several pages it does not. I am then forced to edit the file by hand.
With CESTLO, once you have entered your clients’ address into the system, you will never have to re-enter it again as this is done automatically. For the date, you simply have to select it from the calendar! Adding services is done with a single click of a button. Simple!
Furthermore it is very rare for an artisan’s invoice to only take up a single page because his work often consists of a thousand and one tasks. CESTLO has a solution to this problem.

Saving invoices

I currently use Excel for invoices and every time I want to save a new one I must be careful to name the file in a particular way (for example date-number-client.xls) in order to be able to find the file quickly the next time I want to use it.
This solution is quite finicky however normally works well except when I have more important things to do. Sometimes I am less careful, which leads to invoices being saved under the wrong name. This can mean that I loose a lot of time trying to find it again.
With CESTLO, your invoices are never saved in the wrong place. CESTLO allows you to find invoices by searching for words used within the document. Furthermore, your invoices will be saved numerically without any missing pages.

The follow up

Following the status of invoices is very important in order to know if you have been paid or not. It is important to know if all invoices have been sent and if they have been paid.
With CESTLO, invoice tracking has been integrated into the invoice process. You can check if they have been sent, fully paid or partially paid. If necessary you can immediately identify the invoices that remained unpaid and no longer risk losing money.