You are a craftsman looking for free construction invoice estimate software to create your documents. Many entrepreneurs need help starting an activity: the need to equip themselves efficiently but with limited cash flow. Then follows the hunt for lower-cost tools available on the market.
To simplify your research, we have concocted a small selection of the five best free invoicing software in the building industry! We also discuss the limits of these free solutions and why investing in complete software can be much more profitable in the long term.
Spreadsheet Software – Excel Quote And Invoice
Let’s start with the simplest solution, which is to use spreadsheet software to prepare your invoices. One thinks of Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers (on Mac), or any other downloadable software on the Web. If the latter two are free, Excel is, for its part, paying; however, it is usually one of those basic programs that most self-employed people already have on their computers.
It is convenient for making tables, graphs, budgets, and even payslips. To make an invoice on Excel (or another spreadsheet), you must first learn to master the formulas of spreadsheets. Otherwise, you will save time calculating everything manually, not to mention the higher risk of error.
Once you have your Excel invoice template, you will only have to reuse it each time by changing the information on the site and the client. Otherwise, a simple word processor can also do the trick. Making an invoice with Word, Google docs, or Pages is possible. Less intuitive and more limited in calculations, it is best to use them only to make simple quotes and invoices.
Amiba – Building Software
Amoeba is a free construction estimate and invoice software dedicated to professionals in the construction sector. It works on Mac and PC and must be downloaded to your computer first. Its main advantage is that it offers various specialized features for artisans. For example, we find the addition of price libraries and the editing of subcontracting and private works contracts.
The negative point of this building software is that, unfortunately, only some things are free. Amida offers different offers according to your needs and the desired options. So what does the freeware version contain? The creation of invoices/quotes, the insertion of its company logo, the storage of documents and an address book to centralize customer contact details. Note that it is possible to test Amida without obligation. You must request the demo version via the site’s contact form to do this.
Bonne Invoice – The Software Without Registration
We continue with Bonne Facture, an online tool to create business documents quickly in just a few minutes. The beauty of this free quote and invoice software is that you don’t need to register. Note, however, that creating an account can have certain advantages, such as saving your data for future times. Regarding creating an invoice, you have three options: basic invoice, invoice without VAT and invoice including VAT.
Each time, click on the model of your choice and then customize it online. Once the document is finished, you can download it and print it directly. If it is not construction software, strictly speaking, Bonne Facture is a quick and easy solution to take in hand, which can perfectly suit construction tradespeople.
Facture.Net – The Easiest
If you want free and straightforward estimate and invoice software, invoice.net is a good solution. Unlike other software, this tool works online and therefore does not need to be installed. All you have to do is create an account on the site to start using it.
Facture.net allows you to edit invoices and quotes, classify your files by category, and export your documents in different formats. All this via a relatively modern and pleasant interface. It is even equipped with a CMR function to manage its customers, undoubtedly essential but which has the merit of being there.
It is intended for all statuses and fields of professional activity: auto-entrepreneurs, VSEs, SMEs, and all trades combined. So expect something other than custom craftsman features. Despite everything, it remains a practical tool for invoicing your first projects. The time, for example, to build up a more extensive customer portfolio and sign larger contracts.
Facturedevis.Fr – Free Invoice/Quote Template
For fundamental and express use, there is invoicedevis.fr. As for BonneFacture, there is no need here to register, create an account or download the program. Everything is done directly online on the site.From the home page, which could be more apparent, this free invoice estimate software offers several ready-to-fill document templates: invoice with VAT, invoice without VAT, estimate, credit note, receipt and rent receipt.
Select one from the list, for example, the Free Quote Template. Then fill in the different fields of the template with your information (name of the company, client, job descriptions, etc.). Once completed, you can download the quote in PDF or email it to your client.
As you will have understood, invoicedevis.fr leaves little room for customization and could be better for costing or invoicing large projects. You will not be able to add your logo, modify the design and layout of the template, or even add specific mentions. On the other hand, the extreme ease and speed of use are appreciable.
#6. Bonus – Obat, Paid Software But With More Features
And finally, here is, as a bonus, a last estimate and invoice software, this time entirely dedicated to the construction sector: Obat.Difficult to compete with the many features of this tool specially designed for building craftsmen: the creation of down payments, work situations and credit notes, calculation of out-of-pocket costs and margins, automatic edition of VAT certificates, monitoring of the site and electronic signature of estimate.
As a bonus, the software already includes 30,000 work descriptions and the possibility of integrating BatiChiffrage, one of the reference price libraries in the sector. Even if Obat is paying (19€/month), be aware that testing the software for free and for one month is still possible.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Accessible Building Software
Ease Of Handling And Reduced Costs
As these four examples demonstrate, finding free invoicing software that meets your needs is feasible. This selection is far from exhaustive, and many other tools offer these services for free. Their main attraction is obvious: significant financial savings in perspective in terms of the company’s fixed costs. This absence of costs is particularly advantageous when launching a company with an unstable income.
In addition, we recognize that they are often straightforward to handle. From filling in ready-made templates to generating PDFs, everything is once again tailored to the needs of beginning entrepreneurs. To sum up, these tools are perfectly suitable for primary use. As a craftsman, they can, for example, offer a satisfactory alternative to paid solutions during your first months of activity.
But Limited Functions
On the other hand, these free building estimates and invoice software still need to be improved in functionality. This is the reverse of gratuitousness; as they need more means, the designers can develop the software extensively. Not to mention the problem of unreliability, especially when it comes to updating legal notices and regular new billing laws.
All of this brings us to a mistake many freelancers make when starting their business: underestimating the usefulness of good invoicing software. It is often mistakenly thought that it is only used for one only thing: to create quotes and invoices. However, its role does not stop there, far from it!
A well-designed and equipped software can help you better manage your company and your accounting from a global point of view. Undeniably, a good organization is vital to a profitable business. This is especially true in the construction industry, where most of the work takes place in the field.
Therefore, every hour spent dealing with administrative tasks is less time to devote to clients, construction sites, communication, canvassing, etc. In short, all the actions bring turnover to the company. By automating many of these tasks using software, a considerable amount of time is freed up daily. And, reported on the scale of a year, the profit can be counted in several thousand euros.
Obat Vs Free Construction Invoice Estimate Software: Which To Choose?
It is not ultimately more interesting, in the long term, to invest in a genuinely efficient estimate/invoice software. Especially since today, we find very affordable solutions financially. As mentioned above, software like Obat, for example, pays for itself in barely a month as it saves you time and productivity.
Specialized for construction professionals, its objective is to simplify the daily life of building artisans and allow them to concentrate on their core business. How? By focusing on the modernity of the interface, its ease of use, its dematerialized access, and above all, on many features :
- edition of the invoice, the situation of work, endorsement, installment, to have …;
- precise costing of quotes with building price libraries (BatiChiffrage, Batiprix, etc.);
- compliance with legal invoicing rules and the presence of all mandatory information ;
- application of VAT rates and reverse charge of VAT
- site monitoring, payment of current invoices and commercial performance;
- automatic calculation of margins, out-of-pocket expenses and selling prices for your services;
- CRM function: customer portfolio management, retail management, adding notes and importing documents;
- geolocation and generation of routes to worksites from addresses.
As a bonus, the software has a spell checker and a graphic customization tool. Enough to make neat, well-presented documents without spelling mistakes: small details that can make all the difference! Unlike an accessible building invoice estimate software, it is a complete, intuitive tool designed to support you in many aspects of your business. A real little commercial and administrative assistant!
Obat Free Trial
Rather than wasting your time on a free construction invoice estimate software that will have to be changed one day anyway, why not go directly to robust software? Because nothing beats your own experience to form an opinion, we allow you to test Obat for free for a month. During this trial month, you will have access to all the features of our tool without any limitations. In addition, no commitment is expected from you at the end of the trial – so many good reasons to take advantage of it!
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