Poll: Right now, my accounting and other administrative tasks are:
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Feb 13, 2020

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Right now, my accounting and other administrative tasks are:".

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Philippe Etienne
Philippe Etienne  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 12:13
Member
English to French
Running behind Feb 13, 2020

6 days left to hand over my paperwork to my accountant for January's business. It's a 5-min job but I hate it with passion every month.

Philippe


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 12:13
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Feb 13, 2020

I am almost up-to-date. However, I'm still waiting to sort out the issue of two bills, initially issued in 2018, which for some reason were not processed by the client at the time.
I have also just registered in the Spanish/EU Register of Intra-Community Operators to be able to issue a bill to a client in Italy. Now I'm wondering about things like whether to have my Spanish invoice template translated into Italian before issuing the invoice, or to use an English template, as I probably ha
... See more
I am almost up-to-date. However, I'm still waiting to sort out the issue of two bills, initially issued in 2018, which for some reason were not processed by the client at the time.
I have also just registered in the Spanish/EU Register of Intra-Community Operators to be able to issue a bill to a client in Italy. Now I'm wondering about things like whether to have my Spanish invoice template translated into Italian before issuing the invoice, or to use an English template, as I probably have an old one lying about somewhere. Or whether issuing a Spanish invoice will be okay for an Italian client. So far I have communicated with them in English. Moreover, I have to fill out a form and return it along with my invoice, but the form is in PDF and when I convert it with NitroPro the format goes all skewiff. Apparently if I want to be able to edit PDF files with Adobe, I would have to pay a tithe, which I'm reluctant to do, because it's a service I don't usually require. And all these little niggling issues are gobbling up time which I would rather spend on my regular work.
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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 11:13
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Up to date Feb 13, 2020

I hate procrastinating! I do my own invoicing (mostly at the end of the month though I prepare each invoice immediately after finishing a job), but I have an accountant for the monthly VAT returns, the yearly listing and all the other financial statements. He is worth every euro I pay him!

 
Robin LEPLUMEY
Robin LEPLUMEY
France
Local time: 12:13
English to French
+ ...
I might be a bit weird... Feb 13, 2020

... but I actually enjoy doing the paperwork, as it allows me to do something else during my workday. Also, it's something I can do while listening music, which I can't when I translate and need to keep focused.

My administrative tasks are quite basic anyway: one invoice per client at the end of the month, and declaring my revenue/VAT online at the beginning of the month... That's it, basically


orangeworld
Kaisa I
 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 12:13
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Up to date Feb 13, 2020

IF I don't take care of my paperwork right away, it will pile up and then I might end up not having the time to take care of it. After all, what's done is done.

[Edited at 2020-02-13 17:31 GMT]


Robin LEPLUMEY
Elizabeth Tamblin
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:13
Member (2008)
Italian to English
All in order Feb 13, 2020

"Right now, my accounting and other administrative tasks are:"


Under control and all order.

I throw everything into a box and deal with it as follows

Last day of the month: invoicing. Takes about 45mins- 1 hour.
First day of the month: book-keeping. Takes about 1-2 hours.

This is all made easy by the use of fairly elaborate spreadsheets that I created years ago and which I periodically refine. They keep track of my incomings and outgoings, etc. They are a big help at the end of the tax year because most of the work is already done.

I do have an accountant but I haven't needed to contact him about anything for at least the past 3 years.



[Edited at 2020-02-13 14:56 GMT]


 
Robin LEPLUMEY
Robin LEPLUMEY
France
Local time: 12:13
English to French
+ ...
Essential! Feb 13, 2020

Tom in London wrote:
This is all made easy by the use of fairly elaborate spreadsheets that I created years ago and which I periodically refine. They keep track of my incomings and outgoings, etc. They are a big help at the end of the tax year because most of the work is already done.


I totally agree! Having a clear Excel file with the details of all projects done is essential to make all the paperwork fast and easy! Mine includes one tab per month, with the following columns for each month:

Invoice N° - Project N° (+name of final client) - Start date - Due date - Type (trans/PE/edit...) - Client name - Invoicing date - N° of words - Amount (excl. VAT) - VAT - Amount (incl. VAT)

And I also have another Excel file in which I keep track of the payments received, with the following columns for each month:

Invoice N° - Client name - Date of payment - Amount (excl. VAT) - VAT - Amount (incl. VAT)

I don't have an accountant, and with all this information easily available, I really don't feel like I need one

Rob


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 08:13
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Right now and always Feb 13, 2020

I do my own admin and accounting, all my statistics, issue all my invoices/billing, and my income tax return/statements, etc. I do not depend on an accountant or in any third-party to do this. I do not use third-party software for this purpose. So it's all up to date, constantly.
This year, for example, I've already filled out all spreadsheets for my income tax return, so when the app is ready for download, I only have to copy and paste the amounts. It will likely be submitted in the first
... See more
I do my own admin and accounting, all my statistics, issue all my invoices/billing, and my income tax return/statements, etc. I do not depend on an accountant or in any third-party to do this. I do not use third-party software for this purpose. So it's all up to date, constantly.
This year, for example, I've already filled out all spreadsheets for my income tax return, so when the app is ready for download, I only have to copy and paste the amounts. It will likely be submitted in the first week of April. If I had an accountant, I'd have to be in contact with them for the entire month, providing documents and information, and the tax return would likely be submitted on the last two days of April.

[Edited at 2020-02-13 16:21 GMT]
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R. Alex Jenkins
R. Alex Jenkins  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 08:13
Member (2006)
Portuguese to English
+ ...
There will always be outstanding issues... Feb 13, 2020

...such as invoices to be paid from previous months and outstanding personal credit card payments, and the computer I am using right now requires electricity that needs to be paid for at some point, but my personal habits instinctively dictate the need to get administrative things done as quickly as possible and not leave piles of crumpled laundry for another day. I don't view this as a form of self-marking to emphasize how efficient I am, but a personality trait that benefits me as a freelance ... See more
...such as invoices to be paid from previous months and outstanding personal credit card payments, and the computer I am using right now requires electricity that needs to be paid for at some point, but my personal habits instinctively dictate the need to get administrative things done as quickly as possible and not leave piles of crumpled laundry for another day. I don't view this as a form of self-marking to emphasize how efficient I am, but a personality trait that benefits me as a freelance survivor over many years.Collapse


 
Ann Marie Bohan
Ann Marie Bohan  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 11:13
German to English
+ ...
Sorely neglected Feb 13, 2020

I'm an admin disaster

 
Elizabeth Tamblin
Elizabeth Tamblin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:13
French to English
Up to date Feb 13, 2020

The only thing in my life that is in order.

 
Angus Stewart
Angus Stewart  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:13
Member (2011)
French to English
+ ...
Up to date Feb 13, 2020

I like to keep up to date with accounting and administrative tasks as I go to avoid any unnecessary hassle later on. I prepare my invoices as I complete each project and either send them there and then or group them for submission at the end of the month depending on the client.

 
Alexandra Speirs
Alexandra Speirs  Identity Verified
Local time: 12:13
Italian to English
+ ...
nearly done Feb 13, 2020

neilmac wrote:


I have also just registered in the Spanish/EU Register of Intra-Community Operators to be able to issue a bill to a client in Italy. Now I'm wondering about things like whether to have my Spanish invoice template translated into Italian before issuing the invoice, or to use an English template, as I probably have an old one lying about somewhere. Or whether issuing a Spanish invoice will be okay for an Italian client. So far I have communicated with them in English.


A Spanish invoice is perfectly OK. You don't need to translate the letterhead, but put all the details in English.


 


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Poll: Right now, my accounting and other administrative tasks are:






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