Seconded. If you don’t want to overload the user with too many choices then this is the obvious way round it - allow PDF attachments for all clients, and just offer one checkbox at the client level for whether or not PDFs should be the default. Either way it would be overridable for an individual invoice (to enable if the client setting is off by default or to disable if the client setting is on).
Extending the “Attach PDF” option to be globally visible for all users is not going to be an option for us. I just feel this would further encourage the usage of PDF attachments amongst new users who have yet to see how the client control panel works. It would actually get overused just because it’s familiar and likely then result in more questions as to “why can’t this be on by default?”.
There are cases where you do need this on for specific clients and it seemed logical that if you have this set at a client level it should also be ticked. The optimum was always to have a choice, we tried to shortcut this but I concede it’s best to add this as an account level setting, so we’ll look at doing that.
I think Glenn is right here. I know when we switched to QF the temptation was there to send out pdf invoices each time but having discovered the benefits of not doing this we prefer not too. The clients still get their pdf, but they’ve got to click a link to get it.
I have generally used the invoicing without sending the PDF. I like that I can see that a user has viewed the invoice, and experience has shown that the payment normally arrives shortly after. I therefore agree with the position to not enable this as a client default. As a community that benefits from this superb free service (although some pay), we should avoid things that will push up the burden on servers.
Hi,
I am not trying to be difficult or cause anybody else any inconvenience however, we have had two local authorities in the last week who cannot access the online version of the invoice/pdf because their firewall/content filtering whatever it is blocks the site… meaning that the person who receives the email then has to email me to say that they cannot open the pdf/invoice and need to have it sent via PDF so then I need to log back in to QF to manually attach said PDF to email.
I do not want to automatically send the PDF to every client as I have clients who like the portal checking back on previous invoices they have lost/misplaced and also being able to download their own statements etc. but unfortunately the LAs need the PDF to send to Finance Dept for payment, which means it is taking even longer to get paid than it usually does, this is starting to seriously affect my cash flow, I am only a sole trader, trying to do things “by the book” and all I am asking for is an option to automatically attach a PDF Invoice to the email for a few clients.
Is there any sort of idea when this may be implemented?
I appreciate that QF is free to use for most people and that really does help as a sole trader, there are soooooo many different accounting packages that drastically range in price, and I have to say from what I have used on QF in comparison to some of the others QF is incredibly feature rich, easy to use for a non-accountant for the price tag (£0)
Please, please could you have a little look and see what you can do, I appreciate that you can’t please everybody but if I want to work, I have to provide the customer an invoice/service/procedure that they can use.
Many thanks
Debbie
@stonegatetraining are you aware that you can send PDFs to individual clients from QuickFile? You just need to enable it for a given client.
Attaching a PDF copy of your invoice
The discussion here is whether the check-box should be ticked by default or not. Providing you manually tick this box QuickFile will send a PDF attachment for you.
Yes I am aware of the check boxes, however this means that I have to remember every time I send an invoice to a client that cannot open the online PDFs rather than just sending the invoice and then not worrying about it until I get paid/it becomes overdue… at the minute I am more worried about if they can actually open it in the first place.
I would absolutely love the idea of being able to press that Client A always has a PDF attachment and Client B does not, as I too like the idea of being able to send the link and the client opening it on a mobile device easily, however as stated before some of my clients (I am sure others too) cannot use this function of QF and require a PDF invoice always.
By allowing us to press a checkbox that then automatically sends that client a PDF every time an invoice is raised would mean we don’t have to worry about how the invoice is sent, did they manage to open, I must remember to ask them if they got it, are they going to need a PDF, are they going to process the payment easily etc etc… and actually get on with working also by allowing this at a client level if another QF user does not want to use this function they just don’t tick the box…
I don’t understand why at the minute people go on to the clients account, modify the client details, tick allow invoices, statements, & estimates to be sent in PDF format… and then either:
a - never press the Attach Invoice as PDF or
b - have to press it every time…
surely if I have already said that I want it under the clients account then that’s exactly what I want - a PDF Invoice…
I am really not trying to be difficult or awkward… however you wish to label… but I am trying to run a small business with some very big customers, who unfortunately are demanding and either wont or cant access this information - I am stuck a little between a rock and hard a place
Many thanks
I just wanted to come back to you on your two points about ticking the boxes and never sending it.
We have some clients where we deal with multiple contacts (accounts departments, sales, customer services and marketing etc). The accounts department like a PDF, whereas the other departments are happy logging in.
This is where the situation, I believe, becomes a bit more complex.
[Edit]
I should add that although they are happy to log in, I’m more than happy to send them a PDF. However, I do like the fact that they can log in, and I can see this. In the worst case scenario, it gives me a bit of ammunition against the ‘I never received it’ argument should it ever arrise.
I’ve mentioned this before but I have noticed that other systems I use offer the option of HTML attachments for invoices so there is no real increased server load and it is still pretty universal. I have hundreds of emails sent to me that have HTML invoices attached and I have not had any trouble with viewing them in the mail client, on mobiles, in browsers etc.
Offering an HTML attachment option as the default attachment type would solve this issue as clients that want to send attachments can and the server load would be minimal and then sending a PDF could be a further option in settings somewhere so only users with specific clients requiring only a PDF can use it.
@stonegatetraining we have now implemented a new feature called Global Scripts. This effectively allows you to run custom Javascript inside your account, thus making it useful for these kinds of default preferences.
Global Scripts are part of the advanced customisation tools so they will require a Power User Subscription. If you have an active subscription I can add this script to your account.
For anyone looking to implement this on their own you can add the following single line statement to the scripts section.
$("#chkattachPDF").attr("checked", true);
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Hi Glenn
I am struggling with this too. I am a Power User, but don’t understand Javascript, so this seems a redundant upgrade! The suggestion above seems a much more viable option for me. Can your computer-whizzes add the JavaScript and then users can tick the box to initiate it?
Also, is there a way to set up scheduling a statement as standard, instead of having to access the client’s individual statement area? Or alternatively, a report to check which clients are set to receive a statement? I have 300+ clients and not all had the statement schedule updated. I am finding it very labourious to go through every client to check their schedule has been set correctly.
Thanks
Hi Sue
I will send you a PM to get some details from you. Please look out for a green notification in the top right of the forum.
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