Details on Client's Invoices

[River Valley Computer]

General question for a discussion.

How much detail do you itemize on your client's invoices?

We have three different locations - 2 in one state and 1 in another state.

The one location can get by with one line item details on the invoice and the client's don't question it.

The other two locations, for some reason, seem to want more detail on the invoices.

For example the shop in Iowa can get by with saying 1) Replace memory module or 2) Re- image.

The two shops in Arkansas have had to itemize with more detail i.e. 1) Replace memory module - 1GB PC2-5300 2) Format hard drive 3) Install drivers and update 4) Install Antivirus and setup - Daily @ 8AM, etc, etc, etc.

We use Quickbooks and have them set up two different ways to accomplish the same thing.

We have experimented with clients over the years at the different locations and the AR clients want detail, the IA clients don't want detail.

I, as owner, feel the less B.S. the better, but you also have to appease the clients.

Thoughts???

 

[glennd]

i think i'm in the middle there somewhere. using quickbooks invoicing, first i note the device in question then each major thing that was done, followed by the list of parts. eg

Line 1: Toshiba L500 laptop: Uninstall bloatware, malware scan/removal, resolve email issues, resolve networking issues, install 2GB ram module - 3 hours - $xxx
Line 2: Corsair 1x2GB DDR3 RAM module - $xx

No one has ever questioned the detail but if the customer wanted more detail i'd be happy to do that, so long as it describes what actually happened.

 

[AndyM]

I realise this is for an invoice, but I feel that the more info you give, the better value for the customer. Would you, as a customer, prefer to have:

a) Fixed car - $1000.00

or

b) Replaced manifold inlet valve $500.00
Complete 60,000 mile service $500.00

My opinion is that b) gives me more value, as I know what was done.

just my $0.02 worth

Andy

 

[mraikes]

Displaced Iowan here. Makes perfect sense to me. I also don't care about details like that. "Is the work done?", "Yup.", "Good, let's get going."

But different strokes for different folks. If there's one thing I've learned from Technibble it's how different things can be from one part of the country to another.

 

[Moltuae]

I realise this is for an invoice, but I feel that the more info you give, the better value for the customer. Would you, as a customer, prefer to have:

a) Fixed car - $1000.00

or

b) Replaced manifold inlet valve $500.00
Complete 60,000 mile service $500.00

My opinion is that b) gives me more value, as I know what was done.

just my $0.02 worth

Andy

Agreed.

I list practically every single step and item on all my invoices.

I prefer to let the customer know exactly what they're paying for (which they seem to appreciate) and the details stand as a record of exactly what work was carried out (and at what cost) should anything ever be disputed or questioned later.

 

[MichaelBits]

Must be an Iowa thing. ;P

We give little detail on our invoices and no one has ever said anything... Mostly we'll just get the, "What did ya do to it?" type of question when they pick up.

If I may ask, where is your shop in Iowa?

 

[cypress]

I realise this is for an invoice, but I feel that the more info you give, the better value for the customer. Would you, as a customer, prefer to have:

a) Fixed car - $1000.00

or

b) Replaced manifold inlet valve $500.00
Complete 60,000 mile service $500.00

My opinion is that b) gives me more value, as I know what was done.

just my $0.02 worth

Andy

I am pretty much with Option B. I like to be detailed in the sense that I can always go back on my invoices if I want to look at their past history. Also helps with any discrepancies if they come up.

 

[Rosco]

I do a lot of option b.

I do an itemized list. I also always right in any "extras" given and the price that would have been. I like to call it a one time preferred customer discount.

 

[River Valley Computer]

I do a lot of option b.

I do an itemized list. I also always right in any "extras" given and the price that would have been. I like to call it a one time preferred customer discount.

We do the same all the time. If we are running a special we always put the original price on the invoice and then the discounted price. Makes the client feel like they got something.

 

[katz]

I detail my invoices as in listing each step, similar to option b. I know some techs will actually list the viruses that were removed, but I feel that is a bit much.

The two shops in Arkansas have had to itemize with more detail i.e. 1) Replace memory module - 1GB PC2-5300 2) Format hard drive 3) Install drivers and update 4) Install Antivirus and setup - Daily @ 8AM, etc, etc, etc.

I may include this much detail, although I might leave most of the specs of the memory module out. Takes up too much space, and is overkill for most clients. Normally as a rule I do not include part numbers either, although I do have a separate record for that so I know which specific part I sold to a certain client, i.e. router model number, printer model number, etc.

 

[untoldtech]

it is critically important you provide *good* data on receipts so your technicians can point out your work done and why you should get paid. Depsite telling people costs up front AND getting their authorization prior to fixing we still get the ocassional person who wants to argue about final price. example why we do this: I did a full system restore with data recovery on a box, we charge $159.99. The guy came in and tried to minimize what we did by saying uh all you did was reinstall the system why am I paying this. I make sure each service we provide has 5-7bullet points (cleaned off virus/reloaded drivers/backedup data/restored data etc etc) so I can point to each one and on top of that I tell them 'oh and the overall process takes 3-5hours'.

Another thing I've stopped doing is separating part costs from labor. I know it sounds weird I just put 'parts and labor included in price' so we get less discussions about 'well, uh, the part was $15, why are you charging so much in labor!'. If they ask about price I just say i dont know the exact price offhand but give them a ballpark of 40-50% of the bill (unless of course it's something like a keyboard.). I haven't had anyone really push for actual part costs and it has worked out well. I will say once it goes over $200 I get more specific on prices and will break it out, but under $200 I dont typically get requests for itemization beyond what we provide.

 

[callthatgirl]

My description is short.

Examples

Fixed PST, got iCloud working, Helped with iPhone.

Gmail synching fixed, calendar clean up, removed duplicates in contacts.

Migrated to exchange, 4 mailboxes

now...what I would LOVE to write

Fixed horrific outlook configuration, trained user to stop trying to fix their own problems.

 

[kjm_phd]

I too use Quickbooks for invoicing, and put quite a bit of detail into the invoice (for example, model/part number replaced, etc.). I don't want it to be ambiguous if a customer say, sues me. "Memory Installation" is worthless, but "Installed Crucial 4GB PC3-12800 Memory Module into Bank 2 (Free)" is pretty clear.

 

[Larry Sabo]

I also use QB and tend to be overly detailed, including parts description (like make, model and size of new HDD, memory type/speed, A-V license key, etc.) It's very handy when I have to look back to see exactly what was done when they have a problem months down the road and suggest "it's never worked right since you worked on it." It's great to be able to check my invoice and see that what I did has nothing whatsoever to do with the current problem. I think it also adds value in the customer's eyes, and reinforces there is no way they could have "fixed it themselves" or that it was "such a simple problem."

 

[ODITS_Russell]

Another thing I've stopped doing is separating part costs from labor. I know it sounds weird I just put 'parts and labor included in price' so we get less discussions about 'well, uh, the part was $15, why are you charging so much in labor!'.

Tax laws prohibit this don't they? Doing it that way you have to charge the client sales tax for both the parts and the labor?

 

[untoldtech]

in my state both services are taxable at the same rate so its irrevelent. I dont play the no tax on labor game.

 

[mhelpdesk]

I’ve never considered that depth of regional split-testing. I figure most major businesses handle documentation from the top-down, so they would never even know if their paperwork was frustrating one group more than another. Going heavy on the detail is probably always the safest bet. No matter where you are, there are going to be some sticklers who want more than what you have to offer.