Just landed a maintenance contract, but I’m stumped on how to structure the invoices. Do I bill monthly? Quarterly? Include a breakdown of hours or keep it simple?
Anyone else deal with this before? I’m used to one-off projects, so this recurring gig is new territory for me.
When I started with maintenance contracts, I struggled with this too. Here’s what worked for me:
I bill quarterly. It’s a good balance - not too frequent to be a hassle, but regular enough for steady cash flow.
I keep the invoice simple - just the agreed amount for the quarter. No breakdown of hours. My clients prefer this because it’s predictable for their budgets.
But I do keep detailed records of the work done. If a client ever asks, I can show them. It’s also handy for me to track how much time I’m really spending.
One tip: Set up automatic reminders for yourself to send these invoices. It’s easy to forget when you’re busy with the actual work.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you need anything else.