Remote work

In this article you will discover 11 must-have tools for remote work. Let’s get started!

Remote work is a way of working outside the traditional centralized workplace. Remote working started in the 1970s in the US and gradually spread to other countries. Initially it was confined to low-paying customer service positions. This trend changed gradually, especially after the global pandemic in 2020. Studies show that remote employees work an additional 1.4 more days per month than in-office employees, which is nearly 17 additional workdays a year. One of the factors that accelerated this change is the availability of the New remote working tools which has made digital transformation really easy. Distributed teams can collaborate seamlessly and collaborate efficiently from all over the world if they use the best available remote working tools

Experts from Marketing and growth tools Discovery Website growtboosters.com says that there are some common traits in  remote working tools

• Accessibility – Employees should be able to use the tool from anywhere in the world over the internet. They should not have to worry about installation and maintenance. A majority of remote work tools use cloud-based technology and with access from anywhere in the world. 
• Easy-to-use – All popular work-from-home tools have an intuitive and user-friendly interface. There should not be a steep learning curve to use the tool. 
• Affordable – Organizations analyze the cost viability of the software and should be able to buy a tool without burning a hole in their wallet. 
• Effective – The tool should serve its purpose effectively. Users get frustrated with ineffective tools that do not improve their productivity or performance.  

Eleven remote working tools

Remote workers turn to coffee shops or coworking spaces, and some even travel the world while maintaining their career goals. This has been possible only because of the availability of some of the best remote working  tools which has made the digital transformation really easy from any part of the world as long as there is a stable internet connection. Here is a list of must have tools for anyone who wants to do the remote work.

Gwork.io

Gwork is a platform that boosts the productivity of remote teams. The tool builds a profile of each employee on various parameters such as:

• Tasks status (completed, start
• Date, due date, late delivery, and delivery speed)
• HR data
• Sales Data
• Net Promoter Score
• Employee evaluation
• Team activities

 Gwork automatically collects all relevant data. Employees can examine the data to determine their strengths at work and the areas they need to improve. Businesses can integrate the Gwork’s dashboard with other systems with the data being updated daily. It is an excellent performance evaluation tool and the results are transparent to employees and employers.

Also read: 22 Best Remote Working Tools That Make Life Easy

ProofHub 

ProofHub simplifies the process of managing multiple remote teams. It is an integrated project management software. Businesses can handle multiple projects seamlessly, irrespective of the team size. Companies use the tool to manage project tasks, track work hours, and generate project reports. ProofHub can help you manage every aspect of project management activity. It has several useful features like built-in chat, file storage, and sharing for improved collaboration. 

Slack 

Slack is a great communication tool and simplifies communication and collaboration Remote teams can communicate in real-time and promotes bonding. You can create channels to act as dedicated spaces where team members can collaborate and send direct messages to a particular team member. It is easy to integrate Slack with third-party apps such as Google Drive and Zappier. 

Zoom

Zoom is one of the best tools for video conferences. You can use the tool to connect with your team visually and audibly with minimal distribution with over 1000 people can participate in a Zoom conference. Companies can conduct sales and project meets over the platform. They can share a presentation and content seamlessly during a meeting, and conduct live meetings and webinars over the platform. Zoom allows the option to record and share the meetings and is invaluable for training sessions. Zoom is user-friendly and scalable. You can integrate it with Office 365, Exchange, and Google Calendar. According to Zoom, over 200 million daily meetings take place via the app.

Also read: 7 Tips on how to Work Effectively as a Remote Engineer

Google Calendar

Google Calendar offers 100% transparency and has a user-friendly interface. Anyone on the team the view of the team’s professional. Google Calendar, view the workload or availability of a team member. The calendar is popular as remote and office location mode. 

Google Drive

Google Drive is the most popular collaborative tool out there. Remote teams can use it to share files, pictures, videos, and presentations. The data stored on the drive is secure, and you can choose with who to share documents and drive, and grant viewing and editing permission as per your preferences. You can sync Google Drive across devices, so everyone views and updates them from anywhere. You can use Google Drive to create and store your Google documents.

EmailAnalytics 

Email Analytics is a productivity tool that gives data on your team’s email activity. The app records team member’s average response time to an email and the number of emails sent and received daily. Sales and customer service teams use the data to monitor and improve their productivity. Email Analytics users have reported a 42.5% improvement in response time. Team managers can get monthly, weekly, and daily reports with benchmarks to compare their teams’ performance versus other teams. No special software installation is required, and it is easy to install and track team members’ email activity. 

Active Campaign

Active Campaign allows for marketing automation. You can use the platform for your email campaign and nurture leads. It is a popular app for marketing and sales teams. The marketing team uses it to automate the customer’s journey further in the sales funnel. Sales teams use it to create deals. Active Campaign can create deals when the lead, it can take actions like submitting a form and downloading a lead magnet. They can use Active Campaign lead scoring parameters to target and message the most active leads automatically. You can integrate Active Campaign with over 250 apps for enhanced productivity. 

Calendly

It is complicated to schedule meetings with people outside your business. It gets more complex when you need to deal with different time zones. You can send invites through links created by Calendly. The invitee can use the link to time slots from the options available. You can integrate Calendly with Google, Outlook, and Office 365 so you are never double booked. Large sales team find the app very convenient because it distributes lead automatically to the team according to the capacity of each team member. 

Teamwork

Teamwork is a project management tool that allows projects to be broken down into tasks and sub-tasks. Teams use it to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. With advanced features like task management, instant chat, time tracker, and profitability report project monitoring become simpler. You can use it to connect with team members or colleagues without leaving the platform and use the handy template tool to reduce repetitive manual tasks. Companies can integrate Teamwork with other applications used by them, so everything runs from one location.

Yaara.ai

Yaara is an AI powered Business suite which can be used in remote project management. It Creates projects & Task Scheduling Without human Interaction. It gives teams everything they need to stay in sync, hit deadlines, and reach their goals. It also has a speech to Text AI technology for quick work actions making it easier for remote workers 

We’ve seen the world change dramatically in the two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, which caused mental health difficulties among people in the US. Around 21% of adults experienced high levels of psychological distress, while 28% noted that the outbreak changed their lives in a major way.

 

Although feelings of psychological distress have edged down since March 2020, many are still nervous as we enter a new phase of the pandemic. In many industries, employees are slowly trickling back into their workplaces and normal life. However, there are still millions of people who are still working remotely, engaging in hybrid set-ups, or opting to freelance for good.

Unfortunately, being a remote worker poses new challenges that cause us stress, anxiety, or a lack of motivation. For instance, we’re constantly blurring the line between our work and our personal life — and that strains our inner resources.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how you can care for your mental health as a remote worker.

Also read: 20 Best low stress jobs | High paying low stress jobs (With median pay)

Why Is Mental Health Important for Remote Workers?

Like other major historical events, the pandemic left a profound impact on modern workplaces. Experts recognize that the work-from-home trend is here to stay, but also creates issues, such as:

1. Employees doing more work, even when they’re sick, because they don’t want to be viewed as slacking off at home.

2. Employees feeling the need to be responsive and in work-mode at all hours

3. Employees struggling with loneliness due to the lack of collaboration and camaraderie with their teams

4. Employees facing increased risk for substance abuse and addiction

5. Employees growing demotivated with their contributions, which seem less meaningful due to lack of visibility

All these factors, combined with the strains of the pandemic, is a recipe for mental health issues. If a remote worker wants to be productive and avoid burnout, it’s essential for them to maintain their sense of well-being by caring for their mental health.

Also read: 8 Remote Work Habits Of Every Productive Employee

7 Ways to Protect Your Mental Health While Working Remotely

There is no one easy solution to protect your mental health. Rather, you need to make a series of strategic changes and choices that will help improve the quality of your life as a remote worker. Here are five ways to keep yourself mentally strong while working from home:

1. Establish a healthy routine for yourself

Having a clear routine for yourself provides you with a structure that separates your work and home life. The great thing about being a remote worker is you now can customize a more flexible schedule for yourself. Keeping to consistent hours for work, sleep, and other activities is a great way to organize your mind.

2. Personal routine

Now that you’re no longer commuting, you can schedule a number of self-care activities in the morning. Eat breakfast, change into “work clothes”, or get some sunshine before logging-in for the day. This allows you to refocus and energize for the work ahead. Once your work hours are done, stop checking your emails and notifications.

3. Work routine

For your work routine, it’s best to stick with a manageable to-do list of high-priority tasks to accomplish within the day. Block out break times in your calendar, and share your schedule with co-workers. If you need support, ask for it, rather than extending your work hours.

4. Cultivate positive habits

Remote work offers us an environment conducive to habit changes. We have the opportunity to experiment with the way we live and work. Things we previously didn’t have time for — exercise, mindfulness, journaling — can be part of our routines, now that we have more control over our schedules.

One really good habit to cultivate is putting your phone down. Whether you’re doom-scrolling on Twitter for the news or comparing your life with others’ on Instagram, staying glued to your screen feeds negativity and increasing anxiety. Try to be more intentional with how you use your phone (and your time) every day.

Also read: Best 50 virtual icebreaker games for remote teams

5. Avoid isolating yourself

Humans are social beings, so engaging positively with others gives our mental health a boost. Fortunately, technologies are available to keep us from being isolated. We can socialize with friends and colleagues over digital coffee breaks or weekly Zoom get-togethers. If it’s safer where you live, you can even look into co-working spaces or “work dates” with other freelancers and remote employees in your circle.

Make it a point to talk about how you’re all coping with the current circumstances, and share in positive thinking or humor. By actively going out of your way to be in good company, you can offload stress and find support.

6. Talk to a mental health professional

Work stress can easily escalate into bigger problems like burnout, depression, or insomnia. Seeking professional help when you’re going through a hard time isn’t something to be ashamed of. Much like our physical condition, we need to visit experts for our mental condition as well. And even if you’re not feeling unwell, you can still visit a therapist to:

• Address changes in your life
  
• Learn to handle uncomfortable emotions and situations
  
• Unload baggage without being judged
  
• Discover someone else’s perspective about you
  
• Hear objective insights to your problems
  
• Receive advice for personal improvement and growth

Fortunately, many healthcare and social work professionals are now offering remote therapy services to mitigate the healthcare worker shortage in the US. These professionals are trained in communication skills and appropriate web-side manners, so you’ll be in good hands. For best results, attend your virtual sessions consistently.

7. Consider taking time off

Even if you’re working from home, you’re still entitled to take paid time off for yourself. Although your options are limited, it can be very refreshing to take your mind off work and simply do things you enjoy for a day or so. Taking a break is not only beneficial for your mental health, but it can also unlock your motivation when you return.

If you’re undergoing severe mental health problems, having a career gap is perfectly common. Many people opt to take a long break from the professional world to seek treatment for depression and other health concerns. You can also have a career gap to develop new proficiencies or to travel around the world.

To summarize, remote workers are prone to a lot of mental health concerns associated with isolation and lack of work-life balance. It’s essential to treat yourself gently, no matter where you work, to live a fulfilling and healthy life.

New to the amazing world of the gig economy? In this post, we share some of the best freelancer tools out there. Let’s take off!

Freelancer tools

Freelancing has taken quite a huge precedence in the professional world. The freedom of working at your own comfort has created a massive appeal among professionals in various sectors. But then to function efficiently, you need to be equipped with the best freelancer tools.

As a freelancer, one has to perform multiple functions like hiring for assistance, project management, planning, organizing, communication, and controlling the finances. These activities require faster completion and efficient execution. This is when the freelancer tools come into play.

In this article, we will focus on the best apps for freelancers, freelancing software, and prominent freelance management platforms.

Also read: 25 Highest paying remote jobs in 2022 | Best work from home jobs

Types of freelance tools in the market

Different types of freelance tools are available in the market for the effective functioning of the activities and tasks of a freelancer. The key ones are listed below:

• Calendar Tools – For planning and scheduling activities
• Freelance Project Management Tools – For planning and tracking progress
• Social Media Management Tools – For social media freelance contract and other services
• Communication Tools – For collaborating with customers and peers
• Writing Tools – Tools for freelance writers
• Time Tracking Tools – For time management and tracking
• Finance Tools – For billing and invoicing
• Tools for Design – For graphic designing and visual content creation
• Tools for legal documentation – For paperwork and contract creation

Also read: How to invoice as a freelancer? | Quick guide to making invoice – with examples

Top 25 best freelancer tools

Now let’s discuss the top 25 best freelancer tools under each of the above-mentioned categories. These freelancer tools will aid you in your daily activities of work execution, management, communication, and collaboration with multiple stakeholders. You can select any of this freelancer software as per your requirements and use it following the freelancer tutorial.

1. Google Calendar – one of the popular tools for freelancers

One of the popular tools for freelancers, Google Calendar aids in managing and tracking appointments. It is a freelance software whose events can be shared easily with others. It lacks graphic beauty although.

Pricing: The business version is charged at USD 5 per month per user.

2. Google Drive – one of the commonly used freelance tools

Google Drive is one of the commonly used freelance tools. It provides a storage space of 15GB; one of the best freelance apps for collaboration. It has some risks in terms of access control.

Pricing: Monthly plans are USD 1.99 for 100 GB, USD 2.99 for 200 GB, USD 9.99 for 2TB and USD 49.99 for 10TB.

3. Unremot – one of the best freelance tools

Unremot is one of the best freelance tools when it comes to creating a virtual office-like platform. You can create your own personal office and can collaborate with multiple users virtually. Unremot is the best software for freelance aiding you to schedule and conduct meetings, manage communities, and scheduling and make payments. All in one space aptly termed as a business-in-one solution. 

Besides, it allows you to check on your existing clients, find prospective opportunities and create your own community in its platform. If you are looking for guidance and assistance in any sector, then you can use Unremot’s platform to search for experts, look through their profiles and connect with them. 

Hosted in a SaaS platform, it allows easy access for operating in a virtual and remote mode. It is better to sign up for keeping track of your meetings, connect with various experts, and leverage the personal space allotted to each user.

Pricing: Beginner plan offered free. Professional plan for USD 10 per month. Pemium plan for USD 30 per month. Platinum plan for USD 100 per month. You can avail 14 days free trial before availing of the paid pricing plans.

4. Boomerang – one of the best tools for freelancers for client communication

Boomerang is one of the best tools for freelancers to communicate. It has an efficient feature of managing and scheduling emails. It slows down the loading of gmails since it functions via the chrome extension.

Pricing: The Basic plan is free. The monthly plans are – Personal for USD 4.99, Pro for USD 14.99, and Premium for USD 49.99.

5. Hemingway App – best freelance software for writing

Hemingway App is the best freelance software for writing and grammar checking. Provides suggestions for paragraphs, consistency in the usage of active and passive voices. The free version of the app is only available online though.

Pricing: One of the best freelancer apps available for a one-time fee of USD 19.99

6. Bonsai – best software for freelancers for legal work

Bonsai is one of the best software for freelancers with regard to contract creation. It allows reviewing of contracts and e-signing them; benefitting a contract freelancer. It is only available in the English language.

Pricing: The monthly plans are – Basic for USD 19, and Advanced for USD 29.

7. Google Keyword Planner – one of the best SEO freelancer tools

Google Keyword Planner is one of the best SEO freelancer tools. It helps to find keywords for ranking websites, along with the estimated bids. The new version of the tool lacks the feature of broad and phrase match while searching.

Pricing: Free

Also read: 8 Best free Video Conferencing Software 2022 | Connect & Collaborate!

8. Tableau – Popular freelancer analytics tool

Tableau is a popular freelance analytics tool for data visualization. It captures raw data and transforms them into a readable format with the help of dashboards, and graphs. The prices are a bit high compared to others.

Pricing: For analytics freelancers, the price is USD 70 per month

9. Trello – a project management tool for freelancers

Trello is a project management tool for freelancers. It is one of the best freelancer tools for work management, allowing team members to ideate, plan, and organize work. But it is not suitable for handling big projects.

Pricing: There is a free plan. The paid monthly plans per user are – Standard at USD 5, Premium at USD 10, and Enterprise at USD 17.50.

10. EngageBay – free software to keep track of clients

EngageBay is a free software to keep track of clients. It is one of the best CRM freelance management software, aiding in deal management, and sales automation. For email templates, the drag and drop options are a bit stringent.

Pricing: It is a freelance management platform that offers a free plan and trial. Per-user monthly plans include – Basic for USD 10.79, Growth for USD 35.99, and Pro for USD 57.59.

11. Basecamp – a freelancer management software

Basecamp is a freelancer management software, widely used as one of the best freelancer tools. It is a project management software for freelancers for organizing projects, scheduling events, and assigning tasks. But it does not have a time tracking feature.

Pricing: It can be used free or upgraded to a Business plan for USD 99 per month

12. Cushion – one of the popular apps for freelance work

Cushion is one of the popular apps for freelance work. It helps to visualize schedules, track invoices, time and gain customer insight. The app is not 100% accurate in calculating fees.

Pricing: It is a freelancer management platform with 3 monthly plans – Subsidized at USD 10, Pro at USD 15, and Supporter at USD 20.

13. Hubstaff – freelancer tracker for managing teams

Hubstaff is a freelance tracker for managing teams. It is one of the best project management software for freelancers with features like time tracking, project budgeting, employee monitoring, and organizing work orders. Navigation in Hubstaff is a bit tough.

Pricing: Hubstaff is a freelance project management software with two per user monthly plans – Desk Starter for USD 5, and Desk Pro for USD 10.

Also read: Managing Remote Teams: 15 effective tips that will come handy in 2022

14. Scoro – freelance dashboard tool

Scoro is a freelance dashboard tool that helps to track sales and performance. Besides, it is also used for time management, project management, billing, and invoicing. Pricing is suitable for big businesses mainly.

Pricing: The per-user monthly plans are – Essential for USD 26, Standard for USD 37, and Pro for USD 63.

15. Zoho CRM – tool for marketing freelancers

Zoho CRM is a tool for marketing freelancers and is one of the top-rated freelancer marketing software. Its key features include sales enablement, omnichannel management, and performance management. You may experience some performance issues.

Pricing: It is one of the freelancing apps that can be used for free. The per-user monthly plans are Standard for USD 12, Professional for USD 20, and Enterprise for USD 35.

16. Canva – app for freelance designers

Canva is an app for freelance designers. It has an online video recorder, trim and split tool for video editing, and creating designs faster. It does not have a provision for local storage of data.

Pricing: If you want to set up freelance business, you can use it initially for free. Later, as per needs, you can upgrade to a monthly plan charging USD 12.99

17. Yoast SEO – best self employed software for writing and SEO 

Yoast SEO is the most popular and best self employed software for SEO. It is very helpful in conducting business freelance; ranking websites through keywords and checking readability. However, Yoast SEO is not intelligent in understanding the intent of the content. 

Pricing: USD 99 per year for the Premium plan.

18. Asana for freelancers

Asana for freelancers is a freelancer management system. It helps to manage projects, assign tasks, and track progress; one of the best project management tools for freelancers. However, it does not have a time tracking feature.

Pricing: The Basic plan is free. The Premium and Business plans per month per user are USD 10.99 and USD 24.99 respectively.

Also read: 50+ High income skills | Most profitable skills to learn in 2022

19. Skype – For freelancer live chat

For freelancer live chat with clients and team members, Skype is one of the best freelance management systems for communication. It allows audio and video calling, smart messaging, call recording, and screen sharing. Only sometimes picks up background noises.

Pricing: Subscription of USD 2.99 per month for unlimited minutes

20. Bitrix24 – Best CRM for freelancer

Bitrix24 is the best CRM for freelancer work. It is used for sales automation, collaboration for leads, deals, and contacts, creating quotes and online invoices. The support for the tool needs improvement.

Pricing: It has a free plan and three monthly paid plans – Basic, Standard, and Professional for USD 39, USD 79, and USD 159 respectively.

21. Harvest – a freelance tracker for time

Harvest is a freelance tracker for tracking time and then subsequently invoicing for the same. It creates visual reports for analyzing the progress and performance of teams. It needs some improvement in displaying the time cumulatively.

Pricing: Harvest software per freelance project is free and for unlimited projects, it is USD 12 per month.

22. PayPal – one of the best freelance invoice software

Paypal is one of the best freelance invoice software for money transfer and online payment. The best is you can make the payments on the go. Only that the chargeback fees are higher compared to other software.

Pricing: You only need to pay fees for online transfers and payments.

Also read: Free Invoice Software | Top 25 free invoice software that best suits your business

23. Square – a freelancer billing software

Square is a freelancer billing software. It is used for buying, selling, and sending money. The software may not be appropriate for handling a huge number of transactions.

Pricing: It is a software freelancer users can leverage for free. There is a processing fee of 2.6% + 10 cents.

24. Zoom – online software for freelancers

Zoom is an online software for freelancers for phone, chats, webinars, meetings, and online events. It provides workspaces for collaboration. It is good to avoid discussing confidential information in Zoom.

Pricing: Its Basic plan is free. The yearly paid plans are – Pro for USD 149.90, Busines for USD 199.90, and Enterprise for USD 240.90.

Best way to use dropbox for freelance business

If you are looking for cloud storage, then it is the best way to use dropbox for freelance business. You can upload, and share photos, and videos. Although it lacks metadata search facilities.

Pricing: The basic plan is free. The monthly plan for the tool per freelance user, called Plus, is USD 9.99. While the Family plan is USD 16.99 monthly.

New to the freelancing scene or want to up your game? One of the most crucial indicators of professionalism is your invoice. This post will show you how to invoice as a freelancer.

How to invoice as a freelancer?

Freelancers do not work for any organization as an employee but pick up multiple assignments from different clients. It is imperative to know how to invoice as a freelancer as it helps them to be paid on time. The invoice helps to remove confusion or misunderstanding between freelancer and their clients. In this blog, we explain how to write up an invoice for freelance work.

What is a freelancer invoice?

Freelancer invoice is a document where the freelancer informs their customer about the fees due as per terms of the contract. You can issue your invoice on paper or electronically.  The invoice contains information about the product or services provided, payment, freelancer and customer details. How to issue an invoice as a freelance can show your professionalism and how well you know your business. It is an important document it is important is without any mistakes or errors.. There are some great sample freelance invoice available online that you can use.

Also read: Free Invoice Software | Top 25 free invoice software that best suits your business

How is creating an invoice for freelance work is different from a regular invoice?

Creating an invoice for freelance work can be tricky.  When you work regularly you get paid every week or month. Freelancer income fluctuates especially when they are working for multiple clients. While meeting deadlines is important a freelance must maintain a positive cash flow. You can send your invoices by regular mail or send an email.

• Opt for an online invoicing system, you can use your invoice for branding purposes. You can use a database with client information, where the information can be automatically adding the information. As a freelancer you need to ensure all the information is accurate. 
• You should number every invoice this will help you track what is outstanding and what has been paid. 
• You need to track taxation and languages to accommodate international clients. Keep a track of the self employment tax rate in each state or country. 
• Provide detailed information of the services provided – date, work completed, man-hours required. It will be easier for your client to examine the invoice. 
• Describe how you will accept payment, due date, and any discount associated with on-time payment. Thank your client for the work.
• Try to use multiple payment methods for your payments. Clients may prefer freelancer who fit their model.  Payment partners offer free or low cost options.

10 items to include when making an invoice for freelance work

It can be daunting to create invoice for freelance work when you first begin. Remember you have already done the hard part of completing the assignment successfully. Here is how to invoice as a freelancer. There are 10 items you should include when making an invoice freelance work –

1. Professional header –  your invoice should have a professional header where your business name with its logo or your full name is legible format. 
2. Contact information – Under your name include contact information – mailing address, phone number, and website. Alternatively, you can add your contact information to top right or left side of the invoice. 
3. Client contact information – Your invoice should specify your client’s name. You can include the recipient’s contact information.
4. Invoice number – Each invoice should have a unique identification number. This will help you keep track of invoices. You can adapt your own system as long as you do not get confused. 
5. Date prepared – You should mention the date the invoice was prepared. The invoice date helps you track payment delays.
6. Due date – Specify a due date on your invoice. Freelancers typically give a 30 or 60-day timeline for payment.   You can refer to the payment terms when you agreed to the job.
7. Payment Option – You can specify how you wish to receive payment in your invoice – cash, cheque, credit card, or payment provider like Paypal. 
8. Payment terms – Specify if you charge a late fee for overdue payments. If you do charge a late fee we recommend you send one or two reminders before the invoice is overdue. 
9. Breakdown of service –  It is important to add the breakdown for the services you offer. If you are offering many services be sure to itemize each service on a new line. 
10. Total amount due – Don’t forget to add the total amount due. The total amount should be bold and emphasized. Do not forget to charge them VAT.

You can add a personal touch to maintain the client relationship. You can add a thank you to the invoice.

Also read: Flexible Hours | The hidden powers of flexible scheduling & its pros and cons

How to create an invoice for freelance work?

Whether you freelance temporarily or work as a freelancer full-time, you need to know how to create an invoice for freelance work. Many companies will not pay you till you send them an invoice. One of the first things you need to decide is how you will charge your client – you may decide to charge them on an hourly basis or charge a flat fee. Your rates may defer depending on the complexity of the project. Freelancers can use three methods to prepare their invoice- 

• You can create an invoice template on Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or Excel. 
• You can use online invoice templates and customize it as required.
• You can use bookkeeping software to create your invoice. There are free and paid bookkeeping software available in the market for invoicing.

Invoice for freelancers – 10 samples

As a freelancer it is important to get paid on time. You need to have a robust invoicing system in place. Invoices help you look more professional. It shows your client the services you have provided and how much they need to pay you. The invoice helps to maintain your records. We have some freelance invoice example below. You can refer to these and learn how to make an invoice for freelance work.

Writing an invoice for freelance work

Only 71% of freelancers get paid on time. Invoicing is a critical to ensure you get paid on time. You can invoice your clients weekly, monthly or per projects. An advantage of writing an invoice for freelance work is you can supply a payment options where you can be and track and record your payment. We have provided a freelance template invoice for your reference. 

Invoice			Logo
Your Company Name <<Street Name>> <<City, State, Zip Code>> <<Phone Number>> <<Email Address>>			Date Invoice No <Payment terms (due on receipt, due in X days)>
BILL TO Customer Name <<Street Name>> <<City, State, Zip Code>> <<Phone Number>> <<Email Address>>			Project Details Project Name/Department Project Description
Description	Hours	Rate		Total
		$0.00		$0.00
		$0.00		$0.00
		$0.00		$0.00
Remarks/Payment Instructions		Subtotal		$0.00
		Discount		0.0%
		Subtotal less Discount		$0.00
		Tax Rate		0.00%
		Tax		$0.00
		Balance Due		$0.00
Thank you for your business

 

Also read: Voice Echoing | 10 tips to fix voice echoing and make your calls super productive!

Freelance artist invoice

A freelance artist works on a short-term basis or a contractual basis. Depending on their skills, they can work in industries like advertising, journalism, and design. Freelancer artists usually have a niche – writing, designing, or producing art pieces. Before you learn how to send an invoice for freelance work, you need to know the average hourly salary of a freelance artist, they earn $26/hour. You can use the freelance artist invoice template below.

Invoice				Your Company Name Business Address City Country Postal
BILL TO: Company Name Address City Country Postal				INVOICE # 00000001 DATE 12/31/20 INVOICE DUE DATE           12/31/20
ITEMS	DESCRIPTION	QUANTITY	PRICE		TAX	AMOUNT
ITEM 1	Description	1	$000.00		1%	$000.00
ITEM 2	Description	1	$000.00		1%	$000.00
Total
NOTES:		TOTAL

 

Sample invoice freelance writer

A freelance writer is a writer who works as a contractor for a company. They can work for multiple organizations simultaneously. Freelance writers are generalists and can write for websites, press releases, blogs, internal corporate communication, or marketing materials. Before you make a freelance writing invoice, you need to know the average salary for a freelance writer is $30.39/hour or $63213/hour. You can use this sample invoice freelance writer.

FREELANCE WRITER INVOICE
[Insert Company Name and Address]	Invoice Date
To: [Insert Recipient’s Name and Address]	For: [Insert Description of Services Rendered]

 

DESCRIPTION	DATE	HOURS/ARTICLES	RATE/FEE	AMOUNT
			Total
Payment Instructions Thank You

 

Also read: 14 best productivity tips to achieve more at work

Invoice freelance designer 

Designers use tools to create posters, websites, logos, brochures, magazines, and other materials to communicate their ideas or present information in a visual format. While learning how to write an invoice for a self-employed freelance invoice, you need to know how much to charge your clients. The average salary of freelance designers in the US is $30.27 per hour. We have provided a tabulated sample of an invoice for a freelance designer.

[Company Name] Name: [Name] Street Address: [Street Address] City, State: [City, State] ZIP Code: [ZIP Code] Phone: [Phone] E-mail: [E-Mail]			FREELANCE DESIGNER INVOICE
Invoice No			Date : 10.02.2022
Client CompanyName: [Name] Street Address: [Street Address] City, State: [City, State] ZIP Code: [ZIP Code] Phone: [Phone] E-mail: [E-Mail]
Description	Hours	$ / Hours		Amount ($)
[Comments or Special Instructions]		SUBTOTAL
		DISCOUNT
Payment is due within 15 days.		TAX
		TOTAL

Freelance videographer invoice template

Freelance videographer captures video content for their clients when required. They work under a producer, alone, or as a part of the recording team for anything from a long movie or short music or promotional video. They provide, maintain, and operate their own equipment, shooting the footage, and editing the content. While learning how to invoice for freelance work you should know the prevalent market rates. The average salary of a freelance videographer is $49,080/year. We have added a videographer invoice example which you can modify and use as a freelance videographer invoice template.

Invoice
Creative Media Production 101 Fake Street, Lorem  New York 50550		Invoice No 28563 Date:01/01/2020
Bill to  Dwayne Clark 24 Dummy street Lorem Seum 570568		Payable in 7 days
Quantity	Product Description	Price	Total
45	Video production	$60.00	$2700.00
1	Product Demo	$200.00	$200.00
10	Wedding Video Highlights	$35.00	$350.00
60	Weekly Videos for Jewelry Brand Instagram	$65.00	$3900.00
		Subtotal	$7150.00
		Vat	5%
		Total	$7883.00

 

Also read: How to start a successful freelance writer career in 7 steps?

Invoice for personal services

There are many personal services you can offer while freelancing. They can range from web design, business coaching, to content marketing. It is vital to protect your financial and legal interests. You must invoice for personal service properly. You use the following freelance invoice sample.

Invoice
Your Company Name Your Name 123 Abc St.  Tel: ###-###-#### Email: _______________
Billing Company Address Contact Details		Invoice No #### Date Jan 1, 0001 Due Date Jan 14, 001
Quantity	Description		Unit Price	Price
1	Provided Services Description (date range)		$0.00	$0.00
			SUBTOTAL
			SALES TAX
			SHIPPING & HANDLING
			TOTAL
Notes
If you have any questions concerning this invoice, please contact: Your Name  Tel: (###) ###-#### THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS!

Also read: best remote graphic design jobs | Salaries, qualifications & skills needed!

Graphic designer freelance invoice

Graphic designers work to generate visual designs for their clients. The design may be logo, working web designer on the website, or generating designs for brochures and pamphlets.  Brands use their designs to communicate ideas to their customers. Graphic designers incorporate texts and images in their design and must be able to work on different media. 21% of graphic designers are freelancers. The average salary of graphic designer is $30.27/hr. 

Your Logo
Your Details
Graphic  Designers  ABC Seller Graphic Designer Location Street,City Country Postal Code		Client’s Name To ABC Company Client Location  Street, City Postal code
Invoice no		Due Date
Invoice Date
Item	Quantity	Rate	Subtotal
Logo Design	X	$0.00	$0.00
Social Media Announcement Banner	A	$0.00	$0.00
Infographics	A	$0.00	$0.00
Brochure Design	A	$0.00	$0.00
Invoice Summary
		Subtotal	$0.00
		Vat	$0.00
		Total	$0.00
Payment Instructions

 

Freelance hourly invoice template

Clients often pay freelancers for the number of hours they have worked rather than a fixed price for the service they provide. Hourly projects are best suited for long-term projects, projects where the scope is undefined, or where you have established a long-term relationship with the client. While learning how to go about invoicing for freelancer, here are some things you need to remember – create milestones for invoicing with your client and accurately track the time through apps or manually. 

Company Name Street Address City, state, Zip Code Phone-  Fax Email Address	Invoice #000 Date : XX/XX/2022 Due Date : XX/XX/2022
To	For
DESCRIPTION		HOURS	RATE	AMOUNT
		TOTAL
Make all checks payable to  Payment is due within 30 days. If you have any questions concerning this invoice, contact: Your Name  Tel: (###) ###-#### Thank you for your business!

 

Also read: Remote proofreading jobs: Top 10 ways to become an awesome proofreader

Freelance editor invoice template

A freelance editor’s job description can vary from proofreading something to guiding a writer on a book or article’s subject or theme. They may make suggestions for the structure, layout, and uniformity of the piece of writing.  Editors need to have attention to detail.  How to write an invoice for payment will vary depending on the rate. The rate editor can charge for their work will depend significantly on their job description and experience. The average hourly rate of an editor is $29.50/hr or $61,370/yr. Here is a freelance editor invoice template you can use.

Company logo				Your Company Name Your Business Address City Country Postal Code
BILL TO: Company Name Address City Country Postal code				INVOICE # 00000001 DATE 12/31/20 INVOICE DUE DATE 12/31/20
Sr No	Description	Quantity	Price		Tax	Amount
1	Description	1	$0.00		1%	$0.00
2	Description	1	$0.00		1%	$0.00
Total						$0.00
Notes

 

Also read: Remote Virtual Assistants Jobs

Virtual assistant invoice template

Virtual assistant assists companies with tasks like sending emails, booking reservations, maintaining and scheduling appointments and meetings, managing social media accounts, and any support tasks as required. As a freelance virtual assistant, you can use the market rate as an indicator to set your price. It will depend on your experience, education levels, and quantum of work. According to PayScale, the hourly rate for VA is $15.69/hr. You can use the following virtual assistant invoice template.

Add Logo		Date on Invoice
		Invoice number
FROM		To
[COMPANY NAME]		[COMPANY NAME]
[ATTN]		[ATTN]
[STREET ADDRESS]		[STREET ADDRESS]
[CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE]		[CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE]
[PHONE]		[PHONE]
[E-MAIL]		[E-MAIL]
Description	Hours		Rate	Amount
Description	X hr		$0.00	$0.00
Notes			Subtotal	$0.00
			Discount	$0.00
			Tax/Vat	$0.00
			Total	$0.00
Thank you for your business!

 

Can I make an invoice without a company?

As a freelancer, you may wonder, can I make an invoice without a company? When you offer freelance services, you already own a business, even if it is unregistered. You are responsible for all profits, debts, and losses and you need not formally register your business. You are free to invoice your clients for the services you offer.

What are the payment terms for freelancers?

Payment terms are the payment instructions included in quotes, contracts, and invoices and summarize how you will receive your payments. You can add some of these payment terms when you make your invoice.

• Late payment terms refer to the terms for not making the payment by the due date. You can charge a late fee or additional interest charges.
• Each invoice has a due date or the date by which you should receive payment. Freelancers prefer a 7, 15, or 30-day payment cycle to track payments. 
• Mention payment method. You can opt for bank transfer, Paypal, credit or debit card, or cheque.
• You can offer discounts for new clients, early payments, or bulk work. 
• Freelancers may have international clients. Freelance invoicing should mention the currency.
• Deposits are a vital part of your payment terms. Let the client know the advance or deposits in advance. Mention if it is deductible from the next invoice or if the deposit is refundable. 

How to invoice a company as an individual?

As an individual, here is how to write an invoice for freelance work-

• Use a professional header to state your business name and logo or your full name, and include all your contact information. 
• Select an invoice template you find appropriate. There are many free freelance work templates available online. 
• Bill your client according to the payment terms mentioned in the contract. 
• Companies usually have a billing department. Remember to send the invoice to the correct department and copies to concerned individuals.
• Send invoices to your client according to their billing cycle. You will know when to send your bill and when you should follow up. 
• You may need to send reminders to follow up for payment.

Working remotely is quite known by now, and it became the standard for several firms to handle remote employees, but many still don’t have a remote work setup for their employees. In this blog, we share some of the best practices! Read on.

While operating from home had been a novel notion for the majority of the population, the situation was very distinct.

People who began working virtually during a time when video conferencing was just becoming a viable option suffered a variety of difficulties, including poor productivity, lower involvement, isolation, and solitude, to name a few.

Even those who are considering the move to working virtually today often express their frustration with the difficulty they have adjusting to this new employment model.

To figure out what performs better for the people operating virtually in this circumstance, the most realistic option is to use the constant learning approach.

Nonetheless, aside from the fact that it is a time-consuming procedure, you will have to exert additional effort to test a variety of ideas and discover the ones that can genuinely assist you in becoming a successful online employee.

also read: Rotating Shift | How does it work, examples and templates

Best Practices for Remote Work

Several individuals have effectively surmounted the difficulties of working from home over past years. But also, occasionally, they have spoken up about their strategies for being happy and effective while working from home.

By incorporating these techniques into your everyday routine, you can perform at your peak and establish yourself as a productive remote workforce.

1. Communication Policies and Procedures

Every virtual company owner would advise you that communication should be your priority. In the absence of well-defined communication norms, your company is doomed to failure. It may seem terrible, but the reality is that this is the case. Communicating is essential for distant workforces to function effectively.

Ask workers to assume what you are feeling or suggest if they cannot read one another’s thoughts since people do not have this ability. It is preferable to over-communicate and be certain that the procedures are clear – primarily since this will provide the groundwork for how workers are supposed to interact with their leadership and staff in the following years.

By establishing effective communication techniques and methods from the outset, it’ll be much simpler for everybody to do their duties quickly and successfully.

Also read: Team Communication 101: How to best communicate with large teams?

2. Employ the Proper Personnel

Creating a great company is mostly dependent on the team members you have on your team. Administrators frequently believe that they can do all tasks on their own since, unfortunately, they do not have confidence in their staff’s abilities.

Furthermore, when executives choose the incorrect individuals, they make this error! When you conduct effective interviewing, ask the appropriate questions, and look for soft skills, you will be able to employ the most qualified candidates and build a strong workforce.

3. Sessions in Person Should Be Scheduled at Least Once a Month

Meetings are not only beneficial from a communications standpoint, but they also help remote employees to build a bond of confidence between the managers and also with their colleagues.

To build a personal relationship with your coworkers, you must urge them to contact you in person regularly at work.

The obligation for arranging face-to-face encounters between distant team members often falls on the shoulders of the manager or supervisor. But you might also take the initiative and schedule personal sessions with one or many employees of your virtual workforce if you so choose.

Best Technologies for Remote Work

Whenever your employees work from home, technology becomes your essence. Because without the right tools, it’s difficult to make people act. Fortunately, with the huge increase of remote employees, there are now hundreds of solutions available.

While planning and organizing your virtual workplace, make sure you get the necessary communication technologies. What resources will your business be employing to connect?

1. Project Management Solutions for Remote Working

Decide on the project management solutions that you will be employing. The time of printing on paper is over; today it’s all done digitally now! There will be various project management resources on the market, like Zoho, Asana, Microsoft Project, and Trello, to assist teams in organizing themselves effectively. 

Each team establishes its own pace, is aware of the projects they are working on, and maintains all of their efforts recorded. Furthermore, managers may set deadlines and keep a record of how everything is progressing without having to consult with staff.

2. Small Business Phone System for Remote Work

Cloud communication systems are an excellent choice if your team members operate from different locations or their homes regularly. Picking the finest small business phone system is a critical choice since it has the potential to have a negative influence on your organization and consumers. The best for small businesses are ULTATEL, Grasshopper, and Nextiva.

When working with distant workers, a virtual telephone network comes in handy. As an alternative to providing their private cell phone number for work calls, employees may receive business telephone phone conversations through the online corporate telephone number app on their mobile devices.

Also read: Distributed teams 101: Guide to building & managing distributed teams

Conclusion

The movement toward operating from your own home is gaining momentum at an accelerating rate, owing to the increased freedom that employees enjoy whenever they operate from a location of their choosing.

Furthermore, most experts say that operating from home is the way of the future in the current world and that we should all accept it wholeheartedly. As a remote employee, it is beneficial for you to adhere to the standard practices for virtual working from home that have been discussed in this post as these habits will assist you in quickly adjusting to your new workplace environment.

It’s a brand new year and companies all over the world are looking for new ways in which they can embrace the hybrid work culture. Streamlining remote meetings is one way to increase the productivity of their employees.

Nevertheless, it’s time we make the most of the situation we’re in, and figure out the best ways to work efficiently from the comfort of our own homes. Let’s get started!

1. Have an Agenda

The problem with remote meetings is that there’s no one-size-fits-all rule which can be applied when crafting an agenda for the meeting.

Different meetings have different workflows, and the best one can do is try to add some structure and organization to such meetings, to avoid endless meetings where you need to keep circling back to things on loop.

To avoid this, try to formulate a clear agenda prior to the meeting. Here’s a list of things an agenda typically consists of, but you can always customize this and make it more in-depth!

• The goal(s) of the meeting, around which the topics of discussion will be based.
• Sections for specific topics that need to be discussed, along with sub-sections where the participants can add in their input.
• A section where you can write notes and important points that have been made in the meeting.
• A section where you can write down the actionable goals from this meeting, which can then be reviewed in the next meeting.
• A concluding section that contains the key decisions that have been made from this meeting.

Suggested read: How to set and write effective meeting agenda [sample agendas]

2. Practice Daily Standup Meetings

One of the most efficient ways that many teams have found useful while working in a primarily remote environment is having daily standup meetings to mark the progress of each team member as you work towards a shared goal or target. 

A daily standup involves 3 important questions – what you worked on yesterday, what you’re working on today, and if anything seems to be hindering your progress so far.

The purpose of having a standup is not to merely make sure tasks are completed, but it’s also useful in bridging the gap in communication when a team works remotely.

This is also a major way to boost productivity, as you’re able to visually see how much you and your team are accomplishing through the small tasks you do every day, apart from also giving everyone a sense of accountability.

3. Don’t Overdo Meetings

When your work is completely remote and you don’t meet your team very often, you can tend to over-compensate for this lack of communication by scheduling too many meetings every week.

The biggest downside to this is that it actually makes work much less efficient because too many meetings can drain people of their motivation and energy throughout the week.

It’s best to have one main meeting where you discuss your agenda, and then have smaller meetings throughout the week only if it’s absolutely necessary.

This is why having an agenda is important because it prevents you from missing out on discussing all the important tasks of the week ahead.

Also read: Voice Echoing | 10 tips to fix voice echoing during video conference 

4. Keep Track of Time

Even though you’d love to spend more time with your team, at least virtually, having long meetings that just don’t end can in fact reduce the overall productivity of that day.

Studies show that having one online meeting can seem more tiring than having a couple of in-person meetings each day.

To avoid this, make sure you keep track of time and stay on schedule. You can always schedule fun catch-ups for later—such as ice-breakers and other fun activities that your team can engage in. Most remote teams also have an evening of variety entertainment every once in awhile, where you can play games, perform something, or simply catch-up on everything that’s been going on.

Also read: 10 Best Timeline Makers 2022 | Compare Features & Prices

5. Don’t be the Only One Talking

If you have a tendency of doing everything on your own to make sure there are no delays or mistakes, you might be used to taking charge of absolutely everything and making sure you get it all done, on time, every single day, with no dependencies on anyone else. 

However, when all your meetings are currently remote and your employees have to attend numerous meetings online until they can start working from the office again, things can get a little monotonous and reduce their attention span and interest if there’s only one person who is actively talking and in-charge of all their meetings.

Further read: Managing Remote Teams: 15 effective tips that will come handy in 2022

By delegating different roles to different people, the meeting automatically becomes more engaging and lively. For example, some of the roles you can give other employees are facilitator, note taker, agenda maker, etc. This also increases the interactivity between the team and breaks the monotony of online meetings.