Lawn Care Forum banner

How to invoice a client who pays cash immediately after service

6.5K views 82 replies 21 participants last post by  Rick1111  
#1 ·
Like the title says. I'm using yardbook and would like to know how to create an invoice for a client who pays cash in person after mowing.

I thought I'd be able to just create an invoice and mark it as paid after I get home. But apparently that's called post dating an invoice and is highly illegal.

Any thoughts or suggestions?
 
#2 ·
Never heard of that, why is it highly illegal?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 203169
#5 ·
That's the craziest thing I've ever heard. I'd love to know if that really is some sort of law.

Why don't you get a carbon copy receipt pad and write them one on the spot?
I could be overthinking it honestly.

I had thought about doing that for cash paying customers. But in YardBook when you input a a payment received without an invoice it's registered as a 'credit' for the customers account for some reason.

If there's a way around that please I'd love some help or suggestions.
 
#6 ·
Do you put the cash in your bank account? Make the invoice ahead of time, make receiving the payment later...
 
#11 ·
Going to be the grown up on this one -

Are you 16 years old ? Or a business?

Figure a way out to make this work. Personally I wouldn't take cash on hand unless I had a legit system documenting it. So, if your current way doesn't provide enough info- Tell your cash on hand clients that it doesn't work this way and you need a different payment method. Uncomfortable with this? Well guess what, that's the nature of a being a business owner. Figure out a way that works for you
 
#12 ·
Going to be the grown up on this one -

Are you 16 years old ? Or a business?

Figure a way out to make this work. Personally I wouldn't take cash on hand unless I had a legit system documenting it. So, if your current way doesn't provide enough info- Tell your cash on hand clients that it doesn't work this way and you need a different payment method. Uncomfortable with this? Well guess what, that's the nature of a being a business owner. Figure out a way that works for you

I'm 31, starting first year and trying to be completely above board about every thing.

While I understand the sentiment of your comment, there's a lot you don't know. I'm in small town Ohio where old people come to retire. I'd guarantee over half of them don't even have email it's so old school here. This isn't a big city that you're probably basing your assumptions on.

I will figure out a way to make it work. It's really not that hard. But this a forum right? I came here to ask what others are doing. Specifically users who use yard book. If I can't come here to ask questions without being talked down to like a 16 child then honestly what's the point of this entire forum.
 
#13 ·
Forget what mitchgo said, it's an accounting error. How do you post other payments? Do they get the invoice? How do you send it?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bf services
#16 · (Edited)
I haven't even started business yet so nobody has paid me. But, I plan to invoice end of day due on receipt. Cash check or electronic. I'll typically email them invoices unless they prefer it mailed or texted. I just wanna look professional when I do start taking payments.

I've searched yardbook faqs and that's how I found out inputting cash payments with no invoice results in it being processed as a credit.
 
#14 ·
#18 ·
I've read all these faqs.

To supply a receipt you must have a previous invoice to mark a payment for.

I'll probably just do what others suggest and just invoice it later after I get home and mark it paid. My issue is it just doesn't seem right to me... To create the invoice after being paid.
 
#21 ·
Why send it out? Do they want an invoice? It is for your records if they don't
 
#25 ·
We only use yardbook to learn about their product. Don't they have an option to designate payment method (card, cash, check)? For us, we use our own app we built, when clients pay cash, then we choose cash payment, we can select if the payment is received or not. Like this, then an invoice is generated automatically.
 
#67 ·
I agree with Justin, I use a different CRM so I am not sure how Yardbook does it specifically, but the initial invoice sent out before payment, is electronically stamped not paid. once I am paid either by CC, Paypal, Cash or Etc. the "Invoice" is electronically stamped "paid in full" which the customer receives a copy of via e-mail.
 
#46 · (Edited)
Man this thread really took off.

@Derwood says he pays sales tax once a year. Ohio requires filing monthly. They'll start chasing you after 3 months even if it's the dead of winter with no sales. We can thank John Kasich for making every lawn boy a mini tax collector. And also for killing high speed rail, selling prison farms where inmates produced food for prisons, and for attempting to axe highway rest areas.

Anyways.... I still don't fully understand the concern of this thread. You can write a document, any document you want. It's a free country. You can mark it paid before, during, after. Whatever you want, it's moot.
 
#63 ·
This is a non issue imo. You get paid and you mark it down. If your client wants an invoice/receipt, then create one before you set out to mow. It should have the breakdown of the mowing charge, and the tax collected. Then mark that invoice "paid" with a pen right before you hand it to him. Done.

Your issue with taking cash and handing him a receipt is going to be that you should have change to kick back. If the bill is $45.87 and he hands you a 50... what now? Unless you plan to do all of your "rounding up" on his invoice ahead of time to simplify your numbers.
 
#64 ·
This is so simple. Write him a receipt. When back at office enter transaction. Or Create invoice at office, hand it to him when you finish mowing, write paid in cash on it and initial it. Or stick it in your pocket and never mention it again. o_O Or don't accept cash.

These laws that are mentioned are for businesses like general contractors or auto repair facilites who have specfical laws reguarding how they invoice.
 


Write your reply...