After a long wait, Avanquest has finally released Version 10.0 of My
Invoices and Estimates. This is, by far, one of the best buys for a
small business. The tool is easy-to-use and packed with features and
functionality. I have been a fan and a user of this software since the
earliest versions, and I have put up with bugs and a lousy interface for a
long time. I've been that dedicated to it. My wait has not been for naught.
This new version is everything I ever wanted and much more.
Life before My
Invoices and Estimates required me to use Excel to create ugly looking
and inflexible templates for invoicing my consulting clients. The finished
invoice just shrieked "small biz" and made me look unprofessional in
my most important communications. Then once I found My
Invoices and Estimates I was much happier because I could create a
better looking invoice and generate reports from the data I maintained in the
application. This was especially helpful at the end of the year around tax
time.
The challenge with older versions -- at least for me on my
Windows PCs -- was in editing data. I would enter services rendered and then
try to edit them and my screen would get jacked up. Editing was a bear. I
don't know if it was the application or a conflict with my specific video
display driver, but it used to drive me batty. Then when Avanquest announced
the release of this new Version 10.0 I held out for an improved interface. I
got it. As you can see above, this feels a little bit like Intuit's Quicken or
Microsoft Money with big icons and more of a graphical interface.
Once you set-up a new client with their contact information,
you can immediately start entering your invoice information. In the example
above I blurred out the actual contact info, but you can see I just started
typing in the services rendered on the left and the costs on the right. It
does the math for you, totaling up the balance due, and also tracks 30-60-90
days running totals. My previous editing bugs and display issues are a thing
of the past. My
Invoices and Estimates 10 works fine. With the click of a button I can
add my logo and contact information, discounts, and terms. With another click
I can print and mail the invoice or just email it.
There are a multitude of reports available to you, and
depending upon what and how you like to track your business, I am fairly
confident you will find adequate reporting ability in My
Invoices and Estimates. All the old favorite features are still there
-- the ability to generate estimates, the ability to track and apply payments,
manage your vendors, send warning letters and emails, etc. Anything a small
business needs to manage their billing and collections can be found here.
Of course, every time there is a new version of software of
this kind, new bells and whistles have been added. In this version, they have
added data backup, integrated credit card processing, and invoice design and
label creation. You might not use all of these extra features, but it's nice
to know you have them because as your business evolves, My
Invoices and Estimates will be there to help you. You can download a
copy of My
Invoices and Estimates dirt cheap by clicking right here.
My Invoices and Estimates 10
