Simplybill blog

That may seem a little over the top – let me explain.

I get a lot of emails from Simplybill users. They ask questions about plans and features – the typical support queries for a web service. Which is fine – that’s what I’m here for. But recently, a number of subscribers have been getting in touch with lots of ideas.. they are the ones who use Simplybill regularly and can see opportunities for improvement and ways to make it more efficient. I love these ideas, because they really make sense. They are from people on the front-line of invoicing who need to accomplish something. They use Simplybill, and enjoy using it, and just want to make it even better.

From my perspective it’s just great. I get rational arguments for change and improvements which really help me map out the future of Simplybill. I have a lot of ideas myself, but these ones really do count. So, keep ‘em coming guys and thanks!

I’ve just finished reading Rework – an ideas and strategy book by the founders of 37signals. It’s a great book for getting motivated to get on with building whatever it is you want to build, and ignoring (or at least minimising) the things that get in the way of you doing that.

It was really interesting to realise that their strategy (which is to keep things small and simple, and not bloat out your product/company/staff) is aligned exactly with mine. Simplybill is fairly simple – it does the main job (which is sending invoices) well, and adds a few other things that make that task easier, but doesn’t overcomplicate it with more features that people won’t use. And as it’s run by me – and not a corporation solely interested in keeping shareholders happy, I can keep the price low and keep developing it without worrying about ROI and other business buzzwords!

So, whilst I didn’t really learn anything new, it was good to read and get re-focussed on the core of Simplybill – which is sending and tracking invoices and making that task quick and easy for as many people as possible.

If you’re a small business, or a freelancer, with an idea for a product or service, it’s well worth the read.

One of the great things about running Simplybill, is making updates that you know will help people in some way. It could speed up how quickly they create a new invoice or make it easier to contact a client about an ovedue invoice. However, sometimes making constant little tweaks takes up the time which could be spent working on larger features and updates - so it’s tricky prioritising these updates (minor and major).

Simplybill has not long had a major update and so there are no plans for another major update for a while – however, there will be changes in the coming weeks which should appeal to a large section of our subscribers, and hopefully, attract more subscribers. The main one of these is “Editions”.

What are “Editions”?
Put simply, “Editions” are variations on the standard invoice system which are geared towards different businesses. So, if you’re in the auto trade, there’ll be an “Edition” for you. If you’re in Photography, there’ll be one for you too. How the invoice changes depends on your business but each “Edition” will allow you to differentiate yourself in your sector through less generic invoices, and more specific ones.

Keep an eye on the blog for more information about this in the next couple of weeks.