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Getting startedSet up your portal, sign in and find your way around.3 articles ClientsAdd clients, import a list, choose how each one is billed.7 articles JobsCreate jobs, move them along, and keep notes, files and approvals in one place.7 articles TimeLog hours against jobs and review them across every client.2 articles QuotesSend a quote, get a yes from a link, and turn it into a job.5 articles InvoicesBuild drafts from finished work, send them, and get paid.6 articles On sellsThings you buy and sell on to clients, priced once and reused.4 articles ExpensesLog what the business spends, and tie costs to clients and jobs.3 articles Profit and taxSee what each job made, what to set aside, and what you keep.3 articles ReportsTime, money and quotes on one page, over any period, with CSV export.1 article SettingsBranding, emails, card payments, backups and clean-slate tools.6 articles What your clients seeThe client side of the portal, step by step.11 articles

Getting started

Set up your portal, sign in and find your way around.

Getting started

Set up your portal for the first time

A new portal shows a Launch screen. Fill it in once and it never appears again.

A brand-new portal starts empty. The first time you open its address, it sends you to a Launch screen where you set up your business.

  1. Open your portal's web address. It redirects to the Launch screen.
  2. Check the list on the screen. It shows which settings your host has already set.
  3. Enter the setup code. This is the code chosen when the portal was deployed. It stops a stranger from claiming your admin account.
  4. Enter your business name, and add your logo if you have one (you can do this later).
  5. Enter your name and the admin email you will sign in with.
  6. Set your default hourly rate and weekly hours, and your invoice details.
  7. Finish. You are signed in straight away.

Tip. You can change your logo, colours and defaults at any time under Settings.

Getting started

Sign in

Your email and password. First time? We email you a link to choose one.

You and your clients sign in with an email address and a password. The first time, we email you a one-time link so we know the address is yours, and you choose a password. Some portals are set up to sign in by emailed link instead, with no password at all.

  1. Go to your portal's address. You will land on the sign-in page.
  2. Enter your email and password and press Sign in. First time, press Email me a sign-in link instead. (Some portals have no passwords: you just type your email and press Send sign-in link.)
  3. Open the email, click the link (it works for 30 minutes) and choose a password.
The sign-in page.

Forgot your password?

Press Forgot password? on the sign-in page. It works for everyone, the business owner included. We email a one-time link that works for 30 minutes so you can choose a new one.

If no email arrives

  • Check that you used the same address the portal has on file for you. Only addresses the business owner has added can sign in.
  • Check your junk or spam folder. If it still has not arrived, ask your admin to copy a link and send it to you.
  • If a link says it has expired, go back and request a new one.
  • Too many requests in a short time are slowed down. Wait a few minutes and try again.

Good to know. To change your password, go to Settings. To sign out, use Sign out at the bottom of the sidebar.

Getting started

Find your way around (admin)

A quick tour of the sidebar and the dashboard.

When you sign in as the business owner, you land on All jobs. The sidebar on the left takes you everywhere else.

The admin dashboard: weekly hours bars across the top, the job board underneath, and the sidebar on the left.
Sidebar itemWhat it is for
Client listPick a client to see only their jobs and their page.
ClientsYour client directory. Add, edit and import clients.
Time entriesEvery logged hour across all clients.
ReportsTime, money and quotes over a period, with CSV export.
QuotesDraft, sent and accepted quotes. The number beside it is how many accepted quotes are waiting to become jobs.
InvoicesDrafts, sent invoices and recurring schedules.
ExpensesBusiness costs, receipts and recurring bills.
On sellsItems you buy and sell on, plus the profit calculator. Only shows if you sell on items.
CompletedJobs that are finished.
Deleted jobsJobs you deleted, which you can restore.
SettingsBranding, notifications, email, backups.
+ New job / + New clientQuick buttons at the bottom of the sidebar.

The bars at the top of the dashboard show this week's hours against your weekly hours, for retainer clients and for hourly clients. When a bar runs past its limit, it says so.

Tip. Expenses is always there. On sells only appears when I sell on items is switched on under Settings → Client defaults → Features.

Clients

Add clients, import a list, choose how each one is billed.

Clients

Add a client

Create an account for a client so they can sign in and see their work.

  1. Click + New client in the sidebar, or open Clients and click + New client.
  2. Enter the business name, contact name and email address. The email is what they sign in with.
  3. Add a phone, ABN and address if you want them on file (optional).
  4. Choose how they are billed: Retainer or Hourly (see "Retainer or hourly billing").
  5. Set the hourly rate (ex GST). For a retainer, also set retainer hours per month. The weekly hours are suggested from the monthly total, and you can adjust them.
  6. Optional: set a sub-business label if this client has several businesses under one retainer, for example "Location" or "Brand".
  7. Click Create account.
The New client account form.

Good to know. Every client needs an email address, because that is how they sign in. Once you save, send them an invitation (see "Invite a client by email").

Clients

Invite a client by email

Send a branded invitation, check the wording first, and see whether it was used.

  1. Open the client's page and press Send email invitation.
  2. A window shows the email as your client will see it, with your logo and colours. Change the subject or message if you like.
  3. Press Send invitation.

Your client gets a one-time link (it works for 30 minutes). They click it, choose a password, and see their jobs straight away.

Did it arrive?

Under the buttons, Last invitation shows each step as it happens: when it was sent and to whom, whether it was delivered (when your email set-up can tell), when the link was opened, and when they set a password. If the link expired before they opened it, it says so: send another.

Tip. Rather send it yourself? Press Copy invite link and paste it into your own email or message.

Good to know. You can add clients now and invite them later. Nobody is emailed when you add or import a client.

Clients

Import clients from a CSV file

Bring a whole client list in at once, or fill in missing details on clients you already have.

  1. Go to Settings → Data.
  2. Under Import clients, drop your CSV file on the box, or click it to choose a file. A template is available to download.
  3. Step 2, Match columns: tell Cliently which column is the name, email and so on.
  4. Step 3, Review: check what will be added, then confirm.
Settings → Data. The import box is at the top.
  • Coming from Xero? Go to Contacts, then Export. Any CSV with a header row works.
  • Every client needs an email so they can sign in.
  • Clients already in the portal (matched by email or business name) are skipped, but missing details like phone, ABN and address can be filled in.
  • Nobody is emailed when you import.

Clients

The client page

One page per client: their jobs, activity, logins, billing and invoices.

Open Clients and click a client (or click their name in the sidebar) to see everything about them.

The Clients list. Click a client to open their page.
A client page.
  • Jobs board for that client, with urgency filters and a compact view.
  • Activity: approvals and logged hours.
  • Logins: how many times they have signed in, and when last.
  • Billing summary: this month and all-time totals.
  • Monthly hours: click a month to see exactly which jobs made up the hours.
  • Invoices: drafts and sent invoices for the client.

Click Edit client to change their details, rate, billing type and logo, or to turn emails on or off for just that client. A client's own email setting always wins over the global switches in Settings.

Clients

Change or delete several clients at once

Tick clients on the Clients list, then turn emails on or off, mark them active or inactive, or delete them.

On Clients, every row has a tick box. Each list (Active, and Inactive / past clients) also has Select all, so you can select everything and then untick the few you want to keep.

As soon as one is ticked, a bar appears at the bottom with how many are selected and what you can do to them:

  • Emails on or Emails off: sets the email choice for each selected client.
  • Mark inactive or Mark active: moves them between the two lists.
  • Delete…: removes them, after a review.
  • Clear selection: unticks everything.

Only clients you can currently see count. If you search first, clients the search hides are never included.

Deleting

Delete first shows a list of exactly who will go, with how many jobs and invoices each has. Anyone with invoices is highlighted. Type the number of clients to confirm. Deleting a client also deletes their jobs, time, notes and files, and it cannot be undone from the portal. A backup is taken automatically every day, so take one from Settings → Data first if you are not sure.

Tip. To keep a client's history but hide them, use Mark inactive instead of Delete.

Clients

A client has no sign-in

Some clients (for example imported ones) have no sign-in yet. One button fixes that.

On a client page, the invite buttons and Last signed in only show for a client who has a sign-in. If you see No sign-in set up yet instead, click Set up sign-in. It creates the sign-in from the email on the client, and the invite buttons appear straight away.

If the client has no email, add one on Edit client first. If someone else already signs in with that email, you will be told and nothing is created.

Clients

Retainer or hourly billing

Pick the billing model that matches how you charge each client.

RetainerHourly
How it worksA monthly and weekly hour allocation. Unused hours roll over.Billed per hour, no allocation.
You setHourly rate, retainer hours per month, weekly hours.Hourly rate.
Client seesA Retainer page: hours used against their allocation, with history.A Billing page: this month's total split into time and products, with monthly history.
InvoicingGenerate the monthly retainer invoice from the Invoices page.Completing a job adds its hours and products to a draft invoice.

On a retainer client's job there is also a Job type control, set to Within retainer by default. Use it to mark work that sits outside the retainer.

Tip. Not sure which to choose? Choose Hourly. It is the simpler of the two, and you can change it later on the client's Edit client page.

Jobs

Create jobs, move them along, and keep notes, files and approvals in one place.

Jobs

Create a job

Only a client and a title are required.

  1. Click + New job in the sidebar.
  2. Type the job title.
  3. Start typing the client name and pick them from the list. If the client does not exist yet, the list offers to create them as a new client.
  4. Choose urgency: Not urgent, Normal or Urgent.
  5. Optional: set a needed by date or tick ASAP, add estimated hours, write what is needed, or attach a file.
  6. Click Create job. (Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl or Cmd + Enter.)
The new job form.
Type a client name to pick an existing client, or create a new one.

Good to know. You can also add a job from a client's own page with + Add a job. Estimated hours are optional, and give the job a progress ring as hours are logged.

Jobs

Move a job through its statuses

Queued, In progress, With client, Approved, then Complete.

Open a job and use the controls at the top: Job status, Priority and, for retainer clients, Job type.

A job page. The tiles on the left are its tabs: Notes, On sells, Financials, Time logs and Files.
StatusMeaning
QueuedWaiting to start.
In progressYou are working on it.
With clientWaiting on your client, for example to approve a proof. Clients see this column as Awaiting you.
ApprovedThe client has signed it off.
CompleteFinished. It moves to the Completed list. See "Complete, delete and restore jobs".

Click Edit job to change the title, description, needed-by date or estimated hours.

The Edit job page.

Jobs

Use the job board and table views

See all your work at a glance, and filter it down.

The All jobs page shows every job as a board with a column for each status.

  • Filter by All jobs, Retainer or Hourly clients.
  • Filter by urgency: Not urgent, Normal or Urgent.
  • Switch between board and table using the two icons on the right.
  • Turn on Compact for smaller tiles.
  • Click a client in the sidebar to see only their jobs.
The board view.
The table view.

Each tile shows the client, title, the latest note, logged hours and a coloured urgency dot. A speech bubble with a dot means there are notes you have not read.

Jobs

Notes and replies on a job

Keep every conversation on the job itself instead of in your inbox.

  1. Open the job and choose the Notes tab.
  2. Type in the reply box. It says "Reply as" followed by your display name.
  3. Click the paperclip to attach a file, if needed.
  4. Click the send button.
The Notes tab. Notes run newest first, grouped by day.
  • A banner shows how many new notes you have not read. Click Mark all read to clear it.
  • A coloured dot beside a note means the person it is for has not read it yet.
  • Your client is emailed about new notes (you can turn this off in Settings → Notifications).
  • Edited notes are marked Edited.
  • Choose how notes look, as cards or chat bubbles, in Settings → Client defaults.

Jobs

Approvals

Clients sign off a job with one click, and ask for changes in the notes.

When a job is With client (shown to them as Awaiting you), your client can approve it.

  • On their job board, an Approve button sits on the job's tile.
  • On the job page, a green Mark as Approved button sits in the header.
  • Once approved, it reads Approved. They can click it again to undo ("Approved — click to undo") if they change their mind.

The job moves to Approved, and the approval shows in the client's Activity list on their client page.

Good to know. There is no separate "request changes" button. If a client wants something changed, they write it in the job's Notes, and you reply there. See "Notes and replies on a job".

Jobs

Share files and mark final files

Upload files to a job, then mark the finished ones as final for your client to download.

  1. Open the job and choose the Files tab. The number on the tile is how many files the job has.
  2. Click + Add file and choose a file. You can also attach a file to a note with the paperclip in the Notes tab.
  3. Use All, Admin and Client to filter the list by who uploaded the file.
The Files tab.

Mark files as final (admin)

  1. In the Files tab, click Mark final….
  2. Tick the file or files that are the finished deliverable.
  3. Click the button underneath to confirm.
Tick the files to mark as final, then confirm.

Good to know. Marking files as final deletes the other files on that job. Cliently asks you to confirm first, and it cannot be undone. A file marked final can only be deleted by you, not by the client.

  • Your client sees final files as Download Final Files on their completed jobs.
  • The toggle at the top right of the Files tab turns uploads on or off for just that job.
  • To turn file uploads off for the whole portal, go to Settings → Client defaults → Features.

Jobs

Complete, delete and restore jobs

Finish a job, add it to an invoice, or bring back one you deleted.

Mark a job complete

Use the tick button on the job's tile or row. The button depends on the job:

  • If the job has logged hours for an hourly client, or on sells, and has not been invoiced yet, it reads Mark as Complete and Add to Invoice. This is the only way to complete a job like that, because it makes sure the work is billed. It adds the job to that client's draft invoice.
  • Otherwise, it reads Mark as Complete. For example, a retainer job, or a job with nothing billable on it.

Finished jobs appear under Completed in the sidebar.

The Completed page.

Delete a job

Open the job and click Delete job at the bottom. It moves to Deleted jobs in the sidebar.

Restore or delete for good

In Deleted jobs, click Restore to bring a job back. To remove one permanently, use the delete option; Cliently asks Delete "job name" for good? first.

Time

Log hours against jobs and review them across every client.

Time

Log time on a job

Add hours from the job's Time logs tab.

  1. Open the job and choose the Time logs tab.
  2. Pick the date.
  3. Use the − and + buttons to set how long you worked.
  4. Add a description if you like.
  5. Click Add.
The Time logs tab. Existing entries are listed below with Edit and delete options.

Tip. You can also use the quick log controls on a job tile on the board. Choose how the date picker looks in Settings → Client defaults → Time entry date picker.

Time

Review time entries across all clients

Filter, edit and export every logged hour.

  1. Open Time entries in the sidebar.
  2. Choose a period: All Time, Day, Week, Month or Custom.
  3. Optionally filter by client and by job.
  4. Click Edit on an entry to change it, or use the bin icon to delete it.
  5. Click Export CSV to download what you are looking at.
The Time entries page, with its period, client and job filters.

Quotes

Send a quote, get a yes from a link, and turn it into a job.

Quotes

Create and send a quote

Build the quote on the page, then send it. Your client answers from a link.

  1. Open Quotes in the sidebar and press New quote.
  2. Under Prepared for, choose Existing client and pick them, or New prospect and enter their business, name and email.
  3. Give the quote a title, and a message if you like.
  4. Add lines: + Text line for anything you describe yourself, + Hours at your rate for time, or one of your on sells if you sell on items.
  5. Check the Valid until date, and the terms at the bottom.
  6. Press Send quote.

Changes save as you go, so you can leave a draft and come back to it. The quote gets its number, such as QUO-0001, when you send it.

Your client gets an email with a link. They open it, read the quote and press Accept quote or decline it. They do not need to sign in. Existing clients also see it on their Quotes & Invoices page while it waits for an answer.

Keeping track

  • The Quotes page lists every quote with its total, status and valid-until date. Filter it by status: draft, sent, accepted, declined, expired or converted.
  • A sent quote shows Sent · viewed once your client has opened it.
  • You are emailed when a quote is accepted or declined.
  • From a sent quote you can Copy link, Send again, Duplicate it, or mark it accepted or declined yourself if they told you another way.

Tip. If email is not working, the quote page gives you the client's link to send yourself.

Quotes

Ask for a deposit

Take a deposit by card when your client accepts.

A deposit is paid by card, through your own Stripe account, at the moment your client accepts. Card payments are in test mode for now (see "Take card payments").

  1. On the quote, find Deposit on the right.
  2. Choose Percent of total or Fixed amount, and enter the figure.
  3. Send the quote as usual.

Your client's button then reads Accept and pay with the deposit amount, including GST. If they accept but do not finish paying, they can pay the deposit later from the same quote page.

Refund a deposit

If plans change, press Refund deposit on the quote. The money goes back to their card, and your client is emailed. You cannot refund a deposit that has already been taken off an invoice: remove that line from the invoice first.

Good to know. To take deposits, connect Stripe first under Settings → Online payments.

Quotes

Turn an accepted quote into a job

One click makes the job. Invoice it later at the agreed price.

When a client accepts, the quote shows as accepted and the number beside Quotes in the sidebar goes up. Open it and press Convert to job.

  • The job is created in Queued, with the quote's lines in its brief.
  • Hours lines set the job's estimated hours. On sell lines become the job's products.
  • Files attached to the quote are copied onto the job.
  • The job shows From quote with a link back to the quote.

If the quote was for a prospect, you are asked to check their details first. Press Create client and job and they become a client with their own sign-in.

Invoicing the job

When the job is done, invoice it as usual. It is billed at the agreed price from the quote, not hours × rate, and any deposit already paid is taken off as its own line.

Good to know. Once a quote is accepted, it is the agreement. It cannot be amended after that.

Quotes

Change a quote you have sent

Amend and resend, with a short note on what changed.

You can change a quote that is sent or declined. There are two ways:

When to use itWhat happens
Amend and resendThe price or scope has changed.Makes a new version (such as QUO-0007-R2) with a What changed note for your client. When you send it, the old one is marked Replaced and can no longer be accepted.
Edit in placeFixing a small mistake, like a typo.Reopens the same quote with the same number. Send it again when you are done.

Your client sees a banner saying the quote has been updated, with your note. Each quote keeps a Revision history: every version, when it was sent, its total, your note, and which lines changed.

Quotes

GST-free lines, attachments and reminders

The details: tax-free lines, files, automatic follow-ups and your quote defaults.

  • GST-free lines. Tick GST-free on a line and no GST is added to it. It stays GST-free on the job and the invoice.
  • Attachments. Add up to 10 files (25 MB each) to a draft quote with + Attach a file: drawings, photos or specs. Your client downloads them from the quote, and they go onto the job when you convert it.

Reminders that send themselves

  • Your client gets one reminder a few days before an unanswered quote expires (3 days by default).
  • You get one "no answer yet" email a few days after you sent it (5 days by default).

Change the number of days, or set 0 to turn either off, under Settings → Quotes & Invoices → Quotes. That is also where you set how many days new quotes stay valid, and your default quote terms.

Invoices

Build drafts from finished work, send them, and get paid.

Invoices

The Invoices page

What is owed, what is overdue, and what is waiting to be sent.

The Invoices page.
  • Outstanding: sent invoices not yet paid.
  • Overdue: how many are past their due date.
  • Open drafts: invoices you have started but not sent.
  • Paid this month: money received this month.
  • Recurring schedules (right-hand side): repeat invoices you have set up.
  • The gear icon next to the heading opens your invoice settings.

Invoices

Build and send an invoice

Start from finished jobs, add lines, then send.

  1. Finished work lands on a draft when you use Mark as Complete and Add to Invoice on a job with logged hours or on sells. You can also open an existing draft from Invoices → Open drafts.
  2. On the draft, review the line items. Click Remove on any you do not want, or + Add description to explain a line.
  3. Click + Add on sell to add one of your on sells, or + Custom line for anything else, such as a fixed fee.
  4. Add an optional note to appear on the invoice and click Save note.
  5. Check the preview underneath. GST (10%) is added on top of the ex-GST prices, and the due date follows your payment terms.
  6. Click Send invoice.
The draft editor.
The preview below the editor is the invoice your client will see.

Good to know. To scrap a draft, click Delete invoice. Once sent, invoices are numbered, for example INV-0001.

Invoices

Retainer and recurring invoices

Bill the same thing on a schedule without rebuilding it.

For a retainer client, open the Invoices page, find the client in the retainer list and click Generate invoice to create their monthly retainer invoice.

For anything else that repeats, set up a schedule:

  1. Open Invoices and click Set up a recurring invoice under Recurring schedules.
  2. Choose the client, how often it repeats, and the start date.
  3. Add the items: pick a saved preset, or choose Custom item… and enter a title, amount and optional description. Tick Save as a reusable preset to reuse it later. Click + Add item for more lines.
  4. Click Create schedule.
The New recurring invoice form.

Each schedule has a Generate button that creates the next invoice as a draft for you to check and send.

Invoices

Logo, numbering and payment reminders

How your invoices and quotes look, how they are numbered, and when to remind clients.

Go to Settings → Quotes & Invoices. (The gear next to the heading on the Invoices page opens the same settings.)

Settings → Quotes & Invoices (an earlier version of the screen).

The top of your invoices and quotes

  • Use default logo: your main logo from Branding, in a circle, in small, medium or large. Tick Dark circle behind the logo if your logo is light or white.
  • Use letterhead image: one full-width image across the top instead, used on both invoices and quotes.

Your details and reminders

  • ABN and business address.
  • Payment details: shown on the invoice, for example your bank account.
  • Payment terms (days): how long clients have to pay.
  • Reminder schedule: days from the due date to remind an unpaid client. Use negative numbers for before it is due, 0 for the due date, and positive numbers for overdue. For example "3, 7, 14" reminds 3, 7 and 14 days after the due date.

Numbering

Choose your own Letters and Next number, separately for invoices and quotes. For example INV and 1 gives INV-0001. The page shows what the next one will be. Numbers you have already sent keep the letters they had.

Tip. Each invoice can override the reminder schedule, or switch reminders off, from its own page.

Invoices

Take card payments (test mode)

Let clients pay an invoice or a quote deposit by card, through your own Stripe account.

Good to know. Card payments are in test mode for now: you can try them with Stripe's test cards, but no real money moves yet. Until they are switched on for real, invoices show your bank details and clients pay you directly.

Cliently connects to your own Stripe account, so payments go straight to you. Go to Settings → Online payments and follow the three steps on the screen to connect Stripe, then switch Pay now on.

  • Your client sees a Pay now by card bar at the top of an unpaid invoice, with the amount due including GST.
  • They pay on Stripe's secure checkout page.
  • The invoice is marked paid on its own, and your client is emailed a receipt.
  • The same connection takes deposits on quotes (see "Ask for a deposit").

Your client is charged the invoice total. Stripe's fee comes out of what you receive.

Invoices

How invoices get marked as paid

Clients pay you directly, then mark it paid for you to confirm.

Invoices show your payment details, and the client pays you outside the portal, for example by bank transfer. (Paid by card? The invoice marks itself paid. See "Take card payments".)

An invoice as the client sees it.
  1. The client opens the invoice and clicks Mark as Paid once they have paid you.
  2. You see that the client has marked it, and click Confirm payment received.

You can also mark an invoice as paid yourself, and undo it with Mark as unpaid. Clients can print an invoice or save it as a PDF with Print / Save as PDF.

On sells

Things you buy and sell on to clients, priced once and reused.

On sells

What is an on sell?

Something you buy and sell on to a client at a markup.

An on sell is anything you buy and then sell on to a client: printing, stock, merchandise, a subscription you pass through. You set the cost and markup once, then add it to any job or invoice.

The On sells list.
ColumnMeaning
CostWhat it costs you.
MarkupWhat you add on top of cost, as dollars or a percentage. "Varies" means different options have different markups.
SellWhat the client pays. The GST-inclusive price is shown underneath.
ProfitSell price minus cost.
MarginProfit as a share of the sell price.

Good to know. On sells only show once I sell on items is switched on under Settings → Client defaults → Features. You can rename "On sells" to whatever suits you, under Settings → Client defaults → On sells and tax. Clients never see the name or your costs.

On sells

Create an on sell

Set a cost and a markup once.

  1. Open On sells and click + New on sell.
  2. Enter a name, such as "Blank mug 11oz". A description is optional and carries onto the job or invoice line.
  3. Optionally choose a vendor and category.
  4. Under When added to a job, choose Bought per job (adding it records a new expense) or From stock (no new expense).
  5. Under Priced as, choose One price, or Options (sizes / qty) if it comes in sizes or quantities.
  6. For one price: choose the markup as dollars ($) or a percentage of cost (%), then enter the cost and the sell price. Each can be entered ex GST or inc GST.
  7. Click Save on sell.
The New on sell form, priced as one price.

Sizes and quantities

Choose Options (sizes / qty) when the same item comes in versions, such as x500 and x1000. Set a default markup for options, then give each option a label and a cost. Each option follows the default markup until you change its own markup or type its own sell price. Click + Add option for more. All option prices are entered ex GST.

Priced as options. Each row is a size or quantity.

Use Edit, Duplicate or Archive on any row of the list. Tick Show archived to find archived items again.

On sells

Add an on sell to a job or invoice

Search, pick, adjust the price for this line only, and add.

  1. Open the job and choose the On sells tab, then click + Add on sell. (On an invoice, click + Add on sell there.)
  2. Type to search your on sells, and pick one. You can also type a new name to create one on the spot.
  3. Choose the quantity, and pick a size or option if the item has them.
  4. The price loads at your set price. Change Price each if this line needs a different price. It changes this line only.
  5. Read the line underneath: it tells you what it costs you, what you make, and what you keep after tax.
  6. Click Add to job.
The On sells tab lists what has been added, with cost and profit on each line.
Search your on sells and pick one.
Adjust quantity and price. The summary shows your profit before you add it.

Bought for this job, or already in stock?

Click Edit cost and details to see Where did it come from?

Edit cost and details.
  • Bought for this job: the cost is recorded as a new expense, tagged with the client, job and invoice.
  • Already in stock: no new expense is recorded, because you already bought the stock. The cost still counts in the job's profit.

You can also add notes, change the description shown on the job line, and note who it is for.

On sells

Use the profit calculator

Work out what you would make before you quote.

  1. Open On sells and click Profit calculator.
  2. Enter your cost each and the sell price each. Prices are inc GST by default. Switch a field to Ex to enter it ex GST.
  3. Set the quantity.
  4. Read the results on the right.
Example: a $11 cost and $33 sell price, both inc GST, quantity 1.
In the exampleAmount
You sell for (ex GST)$30.00
It costs you$10.00
You make$20.00
Income tax (20%)$4.00
You keep$16.00
GST you owe ($3.00 collected, $1.00 paid)$2.00
Total to set aside$6.00
Margin and markup66.7% and 200.0%

Good to know. The income tax rate comes from Settings. The example uses 20%. GST is always worked out at 10%.

Expenses

Log what the business spends, and tie costs to clients and jobs.

Expenses

Log an expense

Record what the business spends, with a receipt if you have one.

  1. Open Expenses and click + New expense.
  2. Enter a title, the date and the cost (ex or inc GST).
  3. Choose a vendor and category if you use them. You can add new ones from the lists.
  4. Choose the expense type: Operating expense (running the business) or Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) (a cost tied to something you sell).
  5. For an operating expense that is part personal, set business use to a percentage below 100. For example, 60% on a mobile phone plan. Only that share counts as deductible.
  6. Optionally pick the client, then the job, the cost belongs to, or click Attach receipt / invoice photo.
  7. Click Add expense.
The New expense form.

Tip. Costs from on sells that were "Bought for this job" are recorded here for you, tagged "On sell cost". You do not need to enter them again.

Expenses

Turn a stock purchase into an on sell

Bought 500 mugs in one go? Save them as an on sell priced per mug.

  1. Open Expenses, click + New expense and enter what you paid.
  2. Set the expense type to Cost of Goods Sold (COGS).
  3. Tick Save as on sell.
  4. Enter the units bought and a markup each. Cliently works out the cost each, what it sells for and your profit.
  5. Click Add expense.
Save as on sell appears when the expense type is COGS.

For example, 500 mugs for $1,100 become an on sell costing $2.20 each. When you add it to a job, choose Already in stock so the cost is not recorded a second time.

Expenses

Filter, review and recur expenses

Find any expense, and set up bills that repeat.

The Expenses page.
  • The top shows this month, total expenses and pending billable.
  • Filter by vendor, category, type (COGS and operating, COGS only, or operating only), client and job.
  • Tick Recurring to see only recurring expenses.
  • Use the date shortcuts (This month, Last month, This quarter, Last quarter, This FY, Last FY) or choose a custom From and To.
  • Use Manage vendors and Manage categories to edit your lists.
  • The list shows how many expenses match, and their total.

Recurring expenses

In the panel on the right, click Set up a recurring expense for a bill that comes around regularly, like an internet plan. Fill in the name, amount, category, vendor, expense type, business use, client and job, then choose the start date and how often it repeats, and click Create schedule.

Setting up a recurring expense.

Each schedule shows when it is next due, and can be edited, paused or deleted.

Profit and tax

See what each job made, what to set aside, and what you keep.

Profit and tax

Read a job's financials

What the client pays, what you made, and what you keep.

Open a job and choose the Financials tab. Only you can see it. Your clients never do.

The Financials tab.
  • Client pays: the job total including GST.
  • Gross profit: what is left after costs, with the margin.
  • You keep: gross profit minus the income tax you set aside.
  • Breakdown: on sells and labour, with charged, cost, gross profit and what you keep for each.
  • Set aside for tax: income tax at your own rate, plus the GST you owe, with a total.
  • Other expenses: costs tagged to the job that are not on sells.

Good to know. Labour (hours × rate) counts as all profit, because there is no cost behind it. For retainer clients, labour shows as "Covered by retainer".

Profit and tax

Set your tax rate

The percentage behind every "set aside" and "you keep" figure.

  1. Go to Settings → Client defaults and scroll to On sells and tax.
  2. Set Your income tax rate. This is the percentage of profit to set aside. The page shows an example: on $100 profit at 20% you set aside $20 and keep $80.
  3. Optionally set a default markup, which pre-fills the markup when you price a new item by percentage.
  4. Optionally choose what you call on sells, One or Many, for example "Product" and "Products".
  5. Click Save changes.
Settings → Client defaults, at the bottom.

Good to know. GST is worked out separately at 10%, and is never counted as profit.

Profit and tax

Money terms in plain words

Cost, sell price, markup, margin and the rest.

TermMeaning
CostWhat it cost the business, ex GST.
Sell priceWhat the client is charged, ex GST. GST (10%) is added on top and shown.
MarkupProfit added on top of cost. 40% markup on $10 sells for $14. Not the same as margin.
MarginProfit as a share of the sell price. $4 profit on $14 is about 28.6%.
Gross profitSell price minus cost.
Income tax set asideYour chosen percentage of gross profit.
You keepGross profit minus the income tax set-aside.
GST owingGST collected from the client minus GST paid on costs. Shown separately, never counted as profit.
Total to set asideIncome tax plus GST owing.

Reports

Time, money and quotes on one page, over any period, with CSV export.

Reports

Run a report

Time, money and quotes on one page, for a day up to a financial year.

  1. Open Reports in the sidebar.
  2. Pick a period: Day, Week, Month, Quarter, Financial year, Custom or All time.
  3. Optionally choose a single client.

Along the top, a summary strip shows Hours, Work done, Invoiced, Paid and Owing now for that period. Underneath, choose a tab:

TabWhat it shows
MoneyWork done split into not yet invoiced, invoiced and unpaid, and paid, with retainer clients included. A month-by-month statement for each client, a by-client table, and what is owing.
TimeHours and value by client, hours over time, how hours split between retainer and hourly clients, and estimates against actual hours.
QuotesQuotes sent in the period: how many you won, your win rate, how many are still open, declined or expired, and the average days to an answer.
The Time figures (an earlier version of the screen).

Tip. Use Export CSV to download the figures for your bookkeeper.

Settings

Branding, emails, card payments, backups and clean-slate tools.

Settings

Brand your portal

Your logo, name and colours across the whole site.

Go to Settings → Branding.

Settings → Branding: identity and your account.
Settings → Branding: colour themes, individual colours and app width.
  • Logo: PNG, JPG, GIF or WEBP, under 3 MB. Shown at the top of the sidebar and used across the site.
  • Business name: used in the sidebar and page title.
  • Your display name: shown as the author on notes you post.
  • Login email and notification email: the address you sign in with, and where alerts go. Click Save account after changing them.
  • Colour themes: pick a complete look in one click (Cliently night, Graphite mint, Crimson slate, Midnight ember, Black olive, Violet dusk).
  • Fine-tune the main, background, panel and secondary colours individually.
  • App width: cap the site at 1400px or let it run full width.

Click Save changes. Colours update as soon as you save.

Settings

Client defaults and what clients see

Control what shows in the client portal and how your own views look.

Go to Settings → Client defaults.

Settings → Client defaults.

Defaults for new clients

  • Default hourly rate (ex GST), pre-filled when you add a client.
  • Default weekly hours, the cap for the dashboard bar. Leave blank for no cap.

What clients see

  • Show job costs to clients: the cost or quote card on a job page. Off by default. It can also be set for a single client on their Edit client page.
  • Under each job title in the client portal: nothing, the description, or the latest comment.
  • Notes style: note cards or chat bubbles.
  • Let clients customise their job page: when on, they can rearrange, hide or collapse sections for themselves.
Settings → Client defaults, further down.

Your own views

  • Client on board tiles: show the logo, the business name, or both.
  • Under each job title in admin views: nothing, the description, or the latest comment.
  • Time entry date picker: Classic grid, Quick picks or Recent days. Try each one on the page, then choose.

Features

  • File uploads: lets you and clients attach files.
  • I sell on items: turn this on if you buy things in and sell them on, such as printing or stock. It adds the On sells list to the sidebar, jobs, invoices and quotes. Leave it off if you only sell your time. Expenses and job profit work either way, and switching it off hides the list without losing anything you have already entered.

Settings

Choose which emails are sent

Control alerts to you, and emails to your clients.

Go to Settings → Notifications. On a new portal emails to you are on (sign-in and password emails, new jobs, new notes from clients, overdue invoices) and emails to your clients are off, so no client is emailed until you switch that on.

Settings → Notifications.

Emails to you

  • New job from a client: off until you switch it on.
  • Client signs in: off until you switch it on. Try it last, because it fires far more often than the others.
  • New note on a job: when a client leaves a note, with any files attached. It is sent about a minute later, so a few quick notes become one email.
  • Client approved a job: when a client approves a job.
  • Retainer hours running out: when a retainer client has used 80% of the month, and again at 100%.

Emails to clients

  • Client emails: the master switch, off on a new portal. Off stops every client email except for a client you have explicitly turned back on. Turn it on first, then choose the two below.
  • New note on a job: goes to whoever did not write it.
  • Invoice sent: when an invoice is sent to them.
  • Job needs your approval: when a job moves to Awaiting you, for example when a proof is ready.
  • Job completed: when a job is marked complete, listing the final files.

One look for every email

Under the switches, Email wording starts with Template (all emails): the header, logos, sign-off, footer and button colour that every email shares. For the logo, choose round logos or upload your own logo image, and pick one size. The preview shows the result as you change it.

Change the wording

Below the template, pick any email to change its subject and opening message: invitations, new notes, jobs needing approval, approved and completed jobs, retainer hours, invoices and reminders, quotes and receipts. Words in curly brackets, such as the job name, are filled in when it is sent. Use the built-in wording puts the original back. Press Save changes at the bottom of the page to keep your changes.

Tip. You can turn emails on or off for one client from their Edit client page, or with the mail icon on the Clients list. That setting always wins over the switches here.

Settings

Connect your own email (Resend)

Send sign-in links and invoices from your own domain.

Emails go out under your business name. To send them from your own domain (for example hello@yourbusiness.com), connect a free Resend account and verify your domain.

Settings → Email.
  1. Create a free account at resend.com.
  2. In Resend, under Domains, add your domain and follow the steps to verify it.
  3. Under API Keys, create a key.
  4. In Cliently, go to Settings → Email and paste the key into Resend API key. It is stored encrypted and never shown again.
  5. Enter the Send emails from address, on your verified domain, for example Your Business <hello@yourbusiness.com>.
  6. Click Save, then Send test email to check it works.

Settings

Back up and restore your data

Daily automatic backups, plus download and restore on demand.

Go to Settings → Data and scroll down.

Settings → Data: back up now, upload a backup, and stored backups.
  • Back up now: click Download backup for a complete zip of every client, job, invoice and note, plus all uploaded images and files. A copy is also saved in the list below.
  • Stored backups: one is taken automatically every day and kept for two weeks.
  • Upload a backup: add a zip you downloaded earlier, for example from another copy of the portal. Nothing changes until you press Restore on it.

Good to know. Restoring replaces everything currently in the portal. Download a fresh backup first if you are not sure.

Settings

Clean slate: delete test data

Wipe all clients, jobs, time entries or invoices at once. Use with care.

Go to Settings → Clean slate. These are permanent, app-wide deletions. A safety backup is taken automatically right before each one, and you can recover it from the Data tab.

Settings → Clean slate.
OptionWhat it removesPhrase to type
All clientsEvery client, plus their jobs, invoices, sub-businesses, activity and logins.DELETE ALL CLIENTS
All jobsJobs, plus their time entries, notes and files. Clients and past invoices are kept.DELETE ALL JOBS
All time entriesLogged hours. Jobs stay, with hours back at zero.DELETE ALL TIME ENTRIES
All invoicesDraft and sent invoices and their lines. Jobs and clients are kept.DELETE ALL INVOICES

Type the exact phrase into the box to enable the Delete button, then confirm.

Tip. Handy for clearing out practice data before you start using the portal for real.

What your clients see

The client side of the portal, step by step.

What your clients see

How your clients sign in

Their email, then a link to choose a password.

Your client signs in with their email and a password they choose. The first time, they get a link by email to set it up.

  1. You send them an invitation from their client page (see "Invite a client by email").
  2. They open the email and click the link.
  3. They choose a password, and they are in.

Next time, they just enter their email and password. If they forget it, Forgot password? on the sign-in page emails them a fresh link, or you can press Send password reset email on their client page.

Tip. Suggest they bookmark the portal, or add it to their phone's home screen so it opens like an app.

Good to know. Only emails you have added can sign in. If your portal is set to sign in by emailed link, there is no password: they type their email and click the link we send.

What your clients see

Finding their way around (client)

A short menu with everything a client needs.

Clients get a short menu on the left (or behind the menu button on a phone):

Menu itemWhat it is for
JobsTheir job board, and a list of recently completed jobs.
ActivityEverything new on their jobs.
Billing or RetainerHourly clients see Billing. Retainer clients see Retainer.
Quotes & InvoicesQuotes waiting for an answer, and invoices you have sent them.
CompletedFinished jobs.
SettingsHow wide their portal displays.

The number beside Jobs, Activity and Quotes & Invoices shows how many items need a look.

What your clients see

The client job board

Their jobs by status, with a board or list view.

What a client sees when they sign in.
  • Columns: Queued, In progress, Awaiting you and Approved.
  • A strip at the top shows the latest notes from you.
  • Switch between Board and List.
  • Click + Add a job to request new work.
  • On a job that is awaiting them, an Approve button sits on the tile.
Below the board, Recently completed shows the latest finished jobs. Final files are one click away.

Good to know. "Awaiting you" is the client's name for the With client status on your side. Download Final Files appears on completed jobs where you have marked files as final.

What your clients see

A job, from the client's side

Notes, products, time logs and files for one job.

A job page as the client sees it.
  • The header shows the status, priority and brief, and the Mark as Approved button when the job is waiting for them.
  • Tabs: Notes, Products, Time logs and Files. A Job cost tab shows only if you have turned job costs on.
  • They can write notes and attach files, just as you can.
  • Clients can raise the priority from the job page, but never lower it.
  • Clients can edit a job's details only while it is still Queued.
Products lists what has been added to the job, with the price they are charged. They never see your cost or profit.

What your clients see

Approve work or ask for changes (client)

One click to approve. Notes to ask for changes.

  1. Open a job from the Awaiting you column. Look at the files and notes.
  2. If it is good to go, click Mark as Approved (or Approve on the job's tile on the board).
  3. If something needs to change, write it in the Notes tab instead, as specifically as possible (colours, copy, sizing), and send it.

Changed their mind after approving? Click the button again, which now reads "Approved — click to undo".

When a job is finished, they click Download Final Files to get everything you have marked as final.

What your clients see

Request new work (client)

A simple form that drops a new job straight into your queue.

  1. Click + Add a job.
  2. Enter a job title and describe what you need. Sizes, quantities, copy and where it is going all save a back-and-forth.
  3. Optionally attach a file, set a needed by date or tick ASAP.
  4. Choose how urgent it is: Not urgent, Normal or Urgent. It can be raised later.
  5. Click Submit job.
The client's Add a job form.

The job goes straight to the queue, and you are emailed (if new-job emails are on in Settings → Notifications).

What your clients see

Billing (hourly clients)

What they have been charged this month, and every month before.

The Billing page for an hourly client.
  • The top line shows their rate and how they are billed.
  • This month, split into Time and Products. Prices are shown plus GST.
  • Monthly history: tap a month and the whole page switches to it, listing the time entries and products behind the total.

What your clients see

Retainer (retainer clients)

Hours used against the monthly allocation, with history.

The Retainer page.
  • The top line shows the monthly allocation, and that unused hours roll over.
  • Allocated this month shows the allocation plus any hours rolled over.
  • Used shows hours used so far, and across how many jobs.
  • This week shows hours used against the weekly hours.
  • Monthly history: tap a month to see the jobs and entries behind its hours. A dashed line marks the allocation.

Tip. Turn on Retainer hours running out under Settings → Notifications and you are emailed when a retainer client has used 80% and 100% of their hours.

What your clients see

Quotes & Invoices (client)

Answer quotes, and view, print and pay invoices, on one page.

Quotes and invoices are together on the client's Quotes & Invoices page.

Quotes

When you send a quote, your client gets an email with a link. They open it, read the quote and click Accept quote or decline it. They do not need to sign in. The quote also shows on this page while it waits for an answer.

  • If you change a quote, they get it again with a short note on what changed.
  • If a quote is close to expiring, they get a reminder.
  • If you asked for a deposit, they pay it by card when they accept.
  • Once they accept, it is the agreement. The job starts, and the final invoice is at the agreed price with any deposit taken off.

Invoices

They can open any invoice, print it or save it as a PDF. Your bank details are on every invoice. Once they have paid, they click Mark as Paid and you confirm it on your side. If you have switched on card payments (test mode for now), they can also press Pay now by card.

An invoice as the client sees it.

What your clients see

Activity feed (client)

Everything new on their jobs, in one list.

The Activity feed.

New items sit under New with a dot. Click Mark all read to clear them, and they move to Earlier.

What your clients see

What clients never see

Your costs and profit stay private.

  • Your costs, profit and tax set-asides.
  • Estimated hours.
  • Other clients, or any of their data.
  • The Financials tab, expenses and the names of your suppliers.

The only cost-style information a client can see is the job cost card, and only if you switch Show job costs to clients on in Settings.

Screenshots use example data. Something not right or missing? Tell us.