Writing Invoicing Software...

What features would be beneficial

[Gibble]

I know they allready exist, but it's a simple task, and a project I can do in my spare time.

I'm planning on writing a webbased invoicing and payment handling application.

What features would you all feel are required?
What features would be nice?
Is there anything other apps do that you think is unique and I should include?
Is there a feature that is missing that you think would be big plus?

Basically...I don't have any specific users, and I'd rather grow the scope beyond what my needs are. So I'd like some input.

Thanks guys and gals.
--Gibbs

[Gibble]

Anybody?

[CernyM]

If it has to be web-based, it would need to be super fast.

I currently use mOrders that's part of Mal's Ecommerce, which is decent, but lacking in quite a few areas, including:

* Integration with Quickbooks
* Intergration with USPS (and other) shipping. I want to be able to print shipping labels from the invoicing software.
* Ability to handle returns and exchanges
* Clean schema in an SQL database (preferably MySQL)
* Ability to interface directly with shopping carts, or, failing that, robust data import capabilities
* Quick and easy data export capability

[M2D_Media]

Yea... what Cerny_M said! Plus robust export capabilities would be nice too. Importing photos of inventory and possibly cataloging capabilities. Heck.. why not go all the way and have it generate static html pages with a shopping cart? Integrate some CRM capabilities and retire!

[PayPalDave]

integration with your email software address book would be nice, although note that Outlook does require some user authentication in order to get access (in order to prevent spamware from going nuts on you).

we developed a simple invoice wizard toolbar add-in for Outlook that works pretty well, and it just generates a payment button or link that gets embedded in the HTML email. we avoided the address book security problem by just letting the user select addresses from the standard Outlook interface, without trying to do any fancy address integration.

if you want to check it out, it's a free download here:
[paypal.com...]

we're also working on a similar one for Outlook Express that should be done in a few weeks, though the programming model there was a little trickier.

anyway, we found that making it easy to integrate with popular email software helps improve the user experience a lot.

i think Quicken and Quicbooks generate PDF invoices they attach to email, though i think sometimes that can be a little overkill.... but nicer if you want a formal document.

[Gibble]

Interesting ideas guys.

Keep them coming.

[dannyboy]

The ability to convert dollar amounts to their text equivalents on-the-fly:

$4307.48 displayed as:

Four Thousand Three Hundred Seven and 48/100

[Gibble]

Interesting...but...why?