July 2016 roundup
July was packed with a ton of new features for invoicing, including the announcement of the invoicing beta, as well as the addition of invoice line items and downloadable PDFs. We also interviewed a freelance iOS developer for Talking Shop and discussed the benefits of freelancing over full-time on the Ask a Freelancer podcast. Take a look at everything we were able to accomplish!
New: Invoicing Beta
The invoicing beta is now live and available for everyone! Under the Add-ons tab, you can enable invoicing and try it out before launch. We’re going to add more invoicing features throughout the beta, so you can help us shape it!
Beta: Line Items
As part of the invoicing beta, you’ll find a ton of new features, including invoice line items with the ability to specify rates and taxes. You can even reference your tax rates easily when simply clicking into the tax field!
Beta: Tax Rates
When you’re creating an invoice, you can now save any common tax rates you use on a regular basis, and Cushion will include them in the auto-complete list. There’s no need to travel all the way to the preferences page, then back to your invoice—edit your tax rates on-the-spot.
Beta: Download Invoice PDFs
You can also download invoices as beautiful, not-embarrassing PDFs. We worked really hard to design a clear and simple invoice, so you can feel confident when sending them to clients. See an example invoice here.
Beta: Markdown Invoice Details
On the invoice, we included a spot for details, like payment terms or “thank you” notes to clients. It supports Markdown, so you can easily format your message.
Podcast: Freelancing is a Journey
Listen to the latest episode of our Ask a Freelancer podcast, hosted by freelance illustrator Andy J. Miller. This episode covers freelancing instead of full-time, keeping a routine, and staying fulfilled over time.
Subscribe on iTunes or Soundcloud.
Talking Shop with an iOS developer
Read the latest interview in our Talking Shop series. We spoke with Ben Dodson, a freelance iOS developer from Bristol, UK. He talks about the pros & cons of pet projects versus freelancing for clients.
Spread The Word
Lastly, we’d love to see Cushion in the hands of more freelancers and small studios, so if you want to help, spread the word! Any mention of Cushion goes a long way and puts a big smile on our faces. :)
That’s all for July. In August, we’ll continue working on the invoicing beta, with features like easy template editing, localization, and sending invoices to clients. We also have a few other top secret features up our sleeves that we can’t wait to launch. Stay tuned!