Stop Doing Invoices at 9pm: The On-Site Documentation Method
It's 9pm. You're finally home. You're exhausted. And you still have to invoice today's job.
So you either:
- Do it now (miserable, tired, resentful)
- Tell yourself you'll do it tomorrow (you won't)
- Let it slide for a week (then scramble at month-end)
Every tradie knows this pain. And it's costing you thousands.
Why Night Invoicing Kills You:
- Delayed invoices = delayed payment: If you invoice 2 weeks after the job, you just gave them 2 free weeks of float.
- You forget details: What was that extra material charge? Did they approve the change order? You can't remember.
- You undercharge: When you're tired and guessing, you always leave money on the table.
- It breeds resentment: You start hating admin because it steals your evenings.
The On-Site Method (What Actually Works):
Finish the job. Walk to your truck. Pull out your phone.
- Record a voice note: "Anderson job, panel upgrade, 8 hours labor, $450 in materials, added two circuits per Super Dave's request."
- AI structures it into an invoice
- You review, adjust pricing if needed
- Tap send — invoice emailed while you're still in the parking lot
Now:
- Invoice is accurate (details are fresh)
- Invoice is immediate (payment clock starts now, not in 2 weeks)
- Your evening is free (no admin guilt)
Why This Changes Cash Flow:
If you invoice same-day instead of 2 weeks later, and your terms are Net 30, you just cut 2 weeks off your payment cycle.
Do this for every job, and you've pulled forward tens of thousands of dollars in cash flow over a year.
The Real Win (Psychological):
When you're not dreading admin at 9pm, you stop resenting your business. You start enjoying the work again.
Admin isn't the enemy. Delayed admin is the enemy.
Do it on-site, in the moment, and it takes 90 seconds. Do it at night, and it takes 30 minutes of misery.