Invoicing for IT and web service providers

Time-based work is billed in hours or days with the relevant period. Fixed fees are billed by milestone as set out in the proposal. Maintenance is billed on a recurring basis with the covered month or quarter.

Combining all three types on one line makes the invoice difficult to understand as soon as the customer's internal review begins.

Maintenance or hosting is billed at regular intervals with the period clearly stated. Regular billing also builds confidence because the customer knows what to expect.

Using the previous month's invoice as a starting point saves most of the data entry for recurring services.

Items you purchase on behalf of the customer should appear on separate lines, with the validity period when they relate to a subscription.

This separation prevents a supplier price increase from being mistaken for an increase in your own fees.

IT services are often delivered remotely, including to customers established abroad. VAT treatment then depends on the type of service and the location of the recipient.

Check the applicable rule with the Federal Tax Administration before issuing the invoice. Applying the Swiss VAT rate by default to a foreign customer is a common error that can be costly to correct.

A clear due date, a payment section with QR code that follows the Swiss standard, and immediate invoicing after the service cover most situations.

For recurring customers, a customer-level view quickly shows who consistently delays payments, so you can adjust the terms instead of simply absorbing the delay.