Self Billing e.g. PeopleClick VMS has a big drawback

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Perhaps.

Standing advice for anyone having to use a self billing system is to treat their mickey-mouse paperwork as a Remittance Advice (which is what it is, despite what they label it) and raise your own invoices to keep your systems and audit trail straight. You don't have to send the invoice to anyone for it to be valid as a proof of payment required, especially if they've already paid you.

This is exactly what I do.... Best way to keep all your accounts clean and ready for inspection as well. FreeAgent works a treat with this.

[BolshieBastard]

Actually, you should not issue an invoice; there's nothing to stop you raising one,. Also what the self-billing agencies are doing is not self billing. Self billing is when the delivery of an object triggers an automatic, unconditional payment, usually via an EDI system and is aimed a JIT manufacturing processes. What the agencies are doing is agreeing that the approval of a timesheet means you can be paid and they won't wait for you to invoice them (and they won't have to process the invoice either, of course, whic is the whole point). Hence what they give you is not an invoice but an RA, and you are free to raise your own: in fact any sensible business will do so, if only to keep their own invoice system straight.

Its splitting hairs, 'raising' 'issuing' but I'll give you that.

No, the OP shouldn't. We're talking agencies here. They are neither intelligent nor rational.

So was I, Spring and Comp People actually (and yes I know they are tulip but one was many years ago and the second became sole supplier to one of my regular clients) so I'll have that one.

[TheFaQQer]

Self Billing is all very well, but - what about after you move on and the accountant is asking questions about what you billed for for 12 months ago on a system you can no longer access?

I don't think my old agency would be keen to let me log in to my old PeopleClick account - if its still active.

I didn't think of taking screenshots each time I used it, sadly. But I will in future.

Presenting invoices the old way as I do at the mo. may be clunky, but its much easier to review and reconcile months later if you have seperate records of time billed for and payments in.
Or am I being dim and missing some obvious answer to this?

They should provide you with a copy - every time I've done it, it's either been a paper copy in the post or a PDF file emailed to me. Try asking them - they should have records of what invoices they paid.

[malvolio]

You must not raise an invoice under a self billing agreement as agreed with HMRC. People say its ok and unless you get caught, I suppose it is.

Actually, you should not issue an invoice; there's nothing to stop you raising one,. Also what the self-billing agencies are doing is not self billing. Self billing is when the delivery of an object triggers an automatic, unconditional payment, usually via an EDI system and is aimed a JIT manufacturing processes. What the agencies are doing is agreeing that the approval of a timesheet means you can be paid and they won't wait for you to invoice them (and they won't have to process the invoice either, of course, whic is the whole point). Hence what they give you is not an invoice but an RA, and you are free to raise your own: in fact any sensible business will do so, if only to keep their own invoice system straight.

You shouldnt have an issue accessing an agent's self billing website. I was able to access one 4 years after I last worked through one agent. I can still access another 2 years after I last worked through another agent.

If the agent is stopping you accessing the records ask them why. Since finance records must be retained for 6 or 7 years for HMRC purposes, they should still let you access the records if its only 12 months ago.

No, the OP shouldn't. We're talking agencies here. They are neither intelligent nor rational.

[BolshieBastard]

Self Billing is all very well, but - what about after you move on and the accountant is asking questions about what you billed for for 12 months ago on a system you can no longer access?

I don't think my old agency would be keen to let me log in to my old PeopleClick account - if its still active.

I didn't think of taking screenshots each time I used it, sadly. But I will in future.

Presenting invoices the old way as I do at the mo. may be clunky, but its much easier to review and reconcile months later if you have seperate records of time billed for and payments in.
Or am I being dim and missing some obvious answer to this?

You must not raise an invoice under a self billing agreement as agreed with HMRC. People say its ok and unless you get caught, I suppose it is.

You shouldnt have an issue accessing an agent's self billing website. I was able to access one 4 years after I last worked through one agent. I can still access another 2 years after I last worked through another agent.

If the agent is stopping you accessing the records ask them why. Since finance records must be retained for 6 or 7 years for HMRC purposes, they should still let you access the records if its only 12 months ago.

[minstrel]

Perhaps.

Standing advice for anyone having to use a self billing system is to treat their mickey-mouse paperwork as a Remittance Advice (which is what it is, despite what they label it) and raise your own invoices to keep your systems and audit trail straight. You don't have to send the invoice to anyone for it to be valid as a proof of payment required, especially if they've already paid you.

+1

[malvolio]

Self Billing is all very well, but - what about after you move on and the accountant is asking questions about what you billed for for 12 months ago on a system you can no longer access?

I don't think my old agency would be keen to let me log in to my old PeopleClick account - if its still active.

I didn't think of taking screenshots each time I used it, sadly. But I will in future.

Presenting invoices the old way as I do at the mo. may be clunky, but its much easier to review and reconcile months later if you have seperate records of time billed for and payments in.
Or am I being dim and missing some obvious answer to this?

Perhaps.

Standing advice for anyone having to use a self billing system is to treat their mickey-mouse paperwork as a Remittance Advice (which is what it is, despite what they label it) and raise your own invoices to keep your systems and audit trail straight. You don't have to send the invoice to anyone for it to be valid as a proof of payment required, especially if they've already paid you.

[xux42]

Self Billing is all very well, but - what about after you move on and the accountant is asking questions about what you billed for for 12 months ago on a system you can no longer access?

I don't think my old agency would be keen to let me log in to my old PeopleClick account - if its still active.

I didn't think of taking screenshots each time I used it, sadly. But I will in future.

Presenting invoices the old way as I do at the mo. may be clunky, but its much easier to review and reconcile months later if you have seperate records of time billed for and payments in.
Or am I being dim and missing some obvious answer to this?