If you’re a UK tradesperson who’s had enough of paperwork, late payments, and endless invoice chasing, Tradify invoicing could be your shortcut to getting paid faster. This guide explains step-by-step how to use the Tradify app to streamline your invoicing and admin from the ground up—ideal for builders, plumbers, electricians, landscapers and anyone running a trade business.
Why Tradify Invoicing Matters for UK Trades
What slows tradies down?
Many UK trades businesses struggle with slow quoting, forgotten paperwork, job variations, and customers who take weeks to pay. These all hit cash flow and eat up your evenings. Tradify invoicing changes that by giving you tools purpose-built for small trade companies. The right app means less admin, fewer disputes, faster jobs closed out and, crucially, more cash in the bank.
- Create and send invoices wherever you are
- Track who still owes you what, at a glance
- Reduce no-shows and delays through job tracking and reminders
Getting Started with Tradify: Setup Basics
Be ready to invoice on day one
You don’t need a degree in IT to set up Tradify. Download the app on your phone or tablet and follow the prompts for company info, VAT registrations, labour rates, logo, and bank details. If your business needs to record CIS or different VAT rates, you can set those in the UK settings. Tradify’s setup usually takes less than an hour—even for a small team.
If you’re switching from paper or another system, check out Going Paperless in Your Trade Business in 2026 to help kick things off.
Quoting Jobs and Turning Quotes into Invoices
No more double-handling or missed details
Tradify lets you build quotes using reusable templates and price lists for labour, materials, travel, or special tasks. Once a customer accepts a quote (either by clicking the email or signing onsite), you can instantly convert that quote into a job and, later, an invoice. This workflow means fewer mistakes, fewer missed items, and everything remains traceable by job.
- Store customer details and address once, use them across every job
- Apply your markups or discounts automatically
- Make handling variations a two-minute job instead of paperwork hell
“On the tools advice: Save every job photo and variation as you go. Tradify keeps it all attached to the right job, so if a customer questions something, you’ve got proof ready to send.”
Job Scheduling, Delays, and Communication
Fixing the worst admin time-wasters
Tradify’s scheduling calendar lets you assign jobs, rebook due to weather, add notes for special access or insurance, and automatically send reminders. Got a delayed delivery or a last-minute cancellation? Drag, drop, and everyone—including subcontractors—gets notified. This level of automation shrinks the amount of time you spend texting and chasing up staff.
Quick links with other parts of Tradify—like digital timesheets and job timers—means that when the job’s done, the invoice is nearly ready for you with no extra typing.
Creating Invoices Faster, with Fewer Mistakes
How Tradify avoids missed charges and disputes
Generating an invoice in Tradify is as simple as two clicks from your job file. All labour, materials, VAT, and extras are pulled through automatically from the tracked job. You select what to charge for—perfect for stage payments, deposits, or chasing for extras. No more missed hours or forgotten items. You can also set up custom invoice templates for different types of work, matching your brand.
For businesses working in renovations, see Tradify for Builders and Renovation Companies in 2026 for job-specific workflows.
Chasing Payments: Get Paid Faster
Automatic reminders and online payments
One of the main strengths of Tradify invoicing is its payment follow-up automation. Once you’ve sent an invoice, Tradify can send reminders by email or SMS when payment gets close to due—or overdue. There’s a simple status screen to see which jobs are outstanding. If you accept online payments, customers can pay instantly via a payment link.
- Send polite reminders without awkward calls
- Offer credit/debit card payment links for less friction
- Check if a customer has actually opened your invoice
VAT, CIS and Compliance for UK Tradespeople
Staying on the right side of HMRC
UK trades need to juggle VAT registration thresholds, CIS, and other business compliance. Tradify invoicing can track and apply these items for you—whether that’s setting the right VAT rate, splitting out CIS deductions, or preparing invoices that your accountant (or HMRC) will accept first time. Attach key documents and certificates as evidence per job without hunting through emails.
Integrated Accounting: Getting Ready for Tax Time
No more spreadsheet headaches
Tradify integrates directly with Xero, QuickBooks, and other popular UK accounting software. Once connected, your invoices and payments sync automatically—no more double entry or mountains of paperwork at tax time. This cuts down on mistakes, keeps you compliant, and saves hours every month. Even if you’re a one-person band or a growing team, the handover to your accountant is much smoother.
For the cost-conscious, see Tradify Cost vs Value in 2026: When Paying More Actually Makes You More Profit for a breakdown of efficiency versus investment.
Mobile Invoicing—Even Onsite or After Hours
Invoicing where and when you actually work
Because Tradify works on iOS, Android and desktop, you can send an invoice from the van, at a customer’s house, or between jobs. No need to wait until you get home to the laptop. If you’ve done the job, added materials, and signed it off, most of the invoice will write itself. You can send it to the customer before you even leave site, speeding up payments and reducing delays.
“On the tools advice: If you’re facing cash flow gaps, send stage or part invoices for bigger projects. Tradify makes it easy to bill for work done, even if a job is ongoing.”
Dealing with Job Variations, Extras, and Disputes
Staying in control when jobs change
No trade job goes perfectly to plan. Tradify makes variations easy: log the change, take a photo as evidence, update the price, and add it to the final invoice. This means clearer records, better customer communication, and a defence if payment is disputed. If you have to prove when materials were delivered or who was onsite, it’s all in the job record.
Reducing Admin Time Across Your Business
Why time-savings mean better margins
UK tradespeople using Tradify report saving 10+ hours a week by avoiding duplicate data entry, chasing fewer payments, and not rewriting the same details again and again. This makes evenings and weekends your own again, helps reduce staff burnout, and makes it less likely you’ll lose track of money owed.
Want to see how better admin systems can fix your retention headaches? Read Reducing Staff Turnover by Fixing Your Admin Systems.
Checklist: How to Use Tradify Invoicing Effectively
Actions for every UK trades business
- Upload customer and job details once and reuse for every quote and invoice
- Log all job changes and add photos for evidence
- Build standard templates for different tasks (repairs, installs, emergencies)
- Set auto-reminders and connect your payment tools
- Sync with your accounting software before your VAT quarter ends
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Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can I send an invoice with Tradify after finishing a job?
Once your job is marked as complete in Tradify, you can create and send an invoice in under two minutes. All your job details, materials, and labour feed directly into the invoice, so you’re not double-entering data.
Can Tradify handle UK VAT and CIS on invoices?
Yes, Tradify supports UK VAT rates and can manage CIS deductions when needed. You set your VAT registration in account settings, and CIS is easily applied per job. This helps keep your business compliant with HMRC standards.