As a tradie in New Zealand, your invoicing needs are different from an office-based consultant. You're on the tools all day, you often quote before the job starts, materials costs change, and you need to invoice from your phone on the way home — not sit at a computer at 10pm.
Here's what actually matters when choosing invoicing software as a tradie.
Mobile-First — Non-Negotiable
You need to be able to create and send an invoice from your phone. Not just "view" invoices — actually create a new one, add line items, and send it to the client, all from your mobile.
Look for software that works as a Progressive Web App (PWA) or has a proper mobile browser experience. Native apps are fine, but they often lag behind the desktop version in features.
Test this before committing: open the software on your phone and try to send a test invoice. If it's painful, it won't get used.
Quotes That Convert to Invoices in One Click
The tradie workflow is almost always: quote → do the job → invoice.
You want software where you can:
- Send a quote to the client
- Client approves it
- Convert the approved quote to an invoice with one click
- Adjust for any variations in materials or hours
- Send the invoice
Retyping everything from a quote into a new invoice wastes time and introduces errors. The best invoicing tools for tradies make the conversion instant.
GST at 15% — Sorted Automatically
Most tradies are GST-registered (you cross the $60,000 threshold quickly once you're busy). Your invoicing software needs to:
- Apply GST at 15% automatically
- Show the GST-exclusive amount, GST amount, and GST-inclusive total separately
- Display your GST number on every invoice
- Generate a GST report for your bi-monthly IRD filing
Don't use a generic international tool that requires you to manually set up NZ GST — use something built for it.
Multiple Line Items with Labour and Materials
A good tradie invoice often includes:
- Labour (X hours × hourly rate)
- Materials (itemised or as a lump sum)
- Call-out fees
- Subcontractor costs
Make sure the software lets you add multiple line items easily and allows you to include descriptions that explain the work to the client. Clients who understand what they're paying for pay faster.
Your Bank Details on Every Invoice
This sounds obvious, but some invoicing tools don't include your bank account number prominently on the invoice. Clients need to see:
- Account name
- Bank account number
- What reference to use (typically your invoice number)
Without this, you'll get phone calls asking how to pay — and delays.
Payment Status Tracking
When you're running multiple jobs at once, you need to know at a glance which invoices are paid, which are overdue, and which haven't been sent yet.
A simple dashboard showing invoice status saves the mental overhead of trying to remember who's paid and who hasn't. The best tools also let you mark an invoice as paid with the date received — useful at tax time.
What to Avoid
- Software built for accountants — overly complex, full of features you'll never use
- Software with no NZ GST support — you'll be manually working it out every time
- Desktop-only tools — useless when you're on a job site
- Tools that charge per invoice — costs spiral as you get busy
MyBillDash for NZ Tradies
MyBillDash is free invoicing software designed for NZ and AU tradies and small businesses. It works on any phone browser (no app install needed), supports quotes that convert to invoices in one click, and handles GST at 15% automatically.
Features tradies use most:
- Quote → Invoice conversion in one click
- Multiple line items (labour, materials, call-out fees)
- GST at 15% calculated automatically
- Bank details on every invoice
- Overdue tracking and payment status dashboard
- PDF invoices emailed direct to clients
- GST reports for IRD filing
The free plan covers 5 invoices and 5 quotes per month. For busier periods, the Premium plan is one flat monthly fee — no per-invoice charges. Try it free for 1 month, no credit card needed.