Running a business is not easy, especially if you work as an independent contractor. As a solopreneur, you need to find enough time and energy to ensure your business meets all administrative requirements, has enough funds to be sustainable, and grows as planned.

In that sense, using templates for various business functions is crucial, as they allow you to maintain consistency and efficiency, as well as decrease errors as much as possible.

Since most plumbers work individually, they might find it hard to achieve the same level of organization as small and mid-size businesses. Nonetheless, they are expected to be organized and efficient even though they often lack manpower.

With this being said, we decided to help them out (and those who plan on starting a plumbing business) and list eight useful templates (plus several useful tools) they can use to make their workday much easier, and the administrative part of their business organized and neat.

Best business templates plumbers should use

Let’s see what are the most useful templates and tools plumbers should use.

InvoiceBerry’s plumbing invoice template

Invoices are vital for every business, regardless of their size. They serve as legal binders between sellers and clients, and they’re here to ensure the sellers get paid for their services. Furthermore, invoices make financial management much easier, and they can be used as an effective marketing tool.

Being an online invoicing software company, we understand the importance of automating the administrative side of the business. Especially when it comes to invoices. 

While you can technically create a different invoice each time you need to charge for your services, this method isn’t convenient and efficient. There are many reasons why you should use an invoice template, including:

• Faster payments from clients. Professional invoices allow businesses to get their payments faster, as they allow them to quickly fill out each invoice. That said, the faster you fill out your invoice, the higher the chances clients will pay them sooner.

• Minimized human errors. Not using invoice templates increases the chances of human error, as employees and business owners need to put all information needed over and over again, making them prone to forgetting crucial information. Having an invoice template decreases the chance of such mistakes, allowing businesses, freelancers, and contractors to get paid on time.

• Promotes strong brand identity. Personalization is at the heart of every good marketing strategy. Invoices are, as well, a strong marketing tool and they should be personalized to show off your brand’s unique voice and stand out from the crowd. That said, every business, freelancer, and contractor should use personalized invoices that reinforce trust, show professionalism, and stand out.

• Promotes customer satisfaction. Everyone understands that mistakes can happen, however, if they repeat they quickly lead to dissatisfaction. Those who fail to use invoice templates risk forgetting to include important information, resulting in uncomfortable arguments with clients, and their dissatisfaction.

Bonus tip: While you can use invoicing templates to streamline your business operations, there’s an even faster and more convenient solution! InvoiceBerry invoicing software for plumbers allows you to create personalized invoices quickly, turn quotes into invoices in just a few seconds, send reminders for late payments, and much more. To check it out you just need to sign up for a free trial and see it for yourself!

Business plan template

Having a business plan is vital in any business, regardless of its size. Small business owners, freelancers, and individual contractors such as plumbers need to have a clear plan on how they want to grow their business, what their expenses are, and their expected income. Without a plan, they can easily overlook something which can lead to unexpected costs, greater liability, and even business closure.

That said, using a business plan template comes in handy, as it helps business owners stay on top of their business year-round.

Credit note template

Let’s say a client has called you to fix their sink and unclog the toilet. If you agree you’ll send an invoice first, and they’ll pay for your services upfront. However, when you come to their house, you find out the scope of work you need to get done is smaller compared to what they described. This is when you’ll need to issue a credit note.

A credit note is issued in case the seller needs to reduce the bill he made to the client. This document obliges the seller to pay back the reduced amount or adjust it in a subsequent transaction.

However, making a credit note on the spot might be time-consuming and can lead to mistakes. For that reason, using a credit note template is the best solution.

Marketing budget plan templates

Many companies go under because they’re unaware of how they use their capital and how much money they have in the first place. Marketing is important for growing a business, however, irrational spending can severely damage it. That’s why business owners need to have a clear overview of their strategy, budget, and the behavior of their customers and put it on paper.

However, writing a marketing budget plan isn’t easy, and business owners can quickly overlook crucial information.

That’s why many reach out to marketing budget plan templates that help them stay on track and avoid such mistakes.

Startup costs templates

Having a good idea usually isn’t enough to run a successful business. Many things depend on proper financial management, and, to be successful, every business needs to have a clear overview of its finances. Those who’re just starting their business, regardless of its size, need to have a solid startup cost plan to avoid going under.

However, making a good startup cost plan is harder than it sounds. For that reason, using startup cost templates can help in avoiding the most common mistakes and overlook crucial parts of business operations.

Annual operating budget templates

An annual operating budget plan is vital as it enables businesses to plan their expenses, reach goals, and anticipate changes that will support the business’s growth. Having a budget enables businesses to understand how great their operating costs are and track performance.

If you’re making an annual operating budget for the first time, you might as well try to use our annual operating budget template, to navigate the whole process easier.

Purchase order templates

A purchase order is similar to an invoice, but it’s issued in a reverse way. It’s sent by a buyer and serves as a promise to the seller that the products or services will be paid at a later time.

You can make it easier for your customers and leave out a purchase order template on your website for them to use.

Break-even analysis templates

Knowing how much you should charge for your product or services after all the business costs you have to make, to make a profit is crucial for every business. This is why we do a break-even analysis. 

To avoid confusion and possible mistakes, you can always use a break-even template to assess the price of your products or services.

Other tools and templates plumbers might find handy

Since it’s pretty easy to become overwhelmed by running your business, tools that can automate tedious and time-consuming tasks, as well as reduce time spent on them are valued. Here are some tools we think business owners of any size, plumbers included, might find handy.

• PayPal fees calculator. Allowing your customers and clients to pay in the way that’s the most convenient for them is always a plus. However, calculating the fees of every payment platform might be a bit too much. That said, plumbers and other business owners who offer PayPal payments will surely find this PayPal fee calculator tool useful.

• Profit margin calculator. Calculating your profit margin is crucial, as it shows you how much you’ll earn. Using the profit margin calculator will help you decide how much you should charge for your services, allowing you to improve and develop your business.

• Business loan calculator. To develop, businesses will need funds. Sometimes the only way to get much-needed money happens through loans. To make your loan application process easier, you can use a business loan calculator for free, and see what is the best option for your business.

• Business card maker. Giving out business cards is a great way to stay recognizable. You can make them using a business card maker tool, and improve your marketing efforts quickly!

Final Words

Running a business is a time-consuming task, especially if you fit among independent contractors that have to run everything by themselves. However, this doesn’t mean that running your business isn’t rewarding. Many people enjoy the liberty and satisfaction of working for themselves.

We laid out a few useful templates plumbers can use to run daily operations, but we’re sure others will find something useful too! 

Which template or tool do you find the most useful?