How to integrate Foco with invoicing tools for freelancers (templates and reminders)

Managing multiple clients or projects means juggling tasks, deadlines, and, most importantly, invoices. A freelancer invoicing system helps automate payments, but if it’s not connected to your daily organization, pending payments can get lost between meetings or deliveries. Foco isn’t an invoicing tool, but its structure by jobs (clients or projects) and its reminder and template features let you centralize management without switching apps. Here’s how to use it alongside tools like FacturaDirecta, Deel, Holded, or even spreadsheets, so payments don’t slip through the cracks.

1. Create a job for each client or project in Foco

In Foco, each client or project is an independent container with its own name and color. This way, when you add tasks related to invoices, payments, or reminders, they’ll appear grouped and visually distinct. For example:

• Open Foco and tap the + button to create a new job.
• Give it a clear name (e.g., 'Client X - Project Y' or 'Quarterly Invoices').
• Choose a distinctive color to identify it quickly in Panorama mode, where you see all tasks from all jobs at once.

2. Use task templates for recurring invoices

If you invoice the same amount every month (e.g., a fixed fee or a recurring service), set up a recurring task in Foco so you don’t have to create it manually each time. Steps:

• Inside the client’s job, create a new task titled 'Issue invoice - Client X'.
• In the 'Recurrence' field, select 'Monthly' and choose the day of the month (e.g., the 1st or the 30th).
• Add an estimated duration (e.g., 30 minutes) and a reminder (e.g., 1 day before).
• In 'Notes', attach a text template with the fixed invoice details (tax ID, concept, amount, payment method). You can copy it from your invoicing tool and paste it here, or record a voice note with the details.

When you complete the task, Foco will automatically generate the next occurrence. If you use the Burst feature (in the Plus plan), you can dictate several invoices in a row, and Foco will split them into separate tasks, saving you time.

3. Set up reminders for pending payments

Payment deadlines often get overlooked when managing multiple clients. In Foco, you can create specific tasks for collections with due dates and reminders. Example:

• Create a task titled 'Pending payment - Invoice #123 - Client X'.
• Set the payment due date (e.g., 15 days after issuing the invoice).
• In 'Priority', mark it as 'Important' or 'Urgent' if the payment is critical.
• Add a reminder (e.g., 3 days before the due date) to send a follow-up email.
• In 'Notes', attach the link to the invoice in your invoicing tool or a screenshot of the receipt.

In Panorama mode, you’ll see all these tasks with their colors, allowing you to quickly identify which payments are upcoming or overdue. If you enter the client’s Focus mode, you’ll only see their tasks, ideal for reviewing their status without distractions.

4. Sync invoicing events with your calendar

If you use Google Calendar or Outlook to manage deadlines, connect your calendar to Foco to see invoicing events alongside your tasks. Here’s how:

• Go to Settings > Calendar Sync and connect your Google or Outlook account.
• In Foco’s Calendar view, you’ll see your external events (e.g., 'Meeting with Client X') alongside invoicing tasks (e.g., 'Issue invoice').
• Events appear in gray and can’t be edited from Foco, but they help you plan time for issuing invoices or following up.

5. Compare with the alternative: Why use Foco instead of just an invoicing app or notes?

Invoicing tools are designed to generate and send invoices, but they’re not built for managing the day-to-day of a freelancer with multiple clients. For example:

• In a notes app or spreadsheet, invoicing tasks get mixed with everything else, without automatic reminders or colors to differentiate them.
• In a traditional project manager (like Trello or Asana), each client would be a separate 'project', but you wouldn’t see all your tasks together in one board, making prioritization harder.
• In Foco, each client is a job with its own tasks, but Panorama mode lets you see everything at once (including personal tasks), while Focus mode filters only one client’s tasks for concentration.

Additionally, features like voice capture, Burst, or automatic reminders for recurring tasks are designed to save time on repetitive tasks, like monthly invoices. If you already use an invoicing tool, Foco complements its workflow without duplicating functions: it helps you remember to issue, follow up, and collect payments.

6. Practical example: Full workflow for a freelancer

Imagine you have three clients with recurring invoices and two pending payments. Here’s how you’d manage it in Foco:

• Day 1: Use Burst to dictate 'Issue invoice for Client A on the 5th of every month, 500 euros, reminder 2 days before. Pending payment for Client B, invoice #456, due May 10, priority urgent.' Foco creates the tasks automatically.
• Day 3: You receive the reminder for Client A’s invoice. You issue it in your invoicing tool and attach the link in the task’s notes in Foco.
• Day 8: In Panorama mode, you see that Client B’s payment is marked as urgent. You send a follow-up email and update the task to 'Doing'.
• Day 15: In Calendar view, you schedule time to review all pending invoices for the month, using the synced events from your calendar.