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Accounting and invoicing for IT freelancers

Hourly rate, day rate, maintenance contract: IT freelancers bill by time and for clients in several countries. Saldiqo records your hours, writes the invoice from them and knows the reverse charge for clients in the EU.

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What comes up for IT freelancers

Billing by time

Hours and days have to go to the project, the client and the invoice. If you carry the time in your head, the month-end invoice is imprecise.

Recurring amounts

Maintenance and support contracts, hosting and licences run monthly or yearly. The invoice is the same every time.

Clients in several countries

A startup in Berlin, an agency in Vienna, a group in Amsterdam: different rules apply per client and country, and the invoice has to show that.

Subscriptions and tools

Cloud, developer tools, software, domains: running costs are many small invoices, often in foreign currency.

How Saldiqo helps

  • Time tracking with start and stopTime runs along, you assign it to client and project. The invoice line comes from it.
  • Invoice from recorded timeYou bundle open time per client into one invoice with a click.
  • Maintenance contract as a recurring invoiceMonthly flat fees and yearly licences are created by a recurring invoice on a fixed date.
  • Tax type for abroadFor businesses in other EU countries you choose reverse charge, and Saldiqo writes the note on the invoice. For other cases you clear with your tax adviser which tax type fits.
  • Receipts and paymentsPhotograph the receipt with your phone, upload the bank statement, and Saldiqo matches payments to invoices.

Typical invoice lines

Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.

  • Software development, 18 hours
  • Code review and architecture consulting, 4 hours
  • On-call retainer, October
  • Maintenance contract, October
  • Re-invoiced hosting and licences as per receipt
  • Travel costs at cost

Tax and invoicing in Ireland

What applies to invoices in Ireland, in short. As of October 2026.

VAT
Standard rate 23 %, reduced rates 13.5 % and 9 %, 4.8 % for livestock, and 0 %. Since 1 July 2026 a 9 % rate applies to restaurants, catering, hot takeaway food and hairdressing, excluding alcohol and soft drinks.
VAT registration
Registration is required above €42,500 a year for services and above €85,000 for goods, if at least 90 % of turnover comes from goods. Saldiqo leaves VAT off your invoices while you are below the threshold and shows how much room is left.
What goes on an invoice
Registered businesses show their VAT number. Sole traders and partnerships providing services show their tax reference number, or their full name and address, on invoices and receipts of €7 or more (section 885 TCA). Companies show their name, CRO number and registered office, and directors’ details on letters, order forms and the website.
Invoice timing
Issue a VAT invoice within 15 days after the end of the month in which the supply took place.
E-invoicing
From 1 November 2028 every business must be able to receive e-invoices. Issuing is phased in: first for suppliers to large corporates, from November 2029 for businesses trading B2B within the EU, and from 1 July 2030 under the EU VAT in the Digital Age rules. A PDF does not count as an e-invoice, and the technical specifications are not yet published.
VAT returns
VAT3 returns are filed every two months through ROS, by the 19th of the following month, or the 23rd when you file online through ROS. Saldiqo does not file returns, your accountant or ROS does.
Record keeping
Keep records for 6 years, longer while a review is open.
Late payment
Interest on late business payments is the ECB main refinancing rate (2.40 % in the second half of 2026) plus 8 points, so 10.40 %, plus fixed compensation of €40, €70 or €100 depending on the amount owed.
Getting paid
IBAN and BIC are on every invoice, plus a SEPA QR code (EPC) for banking apps that can read it.

For IT freelancers in Ireland

Services to businesses in other EU countries usually fall under the reverse charge. In Saldiqo you choose the tax type reverse charge. Which rule applies to a client, you clear with your accountant.

Frequently asked questions

Can I track hours and turn them into an invoice?

Yes. Saldiqo has time tracking with start and stop, open time per client and the invoice from time.

How do I bill clients in other EU countries?

You choose the tax type on the invoice, for example reverse charge. Saldiqo adds the note. Which rule applies to the client, you clear with your tax adviser.

Is there a login for my tax adviser?

Yes. You invite your tax adviser with their own login. They see your figures without changing anything and can pull exports.

Do IT freelancers in Ireland have to charge VAT?

Once they are registered, yes. Registration is required from the sale that takes turnover over €42,500 a year for services or €85,000 for goods, where at least 90 % of turnover comes from goods. Below those limits Saldiqo leaves VAT off your invoices.

Do IT freelancers in Ireland need e-invoicing?

Not yet. From 1 November 2028 every business must be able to receive e-invoices. The duty to issue them phases in from the same date for suppliers to large corporates and later for more businesses. PDF invoices do not count as e-invoices.

How long should IT freelancers keep invoices?

Keep records for 6 years, longer while a review is open. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.

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Write invoices, match payments, collect receipts and send reminders: free and without a trial period.

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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.