Accounting and invoicing for planning firms
Work stages, stage invoices by progress, reports by effort: whoever plans and surveys bills in phases and steps. Saldiqo issues stage invoices from the quote, runs the final invoice and shows per project what is already paid.
What comes up for planning and surveying firms
Billing in phases
Planning services are delivered and billed in steps. Every step has a stage invoice, and at the end comes a final invoice.
Long project durations
A project lasts months to years. Open stage invoices and late payments have to stay in view.
Disbursements
Travel, plots, copies and survey fees are often passed on as a flat fee or at cost.
Several projects in parallel
Every project has its own fees, costs and dates. The figures should be visible per project.
How Saldiqo helps
- Stage invoices from the quoteFee by work stage as a quote, and you issue the stage invoices straight from it.
- Final invoiceThe final invoice deducts all stage invoices already paid.
- Cost centre per projectAssign invoices, expenses and time to a project and see the report per cost centre.
- Time tracking for effort-based workReports and consulting by effort you record in hours and create the invoice from them.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Work stage 3, stage invoice 1 of 3
- Work stage 4, planning application
- Disbursements, flat fee
- Report by effort, hours
- Site visit, travel
- Plots and copies as per receipt
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.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bill by work stage?
Yes. You write the fee as a quote and issue the stage invoices straight from it. The final invoice deducts them.
How do I see what a project earns?
With cost centres. You assign invoices, expenses and time to the project.
Do planning and surveying firms 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 planning and surveying firms 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 planning and surveying firms 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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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.