The complete guide to Billdr — everything you need to know

25 April 202620 min read

Welcome to Billdr. This guide covers everything — from sending your first quote to filing MTD with HMRC. Bookmark this page. Come back whenever you need to check how something works. If anything is unclear, email hello@billdr.co.uk and we will help.

Section 1: Getting started (first 5 minutes)

Complete profile: business name, address, phone, UTR.
Upload your logo for quote and invoice PDFs.
Set payment terms (default 30 days works for most users).

You are now ready to send your first quote. If you want the fast route, use voice to quote.

Section 2: Your dashboard

Your dashboard gives a live picture of your business: money in, money owed, tax direction, and work schedule.

This month income: what has come in recently.
Outstanding: unpaid invoices requiring follow-up.
Tax pot: estimate of what to set aside.
Mileage: current claim value as you log journeys.

You also get Today's schedule, overdue alerts, VAT summary (if VAT enabled), and quick actions for quote, invoice, expense, and mileage.

Section 3: Customers

Add customer name, email, phone, and address once. After that, every quote and invoice is faster.

Each customer record shows history: quotes, invoices, and payments. This helps when a customer asks, “Can you remind me what we agreed last time?”

You can also use customer context for review follow-up via Google review requests.

Section 4: Quotes

Build quotes with title, customer, and line items (description, quantity, unit price). Keep language clear and specific.

Voice to quote is ideal on site. Tap mic, describe the job naturally, and Billdr creates structured line items. Review before sending.

Add photos to quotes where helpful — site condition, existing fittings, access constraints, or finish examples. Read why photos matter.

VAT controls on quotes support net or gross entry if VAT registered. Billdr displays subtotal, VAT line, and total clearly.

Quote flow is: Draft → Sent → Accepted/Declined → Invoiced. If accepted, convert to invoice in one tap with line items and VAT carried over.

Section 5: Invoices

Create directly or convert from quote. Add due date and payment terms. Send by email as professional PDF.

Add completion photos for transparency and fewer disputes. If VAT registered, PDF is marked as VAT invoice and includes your VAT number.

For subcontractors, CIS can be enabled. Billdr calculates 20% deduction on net amount (before VAT). If reverse charge applies, enable it so VAT is shown correctly for construction scenarios.

Status flow: Draft → Sent → Paid → Overdue → Cancelled. Mark paid when money lands; it syncs to FreeAgent if connected.

If overdue, use AI chase email with three tones: polite nudge, firmer reminder, and final notice.

Section 6: Expenses

Add date, category, amount, and description. Or use receipt scanner: photograph receipt, Billdr reads merchant and amount, and suggests HMRC category plus VAT where relevant.

Common categories include materials, tools, vehicle, travel, phone, insurance, subcontractors, PPE, training, and other costs.

For detailed workflow, read AI receipt scanner.

Section 7: Mileage

Log date, from, to, miles, and purpose. Billdr applies HMRC rates automatically: 45p up to 10,000 miles, then 25p.

Typical allowable journeys: customer sites, merchants, material pickups, accountant meetings. Usual non-allowable example: commuting to a fixed base.

A tradesperson doing 200 miles/week may log around £4,600 annual claim value. Best practice: log mileage same day.

More detail in mileage tracking guide.

Section 8: Jobs and project tracking

Create job with title, customer, description, and start date. Link related quotes, invoices, and expenses to keep one job view.

Job detail helps you track quoted value, invoiced value, cost, and profit per job. This is how you identify which work types are truly profitable.

Section 9: Job calendar

Add scheduled jobs with customer, date, time, and address. Use month, week, or day view depending on how you plan.

Calendar statuses: scheduled (green), in progress (blue), completed (grey), cancelled (red). Quick actions include start, complete, create invoice, log expense, and log mileage.

Dashboard shows today's jobs first thing in the morning. You can also receive morning schedule summary by email.

Full walkthrough: job calendar for sole traders.

Section 10: Google reviews

More reviews usually means more calls. In settings, add your Google Business details or review link. After invoice is marked paid, Billdr can prompt review request in one tap.

You can track review request activity from dashboard context.

Learn more: how Google reviews work in Billdr.

Section 11: VAT (if VAT registered)

In Settings → VAT, enable VAT, add VAT number, choose scheme (standard, flat rate, cash accounting), and set flat-rate percentage where relevant.

Typical flat rate examples often used in trade planning: plumbing 14.5%, electrical 14.5%, building 9.5%, carpentry 14.5%, painting 14.5%, gardening 14.5%, cleaning 12%.

Billdr supports net/gross entry, VAT on expenses (input VAT), VAT card on dashboard, reverse charge scenarios, and VAT summary in accountant pack.

Read full VAT reference: VAT for sole trader tradespeople.

Section 12: CIS (if subcontractor)

In profile, mark CIS registered and add verification number. On invoices, CIS deduction is calculated at 20% on net amount. Billdr tracks per contractor and includes CIS summary in accountant pack.

CIS + VAT + reverse charge can be complex; Billdr keeps these aligned in invoice workflow.

Deep dive: CIS tracking for subcontractors and CIS deductions explained.

Section 13: FreeAgent and MTD

MTD means quarterly digital updates to HMRC for users in scope. Connect FreeAgent in Settings → Integrations. Authorise once, then invoices, expenses, and mileage sync automatically.

FreeAgent handles filing submission path. Billdr handles day-to-day trade admin and data capture.

Setup walkthrough: connect Billdr to FreeAgent. Background context: what is MTD?

Section 14: Accountant pack

Generate from Dashboard → Accountant Pack. You get six-page PDF summary: income, expenses, mileage, CIS, VAT, and tax estimate.

Use it at year-end or whenever accountant asks for an update. It saves data gathering time for both of you.

Full breakdown: accountant pack guide.

Section 15: Tax estimate

Billdr estimates tax from income less expenses and mileage claims to derive taxable profit. It then applies UK rates and NI assumptions for planning.

Personal allowance: £12,570
Basic rate 20% up to £50,270
Higher rate 40% above
Class 4 NI at 6% then 2% above higher band
Class 2 NI weekly where applicable

Use tax pot card to set money aside through year. Use “Explain my tax” for plain-English context. Always confirm final position with accountant.

Section 16: Settings

Settings controls profile details, VAT scheme, CIS details, Google review setup, FreeAgent connection, and subscription management.

Keep settings accurate. It affects quote/invoice output and reporting quality everywhere else.

Section 17: Getting help

Email hello@billdr.co.uk. Response is usually within a few hours. Browse billdr.co.uk/blog for practical guides.

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