Paper piles, lost texts, late payments — that stuff kills your week. The good news: your phone can be your site office. With a simple mobile workflow, you can capture the job, price it, send the proposal, invoice with correct French VAT (10%, 5.5%, 20%), and track payments — without spending a full day on admin.

Below is a field-tested, phone-first system you can use today. It’s built around quick habits and one tool to tie it all together.

Why a phone-first workflow works

• You always have your phone on site, in the van, at the café.
• Voice beats typing on small screens.
• Decisions happen fast on jobs; your admin should match that speed.
• One place for quotes, invoices, payments, and client messages keeps you out of chaos.

The 7-step on-site-to-paid workflow

1. Log the lead in seconds

• Save the contact the moment they call or text.
• Add address, door codes, who decides, and ballpark budget.
• Snap a couple of photos.

2. Capture scope by voice

• Dictate rooms, materials, constraints, and client choices while you’re still on site.
• Include access, parking, waste removal, and who buys materials.

Voice note example (dictate in one go):
Client: Dupont, 12 Rue des Lilas, 3rd floor without lift.
Job: Replace 2 basin mixers and 1 shower set. Existing shutoff valves OK.
Materials: Mid-range chrome, supplied by me. Include silicone and PTFE.
Constraints: Noisy hours 10:00–16:00, common areas protected.
Waste: Remove old taps. Parking meter, add 2h.

3. Price it with the right VAT

• Apply 10% for general renovation in homes >2 years old.
• Apply 5.5% for energy improvement equipment/works qualifying under current rules.
• Apply 20% for new builds, commercial, or when criteria aren’t met.
• Split labour and materials if rates differ.

Invoice lines example:
- Labour: 3.0 h @ €58/h  (TVA 10%)
- Mixers x2 (supply): €140 each  (TVA 10%)
- Shower set (supply): €120  (TVA 10%)
- Parking + waste: €24  (TVA 20%)
Notes: Home >2 years; renovation rate applies to labour/materials.

4. Send the proposal the same day

• Keep it simple: clear scope, price, VAT, timeline, and what’s excluded.
• Ask for a deposit on acceptance for bigger jobs.

Message template:
“Hi Mme Dupont, here’s your proposal with 10% VAT for renovation. Total incl. VAT: €542. Start next Tuesday, 10–16h. Reply ‘OK’ to approve and I’ll lock the slot.”

5. Turn quote into invoice in one tap

• Create deposit and final invoices without retyping.
• Add payment links or clear bank details.

6. Track payments and chase without stress

• See who owes what, by job.
• Automate polite reminders at 7/14/30 days.

Reminder script (friendly):
“Bonjour, just a quick nudge about invoice #1032 (€312). Payment link inside. Thanks! – Marc, Plomberie M.”

7. Close out and store everything

• Mark the job done, file photos, and keep messages in one place.
• Tag it (bathroom, boiler, painting) so you can find it later.

At each step above, a single app that handles quotes, invoices, VAT, payments, and client messages keeps you moving instead of juggling five tools.

• Try it on your next visit: create your quote by voice in Donizo.

Two quick stories from the field

• Marc, plumber, lost a €180 tap swap because the “I’ll invoice tonight” never happened. Now he dictates the scope, sends a 10% VAT proposal from the landing, and converts it to invoice before leaving. Result: no forgotten small jobs, extra €600–€800 captured each month.

• Sofia, painter, used to wait 45 days for final payment. She now issues a 30% deposit invoice on acceptance, a progress invoice mid-job, then the final. Automated reminders cut late payers by half.

• Ready to try the same workflow? Start with your next quote in Donizo.

One-week setup checklist (phone only)

• Day 1: Import contacts you care about. Create tags by trade or area.
• Day 2: Save 3 voice templates (bathroom, painting room, small electrical fix).
• Day 3: Set default hourly rate and common VAT lines (10%, 5.5%, 20%).
• Day 4: Add your payment info and reminder schedule (7/14/30 days).
• Day 5: Send two proposals from site — don’t wait until evening.
• Day 6: Convert one accepted quote into a deposit invoice.
• Day 7: Review what felt slow. Remove extra steps. Repeat.

Quick pricing math you can dictate

Small job calculator (dictate to notes):
Labour: 2.5 h x €58 = €145.00
Materials: €96.00
Travel/Parking: €18.00 (20% VAT)
Subtotal (10% VAT items): €241.00
VAT 10%: €24.10
VAT 20% on €18: €3.60
Total incl. VAT: €268.70
Round to: €269.00

Common pitfalls (and fixes)

• Wrong VAT rate: confirm building age (>2 years for 10%) and whether energy improvements qualify for 5.5%. If in doubt, price with 20% on non-qualifying items.
• Verbal changes: add a quick line item before doing extra work. Even a short message counts as proof.
• Late approvals: add a 48-hour validity note so clients decide while motivated.
• Unpaid finals: always ask for a deposit on jobs over €1,000.

Where Donizo fits

• Quotes by voice, professional proposals, and easy follow-ups.
• Invoices with correct French VAT (20%, 10%, 5.5%) and clean payment tracking.
• Project status, notes, and client messages in one place.

If you want less paperwork and more paid work, run this phone-first system.

• Get your next job from on-site to paid with Donizo.