Streamlining Boat Yard Invoicing
Transform your invoicing process from a bottleneck to a seamless operation, ensuring faster payments and happier customers.
The Invoicing Bottleneck
In many boat yards, invoicing is the bottleneck. Work gets done, but invoices take days or weeks to go out because:
- Notes are scattered — Handwritten job cards, verbal updates
- Time isn't tracked — "About 4 hours... maybe 5?"
- Materials are forgotten — That extra paint tin, the new anode
- Subcontractor costs arrive late — The electrician's invoice surfaces weeks later
- Someone has to type it all up — Manual entry into accounting software
The result? Delayed invoices mean delayed payment. Forgotten items mean lost revenue. Disputes happen when customers question charges they don't remember.
---
🚀 Real-time Tracking
Capture costs and labour as they happen, eliminating forgotten items and discrepancies.
⏱️ Faster Invoicing
Generate professional invoices in minutes, not days, for improved cash flow.
✅ Reduced Disputes
Detailed, itemised invoices mean clear communication and fewer customer queries.
📈 Better Financials
Accurate revenue tracking, payment monitoring, and streamlined accounting exports.
The Job-Centric Approach
Modern boat yard software solves this by capturing everything on the job as work happens:
Job Items
Every charge is an item on the job:
| Type | Description | Qty | Unit | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Hull preparation | 4 | hours | £45 | £180 |
| Labour | Antifoul application | 3 | hours | £45 | £135 |
| Materials | Antifoul (2.5L) | 2 | each | £85 | £170 |
| Other | Cradle hire | 5 | days | £12 | £60 |
Total: £545 + VAT
Adding Items
As work progresses:
No waiting until the end. Capture costs as they happen.
---
Click an available bay to check someone in
Labour Tracking
Estimated Hours
When creating the job, estimate the hours:
- "Hull prep: 4 hours"
- "Antifoul: 3 hours"
Actual Hours
Staff log time against the job:
- Date, hours, what was done
- Or: Enter total hours at completion
Labour Rate
Set your rate per job or use a default:
- Standard labour: £45/hour
- Specialist work: £55/hour
- Weekend rate: £60/hour
---
Materials
Track materials used:
From Stock
If you sell anodes, antifoul, fastenings:
- Add from your product list
- System knows the price
- Includes markup if configured
Ad-Hoc Materials
For items purchased specifically for this job:
- Enter description and cost
- Add your markup
- Attach the receipt for reference
Parts on Order
Waiting for a part?
- Create a placeholder item
- Mark "awaiting parts" status on job
- Update with actual cost when it arrives
---
Subcontractors
Many yards use external specialists:
- Electricians
- Engine mechanics
- Surveyors
- Signwriters
Tracking Subcontractor Costs
- Add item with contractor name
- Enter their charge (your cost)
- Enter the charge to customer (your price)
- The margin is your management fee
Contractor References
Record their invoice numbers for your own bookkeeping.
---
Pro Tip: Streamline Subcontractor Billing
When adding subcontractor costs, consider having a default markup percentage to automatically calculate the customer's charge, saving time and ensuring consistent profit margins.
Other Charges
Miscellaneous items that don't fit elsewhere:
- Cranage — Haul-out and launch fees
- Disposal — Environmental waste disposal
- Hardstanding — Storage while ashore
- Transport — Mast transport, boat delivery
Each with description, quantity, and rate.
---
The Invoice Generation
When the job is complete:
One-Click Invoice
Invoice Contents
The invoice includes:
- Job reference number
- Customer details (from database)
- All line items from the job
- Subtotal, VAT, and total
- Payment terms and due date
Invoice Numbering
Invoices get sequential numbers (INV-00123) and are marked as "YARD WORK" for clear categorisation.
---
See Yard Manager in Action
Discover how marinas and boatyards streamline operations with PayCamp's purpose-built tools.
VAT Handling
UK boat yards deal with VAT daily:
Standard Rate (20%)
Most services: labour, materials, storage
Zero Rate (0%)
Some qualifying work on commercial vessels
VAT-Registered Customers
Show their VAT number on invoice
The system calculates VAT per line item and totals it correctly.
---
Did You Know?
Proper categorisation of invoices (e.g., "YARD WORK") helps with internal accounting and provides clearer financial overviews, especially when running reports.
Customer
James Mitchell · Berth A1
| Item | Net | VAT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 👆 Pick an item above to start building your invoice | |||
After the Invoice
Payment Tracking
When payment arrives:
- Record the payment against the invoice
- Part payments supported
- Balance outstanding shown
Overdue Invoices
System shows which invoices are overdue:
- 7 days, 14 days, 30+ days
- Send reminders with a click
End-of-Month Reporting
Pull reports:
- Revenue by job type
- Outstanding invoices
- VAT totals for submission
---
Integration with Accounts
Export invoices to your accounting software:
- CSV for spreadsheets
- PDF for records
- Integration with Xero/QuickBooks (where available)
---
Benefits Realised
Boat yards using job-centric invoicing report:
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Time to invoice | Minutes, not days |
| Forgotten items | Near zero |
| Invoice disputes | Rare (everything documented) |
| Cash flow | Faster payment |
| Admin time | Significantly reduced |
---
Getting Started
Labour, materials markup
With typical items
Add items as work happens
Generate when complete
Close the loop
The goal: from job completion to invoice in under 5 minutes.
---
Key Actions to Take
- **Explore modern boat yard software:** Find a solution that offers job-centric invoicing.
- **Implement real-time job item tracking:** Encourage technicians to log work and materials as they occur.
- **Review and standardise your rates and markups:** Ensure consistency and profitability.
- **Schedule a demo:** See how automated invoicing can work for your boat yard.
See invoicing in action → with a live boat yard demo. Create a job, add items, and generate a professional invoice.
✨ Monday Morning — Automated
4.5 hours saved this morning
Zero double bookings. Ever.
📋 Monday Morning Routine
⚠ Double-booking discovered at 2pm…
Found this helpful?
Share it with fellow site operators
See Yard Manager in Action
Discover how marinas and boatyards streamline operations with PayCamp's purpose-built tools.