Implementing an open source multiuser invoice system

First, we define our requirements for a multiuser invoice system. These will help us find the right system.

1. The system should be available as open source and have an online demonstration or satisfying screenshots.
2. The system should be easy to install, easy to backup, easy to restore, easy to use, have a neat layout and use English language.
3. The system should be able to handle users, billers, customers, products, currency, tax rate, number series, payments and conditions.
4. The system should be able to produce an order (offer), an invoice and a credit invoice in a printable and a sendable format, such as PDF or HTML. These should include a unique number, biller information, customer information, date, product specification, currency, tax rate, payments and conditions.
5. The system output should be easy to modify, such as translating invoices into other languages.

We will do a quick search on Google, take a quick glance at the results and pick a bunch of possible candidates, that we will test against our requirements.

Possible candidates are Bamboo Invoice, Simple Invoices, Siwapp, My Client Base and phpBMS.

Now, we can put the candidates to the invoice test, one by one. We simply want to create a user, create a biller, create a customer, create a product, set currency, set tax rate, define conditions and produce an invoice. We will use online demonstrations, when available.

Bamboo Invoice does not seem to handle products nor seem to be able to produce an order. However, those are acceptable deviations.

Simple Invoices does not have a neat layout. Invoices look horrible. This is not acceptable.

Siwapp does not seem to handle customers nor products. Handling of currency is deviating from DKK to DKr. Invoice does not contain biller information. This is not acceptable.

My Client Base does not seem to have an online demonstration nor screenshots. This is not acceptable.

phpBMS does not seem to handle users and aims for integration within a business. It seems, that configuration are done elsewhere than in the online demonstration. This is not acceptable.

Bamboo Invoice, developed by Derek Allard, seems to be the best candidate. We download the latest source, unpack it and follow the installation instructions. It seems, that users are actually not supported, thus only one user and one biller can use the installation. This is not acceptable.

Leaving us with no acceptable candidates left, our recommendation for an open source implementation of a multiuser invoice system is, that the system must be developed, either as a spin off from one of these candidates or from scratch.

If you are in need of a quick way to invoice your customers using open source software, we recommend using the OpenOffice spreadsheet to produce a master invoice, that meets legal requirements. Then use the master invoice as a template for invoicing your customers. This will also help you define the invoice layout for your future invoice management system.

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