iol@wef.net
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Invoice$ Online F.A.Q.
1. I shared IOL with peers but they're concerned information will be used for telemarketers, mailing lists etc. Comments please?No information about you is collected on this webserver. You are, however, sending unencrypted data about yourself over the Internet when you hit the submit button on the invoice creation form. Any number of hackers with packet sniffers are out there at any time. They might intercept a packet with your phone number on it and use it for unscrupulous activities. Then again, the phone company has your number already, and they sold your name to telemarketers years ago.
Did you know most e-mail is unencrypted?
2. Can I buy the code?
Nope...
3. What kind of traffic do you get?
On the average week, 9,000 invoices are previewed, of which about half (4,500) go to the final printable invoice stage. There are 4,000 unique visitors to IOL each week.
4. How do you make money to support this awesome system?
I don't sell advertisements, there are no popups, and I don't harvest information to sell to third parties. I work, and that's how I pay the bills. I am paid with occasional emails from satisfied customers.
5. I can't believe how badly your funky little service sucks! You are a loser and deserve to be taken out and maimed.
Hehe... It amazes me how much pathetic hate mail I get. I get about 5 virus e-mails a day to my iol@wef.net address. Thanks for keeping me on my toes, gift horse mouth lookers. If you really need something more out of an online invoicing program, I'd suggest www.ezinvoice.com or even BillMyClients.com
Both of these suggestions come at a price though. (No, I don't make money by providing the links, sheeesh!)
6. Can you add more itemizations?
Yes! If there aren't 10 itemization lines by the start of 2006, you can pelt my mailbox with nasty notes of disapproval.
7. Will you make a simple method for me to create packing lists?
I am looking into this. There might be an easy way to turn the invoice creation form into a packing list, purchase order, bill of sale, etc... I don't want to stray too far from the K.I.S.S. methodology.
8. Why doesn't your "cookie-fied" form remember my info?
You're either blocking the cookie creation or you're deleting the cookie with a third party security program.
9. What does the future hold for IOL?
(Okay, I asked this question myself.) I've been recently looking into dynamic ways of formatting your final invoices using javascript and alternate style sheets. See an example of my work in progress HERE!
(Note: Play with the check boxes at the bottom.)
I've also been thinking about advanced invoicing features that people could use. People would have to prove they are who they say they are via an email registration process. This would open up: emailing invoices, storing old invoice data for new invoice creation, logotypes and embedded graphics.