---
title: "Software for freelancers: one desk, not five tabs"
description: "Capture inquiries, send proposals, track hours and raise invoices from one calm desk. Freelance business management software, without the extra tabs."
canonical: "https://www.meadowdesk.com/for/freelancers"
last_modified: "2026-10-27"
---

# For freelancers

Source: https://www.meadowdesk.com/for/freelancers

Capture inquiries, send proposals, track hours and raise invoices from one calm desk. Freelance business management software, without the extra tabs.

Capture every inquiry, turn the good ones into numbered proposals and track the hours as you work. When it's time to bill, the invoice comes from the same desk.

## What it fixes

- Five tabs open to send one invoice: The hours sit in one app and the client in another, so the invoice gets typed from memory. Fix: Pull unbilled time straight onto a numbered invoice.
- The inquiry that sank in the inbox: A good lead waits too long for a reply and quietly books someone else. Fix: Intake forms turn every inquiry into a lead, with follow-ups on a schedule.
- Guessing your hours on a Friday: Time you forgot to track is time you can't bill. Fix: A one-tap timer, plus entries you can add or fix afterwards.
- Every proposal starts from a blank page: Rewriting the same scope each time eats the hours you meant to spend on the work. Fix: Proposals built from your own templates, with packages to pick from.

## Less admin, more of the work you're paid for

- Every client starts as an inquiry you didn't miss: Build an intake form, then link to its hosted page or embed it on your site. Every submission becomes a lead with the source already filled in. When a lead says yes, they become a client with one profile for every project, proposal, invoice, file and note.
- A timer that follows you from task to task: Start the timer on a task, and when you move on, switch to the next one without stopping. Forgot to start it? Add an entry by hand, or fix the times afterwards. Every entry is billable or non-billable, so admin time stays off the invoice.
- Bill the hours you tracked, without retyping them: When you're ready to bill, pull a client's unbilled time into a new invoice and check the lines before it goes. It's sent by email with a PDF, and if it isn't paid, reminders go out on the schedule you set. Clients can pay by card online through your Stripe account, and the payment is recorded for you; bank transfers and cash you record yourself.

## Questions freelancers ask

**What does Meadow Desk do for a freelancer?**
It keeps the whole job on one desk: leads, proposals, contracts, projects, time and invoices. They share the same client records, so you never type a client in twice.

**Does tracked time turn into invoices?**
Yes. Start a new invoice for the client and pull in their unbilled time. The hours come in as lines you can review before you send it.

**Can clients pay my invoices online?**
Yes. Connect your own Stripe account and clients pay by card from the invoice email, a private pay link or their portal. The payment is recorded against the invoice for you. Stripe's processing fees apply; Meadow Desk takes no cut. Bank transfers and cash you record yourself.

**Can I bring my leads over from a spreadsheet?**
Yes. Import leads from a CSV file, and export them again whenever you want. Your data stays yours.

**Do my clients need an account?**
No. Clients don't pay anything and don't need a Meadow Desk account. Proposals open from a private link, and if you invite them to the client portal, they sign in with a password or a magic link.