How-to Guides

Plain-English help for NZ freelancers: invoicing, GST, expenses, and getting paid faster.

01/

Getting Started

Start here

Send your first invoice in 5 minutes

5 min

Create a client, add line items, and get a professional invoice in your client's inbox, step by step.

Set up your workspace for a professional look

3 min

Add your logo, brand colour, bank account, and GST number so every invoice looks polished from day one.

Use the Command Palette for quick actions

2 min

Press ⌘K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows) to jump anywhere or trigger actions without leaving the keyboard.

02/

Invoicing

Create invoices by voice or description

3 min

Turn a plain-English description (or a voice memo) into a complete invoice draft in seconds.

Chase overdue invoices with ready-to-send follow-ups

3 min

Get a polished payment follow-up email in seconds, written in your preferred tone.

Quick invoice for repeat work

2 min

The ⚡ Quick Invoice button creates a simple invoice without opening the full form. Ideal for regular, fixed-rate work.

Set up your services catalogue

3 min

Save your standard services and rates so you can add them to invoices in a click. No retyping.

03/

Time & Trips

Track time and convert to invoice line items

4 min

Use the built-in timer to log billable hours, then bill them to a client invoice in one click.

Navigate your time with zoom levels

3 min

Use Day, Week, Month, and Year views to see your hours at any scale. Keyboard shortcuts make navigation fast.

Log business trips and track mileage

4 min

Use the Trips logbook to record IRD-compliant vehicle trips and calculate your business kilometres.

04/

GST & Tax

Prepare your GST return with PayWren

5 min

Use the GST Return tab in Reports to get your IRD box numbers ready before filing in myIR.

GST for NZ freelancers: the basics

6 min

A plain-English explanation of how NZ GST works for sole traders and small businesses.

Understanding the income tax estimate on your dashboard

3 min

What the tax set-aside panel shows, how it's calculated, and why it's an estimate.

Set up your tax profile

4 min

Tell PayWren how you're structured so it can calculate GST and income tax estimates correctly.

Which GST rules apply to my services?

5 min

Three questions that determine whether you need to charge GST, at what rate, and what filing rules apply to your situation as a NZ freelancer or contractor.

IR3 season: a sole trader's filing checklist

7 min

What the IR3 covers, what to gather before you (or your accountant) file, and how PayWren's reports map to the return.

Provisional tax for sole traders: how it works

6 min

When provisional tax kicks in, which uplift percentages apply, what the instalment dates are, and how the safe harbour keeps interest charges away.

ACC levies for sole traders: what you actually pay

5 min

How the three ACC levies are calculated for NZ's self-employed, what the 2026/27 rates are, when the invoice arrives, and what CoverPlus Extra does.

Using the PayWren tax planner

5 min

What the tax planner shows, how to read your instalment timeline, what the reserve number means, and how to use the ACC, home office, and vehicle comparisons.

Assets, depreciation, and the Investment Boost

5 min

When to use the immediate write-off, how the Investment Boost works, the difference between DV and SL, and the common depreciation rates from IR265.

05/

Expenses

Capture expenses with receipt scanning

3 min

Photograph a receipt on your phone and PayWren extracts the vendor, amount, and GST automatically.

Import expenses from a bank statement

3 min

Upload a CSV or PDF export from your bank to bulk-create expense records. No manual entry needed.

06/

Getting Paid

5 ways to get paid faster

4 min

Practical tactics that NZ freelancers use to reduce their average days-to-pay.

What to do when an invoice is overdue

4 min

A step-by-step escalation process for NZ freelancers dealing with late-paying clients.

Read the Cashflow report

3 min

See money in, money out, and predicted payment dates in a single view.

Late payment interest calculator for NZ invoices

5 min

Calculate how much interest you're owed on an overdue invoice under NZ late payment rules. Includes the formula, worked examples, and what your contract needs to say.

07/

Team & Settings

Invite team members to your workspace

3 min

Add staff, contractors, or your accountant with the right level of access.

Can't find what you're looking for?

Email support@paywren.app