This guide provides general guidance, not legal advice. The details and the fees change, so we have linked to the live gov.uk pages throughout. Verify any specific figure before you rely on it. If a debt is large or disputed, talk to a solicitor.
# Pricing your work What to charge, day rates, and pricing a job so it actually pays. ## Guides - [How to set your day rate as a self-employed tradesperson](https://trame.co.uk/guides/pricing/how-to-set-your-day-rate): How to work out a day rate that actually pays, why it is not your take-home, the billable days most people forget to count, and how to move your rate up over time. ## Related free tools - [Day rate calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator) All topics: [https://trame.co.uk/guides](https://trame.co.uk/guides) # How to set your day rate as a self-employed tradesperson _How to work out a day rate that actually pays, why it is not your take-home, the billable days most people forget to count, and how to move your rate up over time._ Topic: [Pricing your work](https://trame.co.uk/guides/pricing). Published 2026-07-21. 8 min read. Going self-employed, no one hands you a rate card. You pick a number, usually by copying what the last firm paid you or what a mate charges, and hope it is about right. Most tradespeople starting out set it too low, because the number that feels fair is your old wage, and a day rate is not a wage. This guide is the method for working out a rate that actually pays. If you would rather just see what others charge for your trade and area, the free [day rate calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator) gives you a range and what it leaves after tax. ## A day rate is not your take-home This is the mistake that catches everyone. Your old employer paid you, say, £160 a day and covered everything else. When you go out on your own and charge £160 a day, you are worse off, not the same, because now the tax, the National Insurance, the van, the insurance, the phone and the quiet weeks all come out of that £160. A day rate is what you charge the customer for labour. What you keep is a good bit lower. So the question is never "what did I earn as an employee", it is "what do I need to charge so that, after everything, I am left with enough". ## The days you cannot bill Here is the part people forget. You do not bill every day you work. Start with 365 days and take off: - Weekends, roughly 104 days. - Holiday, whatever you take, say 20 days. - Bank holidays, 8 days. - The odd sick day or day lost to weather, say 5. - Quoting, buying materials, chasing invoices and travelling between jobs. That is easily a day a week you do not charge for, so 40 or more. That leaves under 200 billable days, nearer 190, not 250 or 260. It is the single biggest reason a rate that looks fine leaves you short: you priced as if you would bill every working day, and you cannot. ## Work it out backward from what you need The honest way to set a rate is to start from what you need to keep, then build back up to the day rate. 1. **What you want to take home.** Pick a realistic yearly figure, the money you actually want in your pocket. 2. **Add the tax and National Insurance.** As a sole trader you pay Income Tax and [Class 4 National Insurance](https://www.gov.uk/self-employed-national-insurance-rates) on your profit through [Self Assessment](https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns). The [self-employed tax calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/self-employed-tax-calculator) works out how much on top of your take-home you need to earn to cover it. 3. **Add your overheads.** Van and fuel, tools, public liability insurance, phone, software, accountant, any unbilled materials. Total them for the year. 4. **Divide by your billable days.** Take-home, plus tax and NI, plus overheads, divided by the number of days you can really bill. That is the rate you need to charge just to hit your number. Do that once and the figure is usually higher than people expect, which is the point. It shows you the floor: charge below it and you are working to lose money slowly. ## Then check it against the market The rate you need is one half. The other half is what customers will actually pay, and that is set by the market, not your arithmetic. If the rate you need is well above what your trade charges in your area, the answer is not to swallow a lower rate forever, it is to work on the things that let you charge more (below). If it is below the market, you have room to move up. Three things move the going rate: - **Where you work.** London and the South East pay most; the North East, Wales and Northern Ireland least. The gap is real and worth knowing before you quote. - **How experienced you are.** A newly qualified tradesperson charges less than someone with a reputation and a book of repeat customers. That is normal, and the gap closes as you build up. - **The kind of work.** Commercial and specialist work (testing and inspection, gas, EV charging, and the like) pays more than general domestic work. The [day rate calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator) pulls all three together for your trade, so you can see where a fair rate sits and how it changes by region and experience. ## Day rate, or price the job? A day rate is the right baseline and the easiest way to compare yourself to the market. But for a defined piece of work, a whole-job price usually lands better with the customer and protects you. Build the job price from your day rate. Work out how many days the job takes, multiply by your rate, add materials and a margin, and quote the total. That way the customer sees one clear price, and your day rate is doing its job underneath, making sure the number covers your time properly. If the job overruns for reasons that are on you, you carry it; if the scope changes, you re-quote. ## Raising your rate without losing work Most tradespeople undercharge for years because putting the rate up feels risky. A few things make it easier: - **Raise it on new customers first.** You do not have to shock your existing ones. New enquiries get the new rate, and the market tells you quickly whether it holds. - **Raise it in steps.** A steady climb a bit at a time draws far less resistance than a big jump every few years. - **Lead with the work, not the price.** Turn up when you say, tidy up after yourself, quote clearly, chase nothing. Customers pay more for someone reliable than for someone cheap, and reliability is free to offer. The tradespeople who charge well are rarely the most skilled. They are the ones who worked out what they needed, checked it against the market, and were not afraid to ask for it. ## A note on using this guide This is practical guidance to help you set a rate, not financial advice for your situation. Your number turns on your own costs, your area and how much work you can win. Treat the figures as a starting point, not a promise. One thing sits outside all of this: if you are [VAT registered](https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat), which is required once your turnover passes £90,000, VAT is charged on top of your rate and passed to HMRC, so it never forms part of your take-home. When you are ready, the free [day rate calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator) shows what your trade charges by region and experience, and what a given rate leaves after tax. And if you run your quotes and invoices through Trame, the numbers behind your pricing, what you have earned, what is still owed, are there when you need them, instead of guessed. --- ## Frequently asked questions ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I work out my day rate? Start from what you need to earn in a year, add the tax, National Insurance and business overheads on top, then divide by the number of days you can actually bill, which is far fewer than the days you work. That gives the rate you need. Then check it against what others charge for your trade and area. The free [day rate calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator) does both. ### Is a day rate the same as take-home pay? No. A day rate is what you charge the customer for labour. Out of it comes Income Tax, National Insurance, your overheads, and the days you cannot bill. Your take-home is a good bit lower, which is exactly why a day rate that looks generous can leave you short. ### How many days a year can a tradesperson actually bill? Far fewer than 365. Take off weekends, holiday, bank holidays, the odd sick or weather day, and the time spent quoting, buying materials and travelling that you cannot charge for. Most sole traders land somewhere around 190 to 200 billable days a year, not 250 or 260. ### Should I charge a day rate or price the job? A day rate is a useful baseline and the easiest way to compare yourself to the market. For a defined job, pricing the whole job (materials plus your labour worked out from your day rate) usually reads better to the customer and protects you if the work runs long. Use the day rate to build the job price, not instead of it. # Self-employed tax Income Tax, National Insurance, and what to set aside as a sole trader. ## Guides - [Self-employed tax explained: what a sole trader pays](https://trame.co.uk/guides/tax/self-employed-tax-explained): How Income Tax and National Insurance work for a UK sole trader, the rates and bands, why expenses cut your bill, and how much to set aside so it is never a shock. ## Related free tools - [Self-employed tax calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/self-employed-tax-calculator) All topics: [https://trame.co.uk/guides](https://trame.co.uk/guides) # Self-employed tax explained: what a sole trader pays _How Income Tax and National Insurance work for a UK sole trader, the rates and bands, why expenses cut your bill, and how much to set aside so it is never a shock._ Topic: [Self-employed tax](https://trame.co.uk/guides/tax). Published 2026-07-20. 7 min read. Going self-employed means the tax stops being taken off for you. Unless you work under CIS, where the contractor deducts it, nobody takes it at source, so it is on you to work out what you owe, set it aside, and pay it. This guide explains how that works for a sole trader, so the Self Assessment bill is a number you already knew, not a shock. If you would rather just see a figure, the free [self-employed tax calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/self-employed-tax-calculator) estimates your tax, National Insurance and take-home from two numbers. ## What you actually pay tax on The first thing to get straight: you are not taxed on everything you invoice. You are taxed on your **profit**, which is your income minus your **allowable business expenses**. Earn £40,000 and spend £10,000 running the business, and your profit is £30,000. That £30,000 is what the tax and National Insurance are worked out on. On that profit you pay two things: **Income Tax** and **Class 4 National Insurance**. Both are settled once a year through your [Self Assessment](https://www.gov.uk/register-for-self-assessment) tax return. ## The rates and bands Here is how the tax on your profit stacks up, using the [Income Tax bands](https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the [Class 4 National Insurance rates](https://www.gov.uk/self-employed-national-insurance-rates) for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 tax years, which are frozen at the same figures. Scotland sets [its own Income Tax bands](https://www.gov.uk/scottish-income-tax). The figures below assume your trade is your only income, a second job, a pension or other income shifts them. - The first **£12,570** of profit is covered by your Personal Allowance, so no Income Tax. - Profit from **£12,571 to £50,270** is taxed at **20 per cent**. - Profit from **£50,271 to £125,140** is taxed at **40 per cent**, and anything above at **45 per cent**. - On top of that, **Class 4 National Insurance** is **6 per cent** on profit between £12,570 and £50,270, then **2 per cent** above. So a plumber with £30,000 of profit pays 20 per cent Income Tax and 6 per cent Class 4 on the slice above £12,570. It builds up gently, which is why the effective rate on your whole profit is lower than the headline band. ## Why expenses cut your bill This is the part that puts money back in your pocket. Every legitimate business cost you claim lowers your taxable profit, which lowers both your Income Tax and your Class 4 National Insurance. Tools and equipment, van running costs or mileage, materials, protective clothing, public liability insurance, your phone, use of home as an office: these are the everyday costs of a trade that reduce your profit. Bigger items like a van are usually claimed through capital allowances, and shared costs like your phone are split for the business share. Not sure whether something counts? The free [expense checker](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) gives a plain answer with HMRC-based guidance. Keep every receipt through the year, because at tax time each one is worth a slice of tax saved. ## How much to set aside Because nothing is deducted for you, the danger is spending money that was really the taxman's. The fix is a habit: put a share of every payment aside the moment it lands, in a separate pot. As a rough guide, a quarter to a third of your profit covers the Income Tax and National Insurance for most sole traders, with more needed once profit climbs past £50,270 into the 40 per cent band. Any VAT you charge is separate, so set that aside too if you are registered. The [calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/self-employed-tax-calculator) gives you a target figure so you are not guessing. ## Payments on account, the first-year surprise One thing catches almost every new sole trader out. If your Self Assessment bill is over £1,000, and most of it was not already taken off at source, HMRC usually asks you to pay next year's tax in advance, in two [payments on account](https://www.gov.uk/understand-self-assessment-bill/payments-on-account). In your first year that can feel like paying one and a half times at once, because you settle the year just gone and pay half of the next in the same breath. It is not an extra tax, it is your future bill brought forward, but it needs budgeting for. ## National Insurance for the self-employed Two classes to know. **Class 4** is the one that matters for most people: 6 per cent then 2 per cent, as above, worked out on your profit through Self Assessment. **Class 2** used to be a compulsory flat weekly charge. Since April 2024 it is no longer compulsory at any profit level: above the small profits threshold it is treated as paid, so you get the benefit toward your State Pension for nothing, and below it you can choose to pay it voluntarily to protect your record. The detail is on [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/self-employed-national-insurance-rates). ## A note on using this guide This guide explains the general position for a sole trader to help you understand how the tax works, not as tax advice for your situation. Your figure turns on your own income, expenses and circumstances, so if you are unsure, or the amounts are significant, check with HMRC or an accountant. Filing is through Self Assessment, with an online [deadline](https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/deadlines) of 31 January after the tax year ends. When you are ready, the free [self-employed tax calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/self-employed-tax-calculator) gives you an estimate. And if you keep your records in Trame, your expenses are already sorted into the right HMRC categories, so the profit your tax is worked out on is accurate, not a guess. If you work under CIS, you may also be owed money back. See [how to claim a CIS tax refund](https://trame.co.uk/guides/cis/how-to-claim-a-cis-tax-refund). --- ## Frequently asked questions ## Frequently asked questions ### How much tax do you pay when self-employed? You pay Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance on your profit, which is your income minus your allowable expenses, not on everything you earn. The first £12,570 is usually tax free. Profit above that is taxed at 20 per cent up to £50,270, then 40 per cent. Class 4 National Insurance adds 6 per cent between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2 per cent above. Use the free [self-employed tax calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/self-employed-tax-calculator) for an estimate. ### Do the self-employed pay National Insurance? Yes. Class 4 National Insurance is 6 per cent on profit between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2 per cent above that. Class 2 National Insurance is no longer compulsory at any profit level: above the small profits threshold it is treated as paid, and below it you can pay it voluntarily to protect your record. ### How much should I set aside for tax? As a rough rule, setting aside a quarter to a third of your profit covers the Income Tax and National Insurance for most sole traders, with more needed once profit passes £50,270. The safe habit is to put money aside from every payment as it comes in, rather than finding it at the deadline. The calculator gives you a figure to aim for. ### What are payments on account? If your Self Assessment bill is over £1,000, HMRC usually asks you to pay next year's tax in advance, in two [payments on account](https://www.gov.uk/understand-self-assessment-bill/payments-on-account). The first year can feel like paying one and a half times, because you settle the year just gone and pay half of the next at the same time. Budget for it so it is not a surprise. # VAT for construction The domestic reverse charge, and how VAT works on construction jobs. ## Guides - [The VAT domestic reverse charge for construction, explained](https://trame.co.uk/guides/vat/domestic-reverse-charge-for-construction): What the domestic reverse charge is, when it applies to your construction invoices, the end user rule that trips everyone up, and the exact wording HMRC wants on the invoice. ## Related free tools - [Reverse charge VAT checker](https://trame.co.uk/tools/reverse-charge-vat) All topics: [https://trame.co.uk/guides](https://trame.co.uk/guides) # The VAT domestic reverse charge for construction, explained _What the domestic reverse charge is, when it applies to your construction invoices, the end user rule that trips everyone up, and the exact wording HMRC wants on the invoice._ Topic: [VAT for construction](https://trame.co.uk/guides/vat). Published 2026-07-19. 8 min read. If you work under CIS and you have ever stared at an invoice wondering whether to add the VAT or leave it off, this is the rule you are wrestling with. The VAT domestic reverse charge changed how VAT works on most construction invoices between businesses, and it catches people out because it looks like you are doing something wrong when you are actually doing it right. This guide explains what the reverse charge is, the conditions that decide whether it applies, the end user rule that trips almost everyone up, and the exact wording HMRC expects on the invoice. If you would rather just answer a few questions about a specific job, use the free [reverse charge VAT checker](https://trame.co.uk/tools/reverse-charge-vat), which gives you the result and the invoice wording in a couple of minutes. ## What the domestic reverse charge is Normally, when you do VATable work, you add VAT to your invoice, your customer pays you the lot, and you hand the VAT to HMRC. Under the reverse charge, that last part flips. You do not charge VAT at all. You invoice for the work only, and your customer accounts for the VAT to HMRC themselves, recording it as both owed and reclaimed on their own return. It came in on 1 March 2021 as an anti-fraud measure. There was a scam where a subcontractor would charge VAT, collect it, and disappear without ever paying HMRC. By moving responsibility for the VAT from the subcontractor to the customer, HMRC removed the pot of money that could go missing. The full rules are on [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-domestic-reverse-charge-for-building-and-construction-services). The important thing to hold on to is that the VAT still exists. It just never travels through your bank account. ## When the reverse charge applies The reverse charge applies to a supply only when all of the following are true: - The work is a **construction service within the Construction Industry Scheme**. Most on-site building, civil engineering, installation, repair and finishing work is in scope. Professional services such as architecture and surveying, and materials supplied on their own without any work, are not. - The work is **standard-rated (20%) or reduced-rated (5%)** for VAT. Zero-rated work, such as building a new home, is excluded, and carries no VAT anyway. - **Both you and your customer are VAT registered.** - **Your customer is registered for CIS**, in other words they are a contractor buying your work to supply construction on, not the final customer. - **Your customer is not an end user** and has not told you they are, which is the part worth its own section below. If every one of those is true, you use the reverse charge and do not charge VAT. If any one of them is not, you charge VAT as normal, unless you are not VAT registered, in which case you do not charge VAT at all and the reverse charge simply does not apply. ## The end user rule, and why it trips people up The end user is whoever the construction work is ultimately for and who is not selling that construction on. The building owner having an extension built is an end user. A high street shop having its unit fitted out is an end user. Supplies to an end user are normal VAT, so you charge VAT as usual. That is why the position depends on where you sit in the chain, not just on what work you did: - Subcontractor to main contractor, where the contractor is supplying the work on, is a **reverse charge**. - Main contractor to the property owner, the end user, is **normal VAT**. There is a wrinkle. Certain businesses connected to the end user, such as a landlord and tenant, or companies in the same group, count as **intermediary suppliers** and are treated the same as end users. Supplies to them are normal VAT too. Because you cannot always tell from the outside whether your customer is an end user, it is up to them to tell you, in writing, if they are. That written notification is optional, not something they have to send, but it is what lets you treat the supply as normal VAT. If they have not told you they are an end user or intermediary, and everything else points to the reverse charge, you apply it. The detail on end users and intermediaries is in the [HMRC technical guide](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-reverse-charge-technical-guide). ## What to put on your invoice When the reverse charge applies, your invoice shows everything a normal invoice shows, with two differences. You do not add VAT to the total, and you make clear that the reverse charge applies and that the customer has to account for the VAT. You also show the amount of VAT they need to account for, but you do not include it in the total charged. If your invoicing system cannot show the amount, HMRC lets you state the rate instead. HMRC does not fix the exact words, but it gives examples that are known to be acceptable, from the [construction invoice guidance](https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/vat-reverse-charge-for-building-and-construction-services-manual/vatrevcon37100): - Reverse charge: VAT Act 1994 Section 55A applies - Reverse charge: S55A VATA 94 applies - Reverse charge: Customer to pay the VAT to HMRC A clear, plain version that covers both the statement and the amount looks like this: "No VAT is charged on this invoice. Your customer accounts for the VAT to HMRC. Reverse charge: VAT Act 1994 Section 55A applies." Show the VAT figure alongside it, for example £200.00 at 20%, without adding it to what the customer pays. If you invoice through Trame you do not have to remember any of this. Switch an invoice to the reverse charge and it removes the VAT, shows the amount for your customer to account for, and adds the wording for you. That is covered on the [invoicing page](https://trame.co.uk/invoicing). ## What it means for your cash flow There is a real, practical sting to this rule that is worth naming. Before the reverse charge, subcontractors effectively held their customers' VAT for a time before paying it over to HMRC. It was a quiet cash flow buffer, and the reverse charge removed it. On a reverse charge invoice you receive only the value of your work, not the VAT on top, so if your business was leaning on that buffer, the change tightened things. There is a flip side. If you are a subcontractor who is regularly in a VAT repayment position, because you buy standard-rated materials but your onward supplies now carry no output VAT, you can apply to move to monthly VAT returns to get those repayments back faster rather than waiting for the quarter. ## When it does not apply It is just as useful to know when to carry on as normal. Charge VAT the usual way when your customer is the end user, when your customer is not VAT registered or not CIS registered, when the work is zero-rated, or when the supply is outside CIS. There is also a carve-out for employment businesses that only supply staff or workers, which stay on normal VAT rather than the reverse charge. And if you are not VAT registered yourself, you do not charge VAT and the reverse charge is not in the picture at all. If you are unsure which side of the line a particular job falls, the [reverse charge VAT checker](https://trame.co.uk/tools/reverse-charge-vat) walks through the same questions and tells you, with the wording to use if it applies. ## Related guides The reverse charge sits alongside two things almost every CIS subcontractor is already dealing with: - [How to claim a CIS tax refund](https://trame.co.uk/guides/cis/how-to-claim-a-cis-tax-refund), if HMRC has been taking 20 per cent off your payments and you are owed some back. - [Self-employed tax explained](https://trame.co.uk/guides/tax/self-employed-tax-explained), for how your profit, allowable expenses, and tax bill actually fit together. ## A note on using this guide This guide explains the general rules to help you understand how the reverse charge works, not as tax advice for your specific situation. VAT can turn on the particular facts of a job and a supply chain, so if you are unsure, or the amounts are significant, check the position with [HMRC](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-use-the-vat-reverse-charge-if-you-supply-building-and-construction-services) or your accountant before you invoice. --- ## Frequently asked questions ## Frequently asked questions ### Who charges the VAT under the reverse charge? Nobody adds it to the invoice. You invoice for the work with no VAT, and your customer accounts for the VAT to HMRC on their own return. They record it as both owed and reclaimed, so for a fully taxable business it usually nets to nothing. You still show the VAT that would have applied on the invoice, but you do not add it to the total. ### Does the reverse charge apply if my customer is the property owner? No. The property owner, or anyone the work is ultimately for who is not selling construction on, is the end user. Supplies to an end user are normal VAT, so you charge VAT as usual. The reverse charge only applies further up the chain, between a subcontractor and a contractor who is supplying the work on. ### What wording do I put on a reverse charge invoice? State that the reverse charge applies and that the customer accounts for the VAT, and show the amount of VAT to be accounted for without adding it to the total. HMRC accepts wording such as [Reverse charge: VAT Act 1994 Section 55A applies](https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/vat-reverse-charge-for-building-and-construction-services-manual/vatrevcon37100) or "Reverse charge: Customer to pay the VAT to HMRC". ### Do I use the reverse charge if I am not VAT registered? No. The reverse charge only applies between two VAT-registered businesses. If you are not [VAT registered](https://www.gov.uk/vat-registration) you do not charge VAT at all, and the reverse charge does not come into it. ### When did the construction reverse charge start? 1 March 2021. It applies to construction services with a tax point, normally the invoice or payment date, whichever is earlier, on or after that date, within the Construction Industry Scheme and standard or reduced rated for VAT. # Trame help centre Answers on using Trame, step by step. ## [Getting started](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started) Set up your account, your company details and your first job. - [How to create your Trame account](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/creating-your-trame-account): Sign up with email or Google, confirm your address, and answer a couple of quick questions to set up your company. - [How to set up your company details and logo](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/setting-up-your-company-details-and-logo): Add your company name, trade, address and logo so they appear correctly on every quote and invoice you send. - [How to add your VAT and CIS settings](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/adding-your-vat-and-cis-settings): Add your VAT number if you're registered, and turn on CIS if you work as a subcontractor, so your invoices apply the right deductions. - [How to import your customers and past work](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/importing-your-customers-and-past-work): Bring your customer list in from a CSV, and build your price book from past invoices, quotes, or quotes you've already built in Trame. - [Finding your way around Trame](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/finding-your-way-around-trame): A map of the sidebar, your Home screen, the quick-add button, and where Settings lives. ## [Enquiries and quotes](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes) Send an enquiry form, build a quote, and get it signed off. - [How to send an enquiry form to a customer](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/sending-an-enquiry-form-to-a-customer): Share your enquiry link so a customer can describe the job themselves, and have it land in Trame ready to quote. - [How to build a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/building-a-quote): Add sections and line items to price a job, and see the total update as you go. - [How to set up your price book](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/setting-up-your-price-book): Save the rates you use again and again, so quotes fill themselves in as you type. - [How to add markup and see your margin](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/adding-markup-and-seeing-your-margin): Mark up a line item over cost, and see what the job is worth to you before you send the quote. - [How to take a deposit on a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/taking-a-deposit-on-a-quote): Set a deposit percentage on a quote and Trame issues the deposit invoice automatically the moment it's accepted. - [How to get a quote signed off](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/getting-a-quote-signed-off): Share a quote for the client to accept online with a signature, or mark it accepted yourself if they said yes another way. ## [Jobs and diary](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs) Track work through its stages and book it into your diary. - [How to set up a recurring job](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs/setting-up-a-recurring-job): Set a job to bill weekly, fortnightly or monthly, and have Trame issue each invoice on your schedule. - [How to create a job](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs/creating-a-job): Add a one-off job with a client, a title and a starting status in under a minute, or switch to a recurring job if the work repeats. - [How to move a job through its stages](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs/moving-a-job-through-its-stages): See what each job status means, how Trame advances most of them for you, and when you need to change one yourself. - [How to book appointments and use the diary](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs/booking-appointments-and-using-the-diary): Book, move and cancel appointments from the Schedule page or from the job itself, and read what each colour on the diary means. ## [Clients](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients) Customer records, their history, and what they see from you. - [How to add a client](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients/adding-a-client): Save a customer's contact details so every job, quote and invoice you create for them lands on one record. - [What your customer sees when you send a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients/what-your-customer-sees-when-you-send-a-quote): The email, the quote page, and how a customer accepts or declines it, exactly as they'll see it. - [What your customer sees on an invoice](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients/what-your-customer-sees-on-an-invoice): The email, the invoice page, how they pay, and the confirmation once they have, exactly as your customer sees it. - [How to edit or delete a client](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients/editing-or-deleting-a-client): Update a client's contact details, add internal notes only your team sees, or remove a client record. ## [Invoices](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices) Issue invoices, take deposits, and chase what you are owed. - [How to issue an invoice from a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/issuing-an-invoice-from-a-quote): Turn an accepted quote into an invoice without retyping the job, then issue it to lock the price and start the clock on payment. - [Deposit invoices and how the balance works](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/deposit-invoices): A quote with a deposit produces two invoices, one for the deposit and one for the balance, and Trame keeps them from double-counting. - [How CIS deductions work on an invoice](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/cis-deductions-on-an-invoice): Switch on the CIS deduction to withhold tax from what your customer pays, without changing the invoice's recorded revenue. - [How to apply the VAT domestic reverse charge on an invoice](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/vat-domestic-reverse-charge): Switch on the domestic reverse charge to remove VAT from what you charge, while stating what your customer must account for to HMRC. - [How to chase an unpaid invoice with reminders](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/chasing-an-unpaid-invoice): Send a payment reminder yourself once an invoice is overdue, or let Trame nudge the customer automatically on a schedule. ## [Payments](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments) Let customers pay by card or bank, and see where the money is. - [How to connect Stripe and take card payments](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/connecting-stripe-to-take-card-payments): Connect a Stripe account so customers can pay your invoices by card or Pay by Bank, with the money going straight to your own Stripe account. - [How to let customers pay you by bank transfer](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/letting-customers-pay-by-bank): Add your bank details once and they appear on every invoice automatically, alongside any online payment options you've connected. - [How to record a payment you took yourself](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/recording-a-payment-you-took-yourself): Mark an invoice as paid when a customer pays you by bank transfer, cash or cheque, so your records match what actually happened. - [When does the money reach my account](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/when-the-money-reaches-your-account): How payout timing works for card, Pay by Bank and bank transfer, and where to check the status of a payment. ## [Expenses and reports](https://trame.co.uk/help/money) Log costs, see profit per job, and get figures your accountant can read. - [How to log an expense and attach a receipt](https://trame.co.uk/help/money/logging-an-expense-and-attaching-a-receipt): Log a cost against your business or a specific job, and attach the receipt so it's on file when you need it. - [How to set up a repeating expense](https://trame.co.uk/help/money/setting-up-a-repeating-expense): Log a cost once, monthly or yearly, van insurance, software, rent, and Trame logs each new occurrence for you. - [How to see profit and margin on a job](https://trame.co.uk/help/money/seeing-profit-and-margin-on-a-job): Every job has a Money card showing what's been invoiced, what it's cost you, and the profit and margin left over. - [How to export your records for your accountant](https://trame.co.uk/help/money/exporting-for-your-accountant): Download a tax-period pack of invoices and expenses as CSV, or a single expenses file formatted for Xero, FreeAgent or QuickBooks import. ## [Integrations](https://trame.co.uk/help/integrations) Put your Trame diary in the calendar you already use. - [Adding your Trame diary to your calendar](https://trame.co.uk/help/integrations/adding-your-trame-diary-to-your-calendar): Subscribe to a read-only feed of your Trame appointments from your phone or computer's own calendar app, so your day shows up in one place. - [What Trame connects to](https://trame.co.uk/help/integrations/what-trame-connects-to): A short, honest list of what Trame connects to today: your calendar app and Stripe for card payments. Nothing else yet. ## [Account, team and billing](https://trame.co.uk/help/account) Your subscription, your team, notifications and your data. - [Your subscription and what it covers](https://trame.co.uk/help/account/your-subscription-and-what-it-covers): How Trame's 30-day free trial works, what the Monthly and Yearly plans cost, and what happens if you don't add a card in time. - [How to change or cancel your plan](https://trame.co.uk/help/account/changing-or-cancelling-your-plan): Switch between the Monthly and Yearly plan, cancel your Trame subscription, or reactivate one you've already cancelled. - [How to add someone to your team](https://trame.co.uk/help/account/adding-someone-to-your-team): Invite someone to your Trame account, set them as a Member or Owner, and manage who has access. - [How to export or delete your data](https://trame.co.uk/help/account/exporting-or-deleting-your-data): Download a copy of everything in your Trame account, or permanently delete your account and all its data. Still stuck? Email hello@trame.co.uk and a person will get back to you. # Account, team and billing Your subscription, your team, notifications and your data. ## Articles - [Your subscription and what it covers](https://trame.co.uk/help/account/your-subscription-and-what-it-covers): How Trame's 30-day free trial works, what the Monthly and Yearly plans cost, and what happens if you don't add a card in time. - [How to change or cancel your plan](https://trame.co.uk/help/account/changing-or-cancelling-your-plan): Switch between the Monthly and Yearly plan, cancel your Trame subscription, or reactivate one you've already cancelled. - [How to add someone to your team](https://trame.co.uk/help/account/adding-someone-to-your-team): Invite someone to your Trame account, set them as a Member or Owner, and manage who has access. - [How to export or delete your data](https://trame.co.uk/help/account/exporting-or-deleting-your-data): Download a copy of everything in your Trame account, or permanently delete your account and all its data. All help topics: [https://trame.co.uk/help](https://trame.co.uk/help) # How to add someone to your team _Invite someone to your Trame account, set them as a Member or Owner, and manage who has access._ Category: [Account, team and billing](https://trame.co.uk/help/account). Updated 2026-07-29. Add anyone who needs access to your jobs, quotes, invoices and clients from **Settings** > **Team**. There are no per-user fees, adding people to your team doesn't change what you're billed. > **Note:** Team management is owner-only. If you don't see **Team** in Settings, you're > signed in as a Member, ask an owner to make the change. ## Invite someone 1. Go to **Settings** > **Team**. 2. Select **Invite**. 3. Enter their email address. 4. Choose a role, `Member` or `Owner`. 5. Select **Send invite**. They get an email with a link. If they don't already have a Trame account, the link takes them to create one first, then straight into accepting the invite. The invite link expires after 48 hours. ## Manage a pending invite While an invite is still pending, open its menu on the **Team** page to **Resend email** or **Cancel invite**. Cancelling makes the link in their email stop working. ## Change someone's role or remove them Open the menu next to a team member to **Change to owner** / **Change to member**, or **Remove from team**. Removing someone takes their access away immediately. > **Warning:** Trame won't let you demote or remove the last remaining owner on an account. > Make someone else an owner first if you want to step back yourself. ## Frequently asked ### What's the difference between a Member and an Owner? Owners can manage the team, billing and company settings as well as the day-to-day work. Members can use the rest of Trame, jobs, quotes, invoices, clients and expenses, but don't see **Team** or **Billing** in Settings. ### Does adding someone cost extra? No. Every plan includes the full team, there's no per-seat charge. ### What if the person I'm inviting already has a Trame account? They can accept the invite while signed in, no need to create a second account. # How to change or cancel your plan _Switch between the Monthly and Yearly plan, cancel your Trame subscription, or reactivate one you've already cancelled._ Category: [Account, team and billing](https://trame.co.uk/help/account). Updated 2026-07-29. You manage your plan from **Settings** > **Billing**. This page is only visible to account owners. > **Note:** The steps below apply once you've added a card, either mid-trial or after > subscribing. If you're still on your free trial with no card on file, there's > nothing to cancel yet, the Billing page shows a plan picker instead, and your > trial simply runs out on its own with no charge. ## Cancel your subscription 1. Go to **Settings** > **Billing**. 2. Under **Payment and invoices**, select **Cancel subscription**. Cancelling doesn't cut your access off straight away. You keep full use of Trame until the end of your current billing period, the plan card then shows **Cancelling**, with the exact date access ends. > **Warning:** Once a cancelled subscription actually ends, you're locked out the same way a > lapsed trial locks you out. Your data isn't touched, but you'll need to > subscribe again to get back in. Client-facing quote and invoice links keep > working throughout, this only affects your own access to the app. ## Change your mind If you've cancelled but the billing period hasn't ended yet, go back to **Settings** > **Billing** and select **Reactivate**. This clears the cancellation and you carry on being billed as normal. ## Switch between Monthly and Yearly Once you've subscribed and have a card on file, plan switching happens in the Stripe billing portal rather than in Trame itself. 1. Go to **Settings** > **Billing**. 2. Select **Manage in Stripe**. 3. In the portal that opens, switch your plan, update your card, or download past invoices. ## Frequently asked ### Will I be charged again after I cancel? No. Cancelling stops the next renewal. You keep access until the period you've already paid for runs out, and nothing further is charged after that unless you subscribe again. ### What happens to my jobs, quotes and invoices if I cancel? They're untouched. Cancelling only affects whether you can sign in to use Trame, not the data itself. Subscribing again picks up exactly where you left off. ### Can a team member cancel or change the subscription? No. Billing is owner-only. If you need someone else to manage it, make them an owner first from **Settings** > **Team**. # How to export or delete your data _Download a copy of everything in your Trame account, or permanently delete your account and all its data._ Category: [Account, team and billing](https://trame.co.uk/help/account). Updated 2026-07-29. Both actions live under **Settings** > **Account**. ## Export your data 1. Go to **Settings** > **Account**. 2. Under **Export your data**, select **Export data**. Trame prepares a zip file and downloads it straight to your device, there's no wait or email to follow up on. It contains your company profile plus every customer, enquiry, job, quote, invoice and expense on the account, as a set of spreadsheet-ready files. > **Note:** Any team member can run this, not just the owner, and it works even if your > subscription has lapsed. Exporting is never blocked by billing. ## Delete your account > **Warning:** This permanently deletes your company's customers, jobs, quotes, invoices, > expenses and receipts, and removes everyone's access. It cannot be undone. If > you have a paid subscription, cancel it first from **Settings** > **Billing**. > Deleting your account does not cancel Stripe billing on its own. 1. Go to **Settings** > **Account**. 2. Under **Delete your account**, select **Delete my account**. 3. Type your email address exactly to confirm. 4. Select **Delete my account** in the dialog. Only the account owner can delete the account. Once confirmed, you're signed out immediately and the deletion can't be reversed. ## Frequently asked ### Can I get my data back after deleting my account? No. Deletion is immediate and permanent. Export a copy first if there's any chance you'll want the records later. ### What happens to the rest of my team when I delete the account? Everyone loses access at the same time you do. This deletes the whole company account, not just your own login. If you only want to leave a team while the rest of the company carries on, ask an owner to remove you from **Settings** > **Team** instead of deleting anything. ### I signed in with Google, does deleting my Trame account remove that connection too? Deleting your account removes it on Trame's side, but Trame may still appear in your Google account's list of connected apps until you remove it there yourself. # Your subscription and what it covers _How Trame's 30-day free trial works, what the Monthly and Yearly plans cost, and what happens if you don't add a card in time._ Category: [Account, team and billing](https://trame.co.uk/help/account). Updated 2026-07-29. Every Trame account starts with a 30-day free trial, no card required. After that, Trame is one plan with everything included, billed either monthly or yearly. ## The free trial You get 30 days from the moment you sign up, with full access to Trame and nothing to enter upfront. There's no separate "starter" tier, you're using the same product a paying account uses. As the trial gets close to ending you'll see a banner in the app counting down the days, and Trame emails you when there are 3 days left and again when the trial ends. > **Note:** Adding a card partway through your trial doesn't restart or shorten it. Trame > carries your remaining trial days over, so Stripe only charges you once the > original 30 days are up. ## Plans and pricing Once you're ready to subscribe, there are two plans, both with every feature included: - **Monthly**, £29 a month. - **Yearly**, £290 a year, equivalent to 2 months free against the monthly price. Both plans include the full product: client enquiry forms, the quote builder with digital sign-off and deposits, VAT invoicing issued automatically on acceptance, online payments through Stripe, expense tracking, and shared access for your team. There are no separate tiers, no commission on what you get paid, and no per-user fees for adding people to your team. Payments are processed by Stripe, whose own card fees still apply on what your customers pay you. ## Where to see your plan Go to **Settings** > **Billing** to see your current plan, its status and, once you've subscribed, your next charge date. This page is only visible to account owners, everyone else on your team can use Trame without seeing your billing details. ## If your trial or subscription lapses If your trial ends without a card on file, or a subscription is cancelled or fails to renew, you're taken to a **Subscribe** screen and can't use the app until you pick a plan. Nothing is lost while you're locked out, your jobs, quotes, invoices, clients and expenses are exactly as you left them. > **Note:** The pages your customers use are never part of this. If your subscription > lapses, anyone you've sent a quote or invoice to can still open it, sign off a > quote, or pay you, from their side the link keeps working. If a payment fails, Trame doesn't cut you off immediately. Stripe retries the charge automatically over the following days, and you keep full access with a notice to update your card. You're only blocked if those retries are exhausted and Stripe cancels the subscription. ## Frequently asked ### Do I need to enter card details to start my trial? No. Sign up and start using Trame straight away. You only need a card once you choose to subscribe, either during the trial or after it ends. ### Can anyone on my team see or manage billing? No. Only account owners can see **Settings** > **Billing** or change the subscription. Members can use the rest of Trame as normal. ### What happens to my data if I don't subscribe? Nothing is deleted. Your account is locked to a **Subscribe** screen until you pick a plan, but all your jobs, quotes, invoices, clients and expenses stay exactly as they were. # Clients Customer records, their history, and what they see from you. ## Articles - [How to add a client](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients/adding-a-client): Save a customer's contact details so every job, quote and invoice you create for them lands on one record. - [What your customer sees when you send a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients/what-your-customer-sees-when-you-send-a-quote): The email, the quote page, and how a customer accepts or declines it, exactly as they'll see it. - [What your customer sees on an invoice](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients/what-your-customer-sees-on-an-invoice): The email, the invoice page, how they pay, and the confirmation once they have, exactly as your customer sees it. - [How to edit or delete a client](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients/editing-or-deleting-a-client): Update a client's contact details, add internal notes only your team sees, or remove a client record. All help topics: [https://trame.co.uk/help](https://trame.co.uk/help) # How to add a client _Save a customer's contact details so every job, quote and invoice you create for them lands on one record._ Category: [Clients](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients). Updated 2026-07-29. Save a customer once and everything you do for them, jobs, quotes, invoices, attaches to the same record, so their whole history is in one place. ## Add a client 1. Go to **Clients**. 2. Select `Add client`. On your phone, tap `⋮` and choose `Add client` from the menu instead. 3. Choose `Individual` or `Business`. 4. Enter their name. It's the only required field, everything else can wait. 5. Add whatever else you have: email, phone, and address. 6. Select `Add client`.  Trame saves the record and takes you straight to the client's page. > **Note:** Switch to `Business` and a `Contact person` field appears, for the actual > person you deal with day to day, kept separate from the business name that > appears on their documents. ## You don't have to start here A client is created automatically the first time you attach a name to a job, so if you're starting from **Jobs** you can add them there and skip this screen entirely. Converting an enquiry into a job does the same thing. Bringing across a full customer list instead of typing them in one at a time? Select `Import clients` from the same page to upload a CSV. ## Frequently asked ### What's the difference between Individual and Business? `Individual` is for a homeowner. `Business` is for a company or landlord, and adds a `Contact person` field for the person you actually deal with. You can switch the type later if you picked wrong. ### Do I need an email address to add a client? No. Only the name is required. You'll need an email later if you want to send them a quote or invoice by email rather than sharing the link yourself. ### Can two clients have the same name? Yes, Trame doesn't check for duplicates. Search the client list first if you're not sure whether they're already on it. # How to edit or delete a client _Update a client's contact details, add internal notes only your team sees, or remove a client record._ Category: [Clients](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients). Updated 2026-07-29. Contact details, notes and the client record itself are all managed from the client's own page, there's no separate edit screen. ## Edit contact details 1. Go to **Clients** and open the client. 2. Under **Contact details**, edit any field directly, name, email, phone, or switch between `Individual` and `Business`. 3. Select **Address** to expand the address fields if you need them. 4. Click away from a field to save it. There's no separate save button. > **Note:** Switching a business client back to `Individual` clears their `Contact > person` field, since it no longer applies. ## Add internal notes The **Internal notes** box on the client's page is visible only to your team, never to the customer, on any document or email. Type your note and click away to save it. ## Delete a client 1. Open the client. 2. Select `⋮` beside `New job`, then `Delete client`. On your phone, tap `⋮` and choose it from the menu instead. 3. Confirm in the dialog. It reads "The client profile will be removed. All jobs, quotes, and invoices will remain on record."  If the client has an active recurring job, Trame stops you first with a second dialog, naming how many active recurring jobs exist and warning that deleting will end them and stop future invoices from being generated. Select `Delete anyway` to proceed, or `Cancel` to keep the client and its schedule running. > **Warning:** Deleting a client removes their contact record. There's no undo from within > Trame, so check you have what you need from Contact details first if you > might want it again. ## Frequently asked ### If I delete a client, do their old invoices disappear too? No. The confirmation dialog states that jobs, quotes and invoices already created stay on record, only the client's contact profile is removed. ### Can I merge two client records instead of deleting one? No, there's no merge tool. Delete the duplicate manually once you've moved across anything you need. ### What happens to a recurring job if I delete its client? You're stopped before it happens: Trame shows a warning naming the active recurring job and requires `Delete anyway` to confirm you want to end it along with the client. # What your customer sees on an invoice _The email, the invoice page, how they pay, and the confirmation once they have, exactly as your customer sees it._ Category: [Clients](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients). Updated 2026-07-29. Once you send an invoice, your customer gets an email and a link to a page built for them, no account needed. Here's exactly what's on it, and what they use to pay you. ## The email The subject line is `Invoice [number] from [your company name]`. It opens with "Invoice from [your company name]" and shows the amount due, already netted for any deposit already invoiced or CIS deduction, the same figure as the invoice's bottom line. It states the due date if you set one, and the invoice is attached as a PDF. Your bank details appear directly in the email if you've added them in **Settings**, so a customer who never clicks through can still pay by transfer. The button reads `View invoice and pay online` if you've connected a way to take card or bank payments, or `View invoice` if you haven't. Either way it links to the page below. > **Note:** Selecting `Copy link` or `Share via WhatsApp` from the invoice's `Send` menu > skips the email and puts your customer on the same page directly. ## The invoice page At the top: your logo, company details, VAT and company registration numbers if set, the invoice number, and a status pill reading `Awaiting payment`, `Overdue`, or `Paid`. Below that, the issue date, due date, the quote it came from if any, and who it's billed to. Then the priced work and totals: - Each section and line item, with quantity, unit and VAT shown under the description. - **Subtotal (ex. VAT)**, then the VAT for each rate used. - **Total inc. VAT.** If a deposit was already invoiced separately, a `Less deposit paid` line appears under it and the bottom line becomes `Balance due`. If CIS applies, a `CIS deduction` line appears too and the bottom line becomes `Amount due`, see [CIS deductions on an invoice](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/cis-deductions-on-an-invoice).  ## How they pay If you've added your bank details in **Settings**, a **How to pay** panel shows your bank name, sort code, account number and a payment reference, each with a tap-to-copy icon. If you've also connected a way to take card or Pay by Bank payments, a `Pay online` block sits above it with a `Pay {amount}` button for the exact amount due, described as "Secure payment via Stripe, by card or bank." Bank transfer keeps its place either way, it's never hidden in favour of the online option. > **Warning:** Trame doesn't take a cut of what you're paid, but Stripe's own processing fee > still applies when a customer pays by card or Pay by Bank. Bank transfer has > no such fee. ## Once it's paid The payment options are replaced with a green confirmation reading `Paid [amount]`, the date, and how (`via card`, `via Pay by Bank`, or `via Direct Debit`, with nothing stated for a bank transfer you marked as paid yourself). If paid online, it also confirms a receipt was emailed to them. ## Frequently asked ### Does my customer need an account to pay? No. The invoice page and every payment method on it work with just the link, no login. ### What if I haven't connected card or Pay by Bank payments? They only see the bank transfer details, no `Pay online` block, as long as you've added bank details in Settings. Connecting Stripe later adds the block without ever removing the bank details. ### Why does the total on the page differ from the amount they're asked to pay? A deposit already invoiced, or a CIS deduction, reduces what's owed without changing the invoice's recorded total. The page shows both figures, the full total and the reduced amount actually due, so nothing is hidden. # What your customer sees when you send a quote _The email, the quote page, and how a customer accepts or declines it, exactly as they'll see it._ Category: [Clients](https://trame.co.uk/help/clients). Updated 2026-07-29. Once you select `Issue and email` on a quote, your customer gets an email and a link to a page built for them, no account, no login. Here's exactly what's on it. ## The email The subject line is `Quote {number} from {your company name}`. It opens with "Your quote is ready", says who it's from, and shows the total inc. VAT. If you've set an expiry date it states "Valid until" underneath, and the quote is attached as a PDF. A `View quote` button links to the page below, next to the line "Review the full breakdown and accept online. No account needed." > **Note:** Selecting `Issue` instead of `Issue and email` skips the email. Share `Copy > link` or `Share via WhatsApp` from the quote's `Send` menu instead, and your > customer lands on the same page either way. ## The quote page At the top: your logo, company name and address, VAT and company registration numbers if you've set them, the quote number, and a status pill reading `Awaiting acceptance` or `Accepted`. Below that, the issue date, the valid until date if set, and who it's prepared for. Then the priced work itself: - Each section and line item you added, with quantity, unit and VAT rate shown under the description. - **Subtotal**, **VAT**, and **Total inc. VAT**. - If you set a deposit, a line stating the deposit percentage, its amount, and that it's due on acceptance. - If you set a payment period, a line stating how many days after the final invoice the balance is due. - Any notes you added.  A `Save as PDF` button floats at the bottom right the whole time, so they can download a copy without printing your email. ## Accepting or declining A bar fixed at the foot of the page carries the two actions, as long as the quote hasn't already been accepted or declined: - `Accept quote` opens a dialog asking for their full name and a drawn signature, next to a link to your terms and conditions if you've set one. Confirming shows `Quote accepted` in green at the foot of the page, with who signed and when. If you set a deposit, the page tells them beforehand that accepting sends the deposit invoice and confirms a start date. - `Decline this quote` opens a lighter dialog with an optional "anything you'd like to add?" note, nothing required. Declining shows `Quote declined` in grey, telling them you'll be in touch to hear more.   ## Frequently asked ### Can my customer accept a quote without signing? No. Accepting always asks for a typed full name and a drawn signature, there's no accept-without-signing option. ### What happens after they accept? You get notified and the job moves forward from your side, see [Getting a quote signed off](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/getting-a-quote-signed-off). If a deposit is set, Trame creates the deposit invoice and emails it to them automatically, you don't need to issue it yourself. ### Can they change their mind after accepting? Not on the page itself, once accepted it's locked. They'd need to contact you directly, the same as if they'd signed anything else. # Getting started Set up your account, your company details and your first job. ## Articles - [How to create your Trame account](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/creating-your-trame-account): Sign up with email or Google, confirm your address, and answer a couple of quick questions to set up your company. - [How to set up your company details and logo](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/setting-up-your-company-details-and-logo): Add your company name, trade, address and logo so they appear correctly on every quote and invoice you send. - [How to add your VAT and CIS settings](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/adding-your-vat-and-cis-settings): Add your VAT number if you're registered, and turn on CIS if you work as a subcontractor, so your invoices apply the right deductions. - [How to import your customers and past work](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/importing-your-customers-and-past-work): Bring your customer list in from a CSV, and build your price book from past invoices, quotes, or quotes you've already built in Trame. - [Finding your way around Trame](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/finding-your-way-around-trame): A map of the sidebar, your Home screen, the quick-add button, and where Settings lives. All help topics: [https://trame.co.uk/help](https://trame.co.uk/help) # How to add your VAT and CIS settings _Add your VAT number if you're registered, and turn on CIS if you work as a subcontractor, so your invoices apply the right deductions._ Category: [Getting started](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started). Updated 2026-07-29. Both settings live on your company details, and both change how your invoices are calculated. Leave either off if it doesn't apply to you. > **Note:** Company settings can only be changed by an owner. If you're not the account owner, these fields are visible but greyed out. ## Add your VAT number 1. Go to **Settings**, then select **Company** under **Business**. 2. Under **Payment details**, find **VAT number**. 3. Enter your number, for example `GB 123 4567 89`. 4. Select **Save**. Leave it blank if you're not VAT registered. Adding a VAT number tells Trame you're VAT registered, so it applies VAT on your quotes and invoices and shows your VAT number on the documents you send. ## Turn on CIS CIS applies if you work as a subcontractor under the Construction Industry Scheme. 1. On the same page, find **Construction Industry Scheme**. 2. Switch on `I work as a CIS subcontractor`. 3. Set your **Deduction rate**: `Registered (20%)`, `Not registered (30%)`, or `Gross payment status (0%)`, matching your CIS registration status with HMRC. 4. Select **Save**. > **Note:** CIS is a deduction, not a loss. It reduces what the customer pays you upfront, but Trame's reports still count the full value of the work as your revenue. With this off, no CIS options appear on your invoices at all. With it on, you can choose to apply the CIS deduction on an invoice, invoice by invoice, it isn't forced onto every one.  ## Frequently asked ### Do I need to turn on CIS if I'm not a subcontractor? No. Leave it off. It only adds options for subcontractors under CIS, it doesn't change anything else about your invoices. ### Can I change the deduction rate later? Yes, if your registration status with HMRC changes, come back and update the rate here. # How to create your Trame account _Sign up with email or Google, confirm your address, and answer a couple of quick questions to set up your company._ Category: [Getting started](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started). Updated 2026-07-29. Create your account at `trame.co.uk/signup`, then answer a few questions about your business. It takes a couple of minutes and gets you straight to your Home screen. ## Sign up 1. Go to **Create account**. 2. Choose `Continue with Google`, or enter an email and a password of at least 10 characters. 3. Select `Create account`. > **Note:** If you sign up with email, Trame sends a confirmation link. Open it to activate your account before you can log in. Signing up with Google skips this step. ## Answer the setup questions Once you're in, Trame asks three quick things before it builds your account. 1. **What kind of work do you do?** Pick every trade that applies, for example `Plumber` or `Electrician`. Trame uses this to ask your clients the right questions on enquiries and to tailor your quote builder. 2. **About your business.** Enter your company name and your own name. The company name appears on every enquiry, quote and invoice a client receives. 3. **Bringing your business across, or starting fresh?** Choose `Bring my data across` to import clients and build your price book from past quotes or invoices, or `I'm starting fresh` to skip straight to your Home screen. Either choice can be changed later. Finishing this takes you to your Home screen. See [finding your way around Trame](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/finding-your-way-around-trame) for what happens next. ## Frequently asked ### Do I need a card to sign up? No. Sign-up asks for an email and password (or a Google account) only. ### What if I run a team? Whoever signs up first becomes the account owner. Add the rest of your team from **Settings**, under **Business**, once you're set up. ### Can I change my trade later? Yes. Trade is one of the fields on your company details, so you can add or remove trades any time. # Finding your way around Trame _A map of the sidebar, your Home screen, the quick-add button, and where Settings lives._ Category: [Getting started](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started). Updated 2026-07-29. Everything in Trame is reachable from the sidebar on desktop, or the tab bar on your phone. Here's what's where. ## The main navigation On desktop, the left sidebar groups your work into four bands: - **Home, Schedule, Enquiries, Jobs**, where the day-to-day work happens. - **Quotes, Invoices, Expenses**, the documents and money side of a job. - **Reports**, profit and margin across your business. - **Clients, Price book**, your reference data. On your phone, the same destinations collapse into a tab bar with `Home`, `Jobs`, `Quotes` and `Invoices`, plus a raised `+` in the centre for adding something quickly (see below).  ## Your Home screen Home is where you land after signing in. It's built around what needs your attention, not a list of everything: - **Owed to you** and **Paid this month** at the top, both link through to Reports. - A **Quoting · Scheduled · In progress · To invoice** strip showing where your jobs are in their pipeline. - **Needs attention**, a ranked list of what to chase, new enquiries, invoices going overdue, quotes with no reply, and finished jobs you haven't invoiced yet. - **In progress**, a rail of your live jobs with their next visit or how long they've been running. While your account is still being set up, a **Get started** card takes the place of an empty Needs attention list, walking you through adding your business details, your first client, job, quote and invoice. ## Adding something quickly The `+` button, bottom centre on phone or the equivalent action on desktop, opens a menu to add an expense, start a new job, quote or invoice, or share your enquiry form link with a customer, without leaving the page you're on. ## Finding Settings Select your name at the bottom of the sidebar, then `Settings`. Settings is grouped the same way as everything else: - **Personal**, your own account. - **Business**, your company details and, if you're the owner, your team. - **Money**, payments and billing, if you have them set up. ## Frequently asked ### Why can't I see Team or Billing in Settings? Both are owner-only. If you were added to someone else's company, you'll see your own Account settings but not Team or Billing. ### Where do I log out? Select your name at the bottom of the sidebar, then `Log out`. # How to import your customers and past work _Bring your customer list in from a CSV, and build your price book from past invoices, quotes, or quotes you've already built in Trame._ Category: [Getting started](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started). Updated 2026-07-29. Import your existing customer list and build your price book from work you've already done, rather than typing it all in again. Both are optional and both can be done any time, not just when you first sign up. ## Import your customers 1. Go to **Clients** and select `Import clients`. 2. Drop a CSV file, or click to browse. This works with an export from Powered Now, Jobber, Tradify, or any spreadsheet. 3. Check the column matches Trame has found. Adjust any that look wrong, then select `Import customers`. 4. Review the preview, then select `Import N customers` to confirm.  Customers already in Trame with a matching email are skipped automatically, so you can safely re-import the same file without creating duplicates. A CSV can have up to 500 rows. > **Note:** A row needs a name to import. If your file only has separate first name and last name columns, map both, Trame combines them. ## Build your price book from past work 1. Go to **Price book** and select `Import`. 2. Choose `From past invoices or quotes` to upload PDFs, PNGs or JPGs of documents you've already sent, or `From your Trame quotes` to pull line items you've already used in quotes built inside Trame. 3. Trame scans the files and groups similar items together. Deselect any you don't want, or pick which version of a grouped item to keep. 4. Select `Add N items`. ## Frequently asked ### Can I import customers and prices from the same screen? No, they're separate. Customers import from **Clients**, prices import from **Price book**. Both are also offered together during sign-up, under `Bring my data across`, if you'd rather do both in one sitting. ### What happens to rows my file can't map? Any column you leave as `Don't import` is dropped, the rest of that row still imports. A row with no usable name is skipped entirely. ### Will importing create duplicate customers? No. Trame checks email addresses already in your account and skips any row that matches one you already have. # How to set up your company details and logo _Add your company name, trade, address and logo so they appear correctly on every quote and invoice you send._ Category: [Getting started](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started). Updated 2026-07-29. Your company details appear on every enquiry, quote and invoice a client receives, so it's worth setting them up before you send your first one. > **Note:** Company settings can only be changed by an owner. If you're not the account owner, these fields are visible but greyed out. ## Update your company info 1. Go to **Settings**, then select **Company** under **Business**. 2. Under **Company info**, set your **Company name**. 3. Under **Trade**, select every trade that applies, for example `Plumber` or `Electrician`. 4. Set your **Location**, for example `Manchester`. 5. Select **Save**. ## Add your business address Under **Address**, fill in **Address line 1**, **Address line 2** (optional), **City / Town** and **Postcode**. This is required on UK VAT invoices, so add it even if you're not VAT registered yet, you'll need it later. ## Upload your logo 1. Under **Branding**, select `Upload logo`. 2. Choose a PNG, JPG or WebP file, up to 2 MB. Your logo appears on quotes and invoices sent to clients. To change it, upload a new file, it replaces the old one. To remove it entirely, select `Remove`.  ## Frequently asked ### Where else do I set my address, in relation to payments? Your address sits in its own **Address** section on the same **Company** settings page. Your bank details for invoices live further down, under **Payment details**, on the same page. ### Does everyone on my team see these settings? Yes, everyone can view them. Only the account owner can change them. # Integrations Put your Trame diary in the calendar you already use. ## Articles - [Adding your Trame diary to your calendar](https://trame.co.uk/help/integrations/adding-your-trame-diary-to-your-calendar): Subscribe to a read-only feed of your Trame appointments from your phone or computer's own calendar app, so your day shows up in one place. - [What Trame connects to](https://trame.co.uk/help/integrations/what-trame-connects-to): A short, honest list of what Trame connects to today: your calendar app and Stripe for card payments. Nothing else yet. All help topics: [https://trame.co.uk/help](https://trame.co.uk/help) # Adding your Trame diary to your calendar _Subscribe to a read-only feed of your Trame appointments from your phone or computer's own calendar app, so your day shows up in one place._ Category: [Integrations](https://trame.co.uk/help/integrations). Updated 2026-07-29. Trame can feed your appointments straight into Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook. Once it is set up, every job you have booked shows up alongside everything else in your day, and it keeps itself up to date as you add, move or cancel appointments in Trame. > **Note:** The feed is one way. It shows your Trame diary in your calendar app, but you > cannot create or edit an appointment from the calendar app itself. Do that in > Trame, and the feed catches up. ## Get your calendar link 1. Go to **Schedule**. 2. Select **Sync**. 3. Choose your calendar app from the list: `Apple Calendar (iPhone)`, `Google Calendar`, or `Outlook`. This opens a panel with **Your calendar URL** and a **Copy** button, plus the exact steps for the app you picked.  ## Add it to Apple Calendar (iPhone) 1. Copy your calendar URL from the panel above. 2. On your iPhone, open **Settings**, then **Calendar**, then **Accounts**. 3. Tap **Add Account**, then **Other**. 4. Tap **Add Subscribed Calendar**. 5. Paste the URL, tap **Next**, then **Save**. Your Trame appointments appear in the Calendar app within a few minutes. ## Add it to Google Calendar 1. Copy your calendar URL from the panel above. 2. Open Google Calendar on a computer. The mobile app cannot add a calendar by URL. 3. In the left sidebar, next to **Other calendars**, click the plus icon, then **From URL**. 4. Paste the URL and click **Add calendar**. Google only refreshes a subscribed calendar every few hours, so a new or moved appointment can take a while to show up here even though it is already correct in Trame. ## Add it to Outlook 1. Copy your calendar URL from the panel above. 2. Open Outlook on a computer. 3. Go to **File**, **Account Settings**, **Internet Calendars**. 4. Click **New**, paste the URL, click **Add**. 5. Name the calendar `Trame` and click **OK**. Your Trame appointments appear within an hour. ## Where else to find your link Your calendar link also lives in **Settings**, under **Company**, in the **Calendar sync** section. This is the only place to regenerate it. > **Warning:** Regenerating the URL creates a new one and stops the old one working > immediately. Anyone subscribed to the old link, including you on another > device, stops getting updates and has to add the new one instead. ## Frequently asked ### What shows up in the feed? Your booked appointments only, the same ones you see on **Schedule**. Each entry carries the job title, the client's name, and the client's address if you have one on file for them. Quotes, invoices and enquiries do not appear, because they are not on the diary. ### Can I edit an appointment from my phone's calendar? No. The feed is read-only. Move, edit or cancel the appointment in Trame, and your calendar app picks up the change the next time it refreshes. ### Who can regenerate the calendar link? Only the account owner. It is a **Regenerate URL** action under **Settings**, **Company**, and it is not shown to other team members. ### Why hasn't a change shown up in my calendar app yet? Trame's feed updates the moment you make a change in the app. What varies is how often your calendar app checks it: Apple Calendar checks every few minutes, Google Calendar every few hours, and Outlook roughly once an hour. There is nothing to refresh on the Trame side, it is just waiting on your calendar app's own schedule. # What Trame connects to _A short, honest list of what Trame connects to today: your calendar app and Stripe for card payments. Nothing else yet._ Category: [Integrations](https://trame.co.uk/help/integrations). Updated 2026-07-29. Trame connects to two things today: your calendar app, and Stripe for taking card payments. That is the whole list. Trame works fully without either, they are both optional. ## Your calendar Trame can feed your booked appointments into Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook as a read-only subscription. It lives on **Schedule**, under **Sync**, and also on **Settings**, under **Company**. See [Adding your Trame diary to your calendar](https://trame.co.uk/help/integrations/adding-your-trame-diary-to-your-calendar) for the full walkthrough. ## Taking card payments Connect a Stripe account from **Settings**, under **Payments**, to accept card and Pay by Bank payments on your invoices. Trame takes no cut of what you are paid, but Stripe's own card processing fees still apply. Bank transfer is always shown on your invoices as well, whether or not Stripe is connected. See the [Payments](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments) section for how to set it up. ## Frequently asked ### Do I have to connect anything to use Trame? No. Calendar sync and Stripe are both optional. Quotes, jobs, invoices and expenses all work without connecting either one. ### Does connecting Stripe cost extra? Not from Trame. Stripe charges its own processing fee per card payment, which comes off the payment itself rather than being billed to you separately. ### Can Trame connect to my accounting software? Not yet. # Invoices Issue invoices, take deposits, and chase what you are owed. ## Articles - [How to issue an invoice from a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/issuing-an-invoice-from-a-quote): Turn an accepted quote into an invoice without retyping the job, then issue it to lock the price and start the clock on payment. - [Deposit invoices and how the balance works](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/deposit-invoices): A quote with a deposit produces two invoices, one for the deposit and one for the balance, and Trame keeps them from double-counting. - [How CIS deductions work on an invoice](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/cis-deductions-on-an-invoice): Switch on the CIS deduction to withhold tax from what your customer pays, without changing the invoice's recorded revenue. - [How to apply the VAT domestic reverse charge on an invoice](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/vat-domestic-reverse-charge): Switch on the domestic reverse charge to remove VAT from what you charge, while stating what your customer must account for to HMRC. - [How to chase an unpaid invoice with reminders](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/chasing-an-unpaid-invoice): Send a payment reminder yourself once an invoice is overdue, or let Trame nudge the customer automatically on a schedule. All help topics: [https://trame.co.uk/help](https://trame.co.uk/help) # How to chase an unpaid invoice with reminders _Send a payment reminder yourself once an invoice is overdue, or let Trame nudge the customer automatically on a schedule._ Category: [Invoices](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices). Updated 2026-07-29. Once an invoice is overdue, chase it yourself with one click, or let Trame send reminders on its own schedule in the background. ## Send a reminder yourself 1. Open the overdue invoice. 2. Select **Send**. 3. Select **Send reminder**. `Send reminder` only appears once the invoice is actually overdue and the client has an email address on file. Before the due date passes, use `Email` or `Resend` to send the invoice itself instead. ## Automatic reminders Trame also chases overdue invoices on its own, without you having to open them: - The first automatic reminder goes out 2 days after the due date passes. - After that, reminders repeat roughly every 7 days, up to 3 in total. - Each one is firmer in tone than the last. - Reminders stop as soon as the invoice is marked paid. > **Note:** Automatic reminders can be turned off in your notification settings. This > only stops Trame's own schedule, the `Send reminder` button on the invoice > still works even when automatic reminders are off. ## Frequently asked ### When can I send a reminder? Only once the invoice is overdue, and only if it has been sent (not a draft) with the client's email address on file. ### How many times will Trame remind automatically? Up to 3, spaced roughly a week apart, starting 2 days after the due date and stopping the moment the invoice is paid. ### If I turn off automatic reminders, can I still chase manually? Yes. That setting only affects Trame's own schedule. The `Send reminder` button on the invoice is unaffected either way. # How CIS deductions work on an invoice _Switch on the CIS deduction to withhold tax from what your customer pays, without changing the invoice's recorded revenue._ Category: [Invoices](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices). Updated 2026-07-29. CIS withholds tax from what a customer pays you, on its way to HMRC. It reduces the amount collected on this invoice, never the revenue you've actually earned. ## Before you start The CIS deduction only appears on an invoice if your company is set up as a CIS subcontractor, with a withholding rate, in your company settings. See [adding your VAT and CIS settings](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/adding-your-vat-and-cis-settings). ## Turn on the CIS deduction 1. Open the invoice. It must still be a draft, since the toggle is locked once an invoice is issued. 2. In the totals footer, switch on **CIS deduction**. 3. Trame calculates the deduction from your company's registered CIS rate, Registered (20%), Not registered (30%), or Gross payment status (0%), and shows it as `CIS deduction (20%)` with the amount subtracted. 4. The bottom line changes from `Total inc VAT` to `Amount due`, the figure your customer will actually be asked to pay.  ## Keeping materials out of it Only labour sits inside the scheme. Materials are outside it, so they should not be withheld against. Each section of the invoice carries its own toggle for this, reading `CIS` or `No CIS`. Set your materials section to `No CIS` and it drops out of the figure the deduction is worked out on. Labour sections stay on `CIS`.  > **Note:** A section with no toggle set counts as labour. That keeps invoices written > before this setting existed on exactly the figure they were issued at. CIS is never withheld on VAT, only on the net amount. ## What it does to the numbers CIS reduces the Amount due at the foot of this invoice, not the total you've recorded as earned. Your invoices list, and any revenue totals, still count the full invoice amount, the deduction is withheld on your behalf, not lost. ## Frequently asked ### Can I change the CIS rate for one invoice? No. The rate, Registered, Not registered, or Gross payment status, follows your company's CIS settings. The invoice only has the on/off switch. ### Do I still need to report CIS deductions to HMRC myself? Yes. Trame calculates and shows the deduction on the invoice, but reporting and reconciling CIS with HMRC is still down to you. ### Why doesn't the deposit invoice show a CIS deduction? CIS applies on the final invoice, where the balance is actually collected, not on the deposit. See [deposit invoices and how the balance works](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/deposit-invoices). # Deposit invoices and how the balance works _A quote with a deposit produces two invoices, one for the deposit and one for the balance, and Trame keeps them from double-counting._ Category: [Invoices](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices). Updated 2026-07-29. A quote with a deposit produces two invoices, not one. The deposit invoice is created and sent the moment the client accepts, and the final invoice, issued later, shows the deposit as a deduction rather than asking for the full amount again. ## How the deposit invoice appears You don't create this one yourself. As soon as a client accepts a quote that has a deposit percentage set, Trame: 1. Creates a deposit invoice for that percentage of the quote total. 2. Sets its status straight to `Sent`. 3. Emails it to the client, if you have their email on file. Its title reads `Deposit - [quote title]`, and its single line item reads something like `25% deposit - Kitchen refit`. For example, a £1,200 quote with a 25% deposit produces a £300 deposit invoice. > **Note:** Marking the deposit invoice as paid does not move the job to `Paid`. Only > paying the final invoice does that, since the balance is still outstanding > until then. ## How the final invoice nets it off When you [issue the invoice for the rest of the job](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/issuing-an-invoice-from-a-quote), Trame recognises the deposit invoice already exists for that quote and nets it off automatically. Continuing the example above, the final invoice's totals read: - Total inc VAT: £1,200 - Less deposit paid: -£300 - Balance due: £900  The two invoices are never added together as-is. On the invoices list, the final invoice's figure already has the deposit taken off, so the two rows sum to the true job value, not more.  ## Frequently asked ### What if the quote has no deposit? Then there's only ever one invoice for the job, covering the full amount. See [issuing an invoice from a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/issuing-an-invoice-from-a-quote). ### Can I choose to send the deposit invoice myself instead? No, not currently. Whenever a quote with a deposit percentage set is accepted, the deposit invoice is created and sent automatically. ### Does the deposit invoice carry a CIS deduction? No. CIS is applied on the final invoice, where the balance is actually being paid, not on the deposit. # How to issue an invoice from a quote _Turn an accepted quote into an invoice without retyping the job, then issue it to lock the price and start the clock on payment._ Category: [Invoices](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices). Updated 2026-07-29. Once a quote is accepted, invoice it in one step. Trame carries over the line items, the notes, and the price, so you are never rebuilding a job you have already priced. ## Create the invoice 1. Go to **Invoices** and select **New invoice**. 2. If the quote is attached to a job, choose `From a job`. Trame pulls in the line items from that job's accepted quote automatically. 3. If the quote has no job attached, choose `From a quote` instead. This list only shows accepted quotes that are not yet invoiced. 4. Pick the job or quote, then select **Create invoice**.  Trame opens the new invoice as a draft, with the line items, notes and total already filled in from the quote. The title carries over too, with "Quote for" swapped to "Invoice for". > **Note:** Invoicing a quote also marks its job **Complete**, if it isn't already. You > don't need to update the job separately. If the quote had a deposit, this is the invoice for the balance. The deposit itself was already invoiced and sent automatically when the client accepted. See [deposit invoices and how the balance works](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices/deposit-invoices). ## Issue the invoice While the invoice is a draft, you can still edit the line items. Once you are happy with it: 1. Select **Issue invoice**. 2. Set the **Payment due** date. It defaults to the quote's agreed payment terms, or your own default if the quote didn't set one. 3. Choose **Issue and email** to send it straight to the client, or **Issue** to issue it without emailing yet.  > **Warning:** Once issued, this invoice becomes read-only. Line items, prices, and terms > are locked. You can still share it through email, link, or other channels. ## Frequently asked ### What if I need to change the price after issuing? If the invoice is still a draft, delete it and create a new one from the quote. Once issued, the line items and totals are locked, only a draft invoice can be deleted. ### Can I invoice the same quote twice? No. Opening the invoice picker for a quote that already has a final invoice takes you straight to the existing one instead of creating a duplicate. ### Why isn't my quote in the "From a quote" list? That list only shows quotes with no job attached. If your quote is attached to a job, invoice it from the job instead, using `From a job`. # How to apply the VAT domestic reverse charge on an invoice _Switch on the domestic reverse charge to remove VAT from what you charge, while stating what your customer must account for to HMRC._ Category: [Invoices](https://trame.co.uk/help/invoices). Updated 2026-07-29. If the domestic reverse charge applies to a job, switch it on and Trame removes VAT from the amount you charge, while still stating what the customer must account for to HMRC. For whether it applies to your job, see the guide on [the VAT domestic reverse charge for construction](https://trame.co.uk/guides/vat/domestic-reverse-charge-for-construction). This article covers the invoice switch itself. ## Before you start The reverse charge toggle only appears if your company has a VAT number saved in company settings. See [adding your VAT and CIS settings](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started/adding-your-vat-and-cis-settings). ## Turn on the reverse charge 1. Open the invoice. It must still be a draft, the toggle locks once issued. 2. In the totals footer, switch on **Domestic reverse charge**. 3. The VAT row changes to `VAT (reverse charge)` showing £0.00, and a line underneath states how much VAT the customer accounts for to HMRC. 4. The bottom total label changes from `Total inc VAT` to `Total due`.  ## What your customer sees Once issued, the invoice states plainly that no VAT is charged and how much the customer accounts for themselves, alongside the statutory reference line `Reverse charge: VAT Act 1994 Section 55A applies.`  ## Frequently asked ### How do I know if a job needs the reverse charge? See the guide on [the VAT domestic reverse charge for construction](https://trame.co.uk/guides/vat/domestic-reverse-charge-for-construction) for the rules on when it applies. ### Does this change what the customer pays? Yes. It removes VAT from the amount they're charged. They account for that VAT to HMRC directly rather than paying it to you. ### Can I turn it off after issuing? No. Once an invoice is issued, its content, including the reverse charge switch, is locked. # Jobs and diary Track work through its stages and book it into your diary. ## Articles - [How to set up a recurring job](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs/setting-up-a-recurring-job): Set a job to bill weekly, fortnightly or monthly, and have Trame issue each invoice on your schedule. - [How to create a job](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs/creating-a-job): Add a one-off job with a client, a title and a starting status in under a minute, or switch to a recurring job if the work repeats. - [How to move a job through its stages](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs/moving-a-job-through-its-stages): See what each job status means, how Trame advances most of them for you, and when you need to change one yourself. - [How to book appointments and use the diary](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs/booking-appointments-and-using-the-diary): Book, move and cancel appointments from the Schedule page or from the job itself, and read what each colour on the diary means. All help topics: [https://trame.co.uk/help](https://trame.co.uk/help) # How to book appointments and use the diary _Book, move and cancel appointments from the Schedule page or from the job itself, and read what each colour on the diary means._ Category: [Jobs and diary](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs). Updated 2026-07-29. Every appointment in Trame's diary is tied to a job, so glancing at your week tells you what you're doing and for whom, not just when you're busy. ## Book an appointment from Schedule 1. Go to **Schedule**. 2. Select `New appointment`. 3. Search for the job and select it, then `Next`. Jobs already marked `Done` or `Paid` don't appear in this list. 4. Set the **Start** and **End** date and time. 5. Add a **Description** if it helps, this is optional. 6. Select `Schedule`. ## Book an appointment from a job 1. Open the job. 2. Under **Coming up**, select `Add appointment`. 3. Set the Start and End time and an optional Description. 4. Select `Schedule`. This works even on a job marked `Done` or `Paid`, unlike the picker on the Schedule page.  ## Reading the diary Switch between week, day and month views. Each appointment is coloured by the job's current status, quoting, quoted, accepted, in progress, done and paid each get their own colour, so you can read the shape of your week without opening a single job. Recurring jobs' visits show in a colour of their own. Drag an appointment to a new time, or drag its edge to change how long it runs, changes save immediately.  ## Editing, moving or cancelling an appointment 1. Select the appointment, either on the diary or from the job's **Coming up** list. 2. Select `Edit`. 3. Change the Start, End or Description, then `Save changes`. To cancel it, select `Delete` and confirm. > **Warning:** Deleting an appointment cannot be undone. ## Frequently asked ### A recurring job's visits are showing on the diary, can I move just one? Not from the diary. Visits generated by a recurring job's schedule are for reading, not for editing individually, changing the time of day or frequency they're booked at isn't available once the job is created. See [setting up a recurring job](https://trame.co.uk/jobs/setting-up-a-recurring-job) for what you can change on a recurring job. ### Can I see my Trame diary in my phone's calendar? Yes, use `Sync` on the Schedule page to subscribe from Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook. # How to create a job _Add a one-off job with a client, a title and a starting status in under a minute, or switch to a recurring job if the work repeats._ Category: [Jobs and diary](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs). Updated 2026-07-29. Every quote, invoice, appointment and cost in Trame hangs off a job. Creating one takes a client and a title, nothing else is required. ## Create a one-off job 1. Go to **Jobs** and select `New job`. From a client's own page, the same button opens the modal with that client already locked in. 2. Leave **Job type** on `One-off`. Switch to `Recurring` instead if this is work that repeats on a schedule, that's a different flow, see [setting up a recurring job](https://trame.co.uk/jobs/setting-up-a-recurring-job). 3. Under **Client (required)**, switch to `Existing` and search for the client, or stay on `New` and fill in their name, and their email, phone and address if you have them. 4. Give the job a **Title (required)**, for example `Bathroom retile`. 5. Add a **Description** if it helps, this is optional. 6. Set the **Initial status** if the job isn't starting from scratch, see below. 7. Select `Create job`. Trame takes you straight to the new job's page. > **Note:** A business client shows a **Contact person** field alongside the business name. > Switching a new client between `Individual` and `Business` only affects this > form, change an existing client's type from their own record instead. ## Choosing where the job starts The **Initial status** dropdown on a one-off job defaults to `Quoting`, but you can start it further along: - `Quoting`, nothing has gone out yet, the normal starting point. - `Quoted`, a price has already gone to the client outside Trame. - `Accepted`, they've agreed to it verbally or by email. - `In Progress`, you're already on site. - `Done`, the work is finished and you're just catching it up. - `Paid`, for old work you're logging after the fact. Picking a later status is a shortcut, it doesn't create a quote or an invoice for you, it just sets where the job's record starts. See [moving a job through its stages](https://trame.co.uk/jobs/moving-a-job-through-its-stages) for how it progresses from there.  ## Frequently asked ### Do I need to add the client first? No. Stay on `New` under Client and fill in their details as you create the job. Only their name is required. ### Can I create a job without a client? No, every job is tied to a client, either one you already have or a new one you add on the spot. ### What if the job came from an enquiry a customer sent in? That's a different starting point, see enquiries and quotes for how a submitted enquiry becomes a job. Use `New job` here for work you're adding yourself. # How to move a job through its stages _See what each job status means, how Trame advances most of them for you, and when you need to change one yourself._ Category: [Jobs and diary](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs). Updated 2026-07-29. A one-off job carries a status, `Quoting`, `Quoted`, `Accepted`, `In Progress`, `Done` or `Paid`, shown as a pill at the top of the job. Most of the movement between them happens automatically as you quote, invoice and get paid, you rarely need to touch it directly. > **Note:** This pipeline is for one-off jobs. A recurring job shows `Active` or `Ended` > instead, see [setting up a recurring job](https://trame.co.uk/jobs/setting-up-a-recurring-job). ## What each stage means - **Quoting**, a new job with no quote sent yet. - **Quoted**, you sent or issued a quote. Trame sets this the moment the quote goes out, you don't set it yourself. - **Accepted**, the client accepted, either online or because you marked it accepted. If the quote carries a deposit, the deposit invoice is created at this point. - **In Progress**, you selected `Start job` once work began. - **Done**, the work is finished. You select `Mark as done` yourself, or Trame sets it the moment you issue the final invoice from the job's quote, even if you never marked it `In Progress` or `Done` first. - **Paid**, the invoice was paid, whether that's a card payment, Pay by Bank, or you marking a bank transfer paid by hand. Trame sets this automatically too. ## Moving a job on The button next to the job's title changes with its status, so most of the time there's nothing to look up: - Quoting: `New quote`, or `Open quote` if one's already sitting in draft. - Quoted: `Mark accepted`, with `Follow up quote` alongside once a week's passed with no reply. - Accepted: `Schedule work` and `Start job`. - In Progress: `Mark as done`. - Done: `Create invoice`, if nothing's been invoiced yet. - Any status with an overdue invoice: `Send reminder` takes priority over everything else. The `⋮` menu next to the button covers the rest: `Mark as quoted` and `Mark as paid` are there for the odd job that needs a manual correction, for example work paid in a way Trame can't detect automatically.  ## Closing a job that isn't going ahead Select `Close job` from the `⋮` menu on any job that isn't already `Paid` or `Closed`, no confirmation needed. A closed job stays on your record, it just stops asking anything of you. > **Warning:** Reopening a closed job (`Reopen job` in the same menu) puts it back at > `Quoting`, not wherever it was when you closed it. ## Frequently asked ### Can a job move backwards? Only one way: if a client declines a quote, revising it can send the job back to `Quoting` automatically. Otherwise there's no manual way to step a job back a stage, closing and reopening it is the only reset, and that always lands on `Quoting`. ### Does invoicing a job always mark it Done? Yes, issuing the invoice from the job's accepted quote sets it to `Done` straight away, even if you hadn't started or finished the work in Trame. If you want `In Progress` recorded on the job's history, mark it before you invoice. ### Does marking an invoice paid also update the job? Yes. The job's status follows the invoice, you don't need to update both. # How to set up a recurring job _Set a job to bill weekly, fortnightly or monthly, and have Trame issue each invoice on your schedule._ Category: [Jobs and diary](https://trame.co.uk/help/jobs). Updated 2026-07-29. Window cleaning, gutter clears, boiler servicing, anything you do on a cycle. Set the billing schedule once and Trame issues each invoice for you, so you are not rebuilding the same job every month. ## Before you start You need the customer saved as a client. If they are new, you can add them while you create the job, there is no need to set them up first. > **Note:** A recurring job is one job with a repeating bill, not a new job each time. That > keeps the whole history for that customer in one place. ## Create the recurring job Setting one up takes two steps. The first is the job itself, the second is the billing schedule. 1. Go to **Jobs** and select **New job**. 2. Under **Job type**, switch from `One-off` to `Recurring`. 3. Pick the client under **Client (required)**, either `Existing` or `New`. 4. Give the job a **Title** the customer would recognise, for example `Window cleaning`. 5. Add a **Description** if it helps you, this is optional. 6. Select **Next**.  ## Set the billing schedule The second step is headed **Recurring billing**. This is where the money and the timing are set. 1. Under **Each invoice (required)**, describe what the customer is being billed for. 2. Enter the amount for **one** invoice, then pick the VAT rate beside it. 3. Choose the **Frequency**: `Weekly`, `Fortnightly`, `Every 4 weeks`, `Every 6 weeks`, `Monthly`, or `Custom` for anything else. 4. Set the **First invoice date**. This can be today or any future date. 5. Turn on **Set an end date** if the work stops on a known date. Leave it off and the schedule runs open-ended. 6. Turn on **Schedule appointments** if you also want the visits in your Trame calendar. 7. Select **Create recurring job**.  > **Note:** The amount is what you charge **each time**, not the total for the year. A £25 > window clean every fortnight is entered as £25. **Schedule appointments** is worth understanding before you turn it on. Left off, Trame bills on your schedule but puts nothing in your diary. Turned on, it also adds the visits to your calendar, which is what you want when the job is a physical visit rather than a standing charge. ## Check or change the schedule Open the recurring job and you will find a **Billing schedule** section. It shows the amount including VAT, how often it repeats, and the date it runs from, or the end date if you set one. Select **Edit** on that section to change any of it.  Changing the amount affects invoices that have not been issued yet. Anything already issued keeps the figure it was issued at, so your old invoices never change after the fact. ## Frequently asked ### Is this the same as scheduling repeat visits? Not quite. The billing schedule is what gets invoiced and when. Turning on **Schedule appointments** adds the visits to your calendar as well. You can have the billing without the diary entries if the work does not need a visit. ### What if the customer cancels partway through? Edit the billing schedule and set an end date. Work already invoiced stays on the customer's record, so stopping a schedule never removes history. ### Can I change the price later? Yes. Edit the **Billing schedule** on the job. The new amount applies to invoices still to be issued. # Expenses and reports Log costs, see profit per job, and get figures your accountant can read. ## Articles - [How to log an expense and attach a receipt](https://trame.co.uk/help/money/logging-an-expense-and-attaching-a-receipt): Log a cost against your business or a specific job, and attach the receipt so it's on file when you need it. - [How to set up a repeating expense](https://trame.co.uk/help/money/setting-up-a-repeating-expense): Log a cost once, monthly or yearly, van insurance, software, rent, and Trame logs each new occurrence for you. - [How to see profit and margin on a job](https://trame.co.uk/help/money/seeing-profit-and-margin-on-a-job): Every job has a Money card showing what's been invoiced, what it's cost you, and the profit and margin left over. - [How to export your records for your accountant](https://trame.co.uk/help/money/exporting-for-your-accountant): Download a tax-period pack of invoices and expenses as CSV, or a single expenses file formatted for Xero, FreeAgent or QuickBooks import. All help topics: [https://trame.co.uk/help](https://trame.co.uk/help) # How to export your records for your accountant _Download a tax-period pack of invoices and expenses as CSV, or a single expenses file formatted for Xero, FreeAgent or QuickBooks import._ Category: [Expenses and reports](https://trame.co.uk/help/money). Updated 2026-07-29. Everything for a chosen tax period, invoices and expenses, in one download. Hand the file to your accountant or bookkeeper, or import it straight into your accounting software. ## Download the standard export 1. Go to **Expenses** and select **Export** (on mobile, open the more-actions menu in the top right and select **Export for accountant**). You can also open it from **Reports** under **Export records**. 2. Leave **Format** as `Standard`. 3. Under **Include**, tick `Invoices`, `Expenses`, or both. 4. Choose a **Tax year** and a **Period**, `Full tax year` or a single quarter. 5. Optionally turn on **Include receipts** to bundle receipt images alongside the expenses CSV. 6. Select **Download**.  You get a ZIP file containing `invoices.csv`, `expenses.csv`, or both, depending what you ticked. `invoices.csv` includes both the gross total and a net revenue column that already accounts for deposits, so summing it never double-counts a deposit against its final invoice. `expenses.csv` lists each cost with its HMRC category, VAT and whether a receipt is on file. > **Note:** Receipts over 250 in the period aren't bundled into the ZIP, the download > would get too large. Export a single quarter instead, or ask for the images > separately. ## Export a bank-import format If your accounting software just needs a bank-statement style CSV of your expenses, skip the standard pack. 1. Open the export dialog as above. 2. Under **Format**, choose `Xero (expenses, bank import)`, `FreeAgent (expenses, bank import)`, or `QuickBooks (expenses, bank import)`. 3. Choose a **Tax year** and **Period**. 4. Select **Download**. This downloads a single CSV of expenses only, shaped for that tool's bank statement import, one row per expense, the amount shown as money out. It doesn't include invoices, and receipts aren't part of this file. ## Frequently asked ### Which format should I pick? If your accountant just wants the numbers, `Standard` covers invoices and expenses in one go. If you're importing straight into accounting software as if it were a bank statement, pick that software's format instead, it's expenses only. ### Does the export include VAT? Yes. Both the standard invoices and expenses CSVs break out VAT separately from the net and gross amounts. ### Can I export just one quarter? Yes. Choose the tax year, then pick `Q1`, `Q2`, `Q3` or `Q4` instead of `Full tax year`. # How to log an expense and attach a receipt _Log a cost against your business or a specific job, and attach the receipt so it's on file when you need it._ Category: [Expenses and reports](https://trame.co.uk/help/money). Updated 2026-07-29. Materials, fuel, tools, subcontractor payments, anything you've spent on the business. Log it once and it counts toward your job's profit and your accountant export. ## Log an expense 1. Go to **Expenses** and select **Add Expense**, or use the **+** button available on any screen and choose **Add expense**. On a job page, select **Log expense** under **Costs** instead, this links the expense to that job automatically. 2. Choose how to add it: `Take a photo` (on your phone), `Scan receipt` to upload a photo or PDF, or `Enter manually`. 3. If you scan a receipt, Trame reads it and fills in the date, amount, VAT and category for you. Check the fields before saving, then adjust anything it missed. 4. Fill in **Description**, **Date** and **Amount**. If your business is VAT registered, pick the VAT rate, `No VAT`, `5%` or `20%`, and Trame works out the VAT portion for you. 5. Choose a **Category** from the HMRC list, `Materials & stock`, `Subcontractors`, `Staff wages`, `Vehicle & travel`, `Tools, equipment & workspace`, `Repairs & maintenance`, `Phone, internet & office`, `Marketing & advertising`, `Bank & payment fees`, `Bad debt`, `Accountant & legal`, or `Other`. 6. Optionally link a **Job** and add a **Supplier**. 7. Save the expense.  > **Note:** Scanning only reads the receipt to fill in the form. It never submits anything to > HMRC, you're always looking at the details before you save. ## Attach a receipt You can attach a receipt whether or not you scanned it. 1. Open the expense, or add a new one manually. 2. Open the **Receipt** section. 3. Select **Attach receipt** and choose a file, or **Take photo** on your phone. 4. Save. Accepted files are JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, HEIC, TIFF or PDF, up to 10 MB.  To view a receipt later, open the expense and select **View receipt**. To replace or remove it, select **Remove** and attach a new one. ## Log mileage instead For business driving, use **Log Mileage** rather than a manual expense. Enter the date, miles driven, purpose and vehicle, `Car/van`, `Motorcycle` or `Bicycle`, and Trame works out the HMRC mileage allowance for you and logs it as an expense under `Vehicle & travel`.  ## Frequently asked ### Can I log an expense against a job after the job is done? Yes. There's no cut-off. Open the job, go to **Costs**, and select **Log expense**. ### What if I don't know the VAT rate? Leave it as `No VAT`. You can come back and add it later if you find the receipt shows VAT. ### Does deleting an expense remove the receipt file too? Yes, deleting the expense removes it and its receipt together. # How to see profit and margin on a job _Every job has a Money card showing what's been invoiced, what it's cost you, and the profit and margin left over._ Category: [Expenses and reports](https://trame.co.uk/help/money). Updated 2026-07-29. Open any job and the **Money** card shows what it's brought in, what it's cost you, and what's left over. It updates as you invoice and log costs, no separate report to run. ## Read the Money card Open the job. The **Money** section shows, depending on where the job is: - **Quoted** or **Accepted**, the quote total, before anything is invoiced. - **Invoiced**, or **Paid** once every invoice on the job is settled, the amount actually billed. - **Costs so far**, everything logged under the job's **Costs** section, or `None logged` if nothing's been added yet. - **Profit** (or **Loss**, if costs have overtaken revenue), with the margin as a percentage next to it.  Profit and margin only appear once the job has been invoiced. Before that, the card shows the quote total but no profit line, there's nothing billed yet to measure it against. > **Note:** On a job with a deposit invoice and a final invoice, the two aren't added > together in full, the final invoice's balance already has the deposit taken > off. Invoiced shows the true total for the job, not the deposit counted twice. ## Add a cost from the job 1. Open the job and scroll to **Costs**. 2. Select **Log expense**. 3. Fill in the expense, it's linked to this job automatically. Costs logged here appear in the job's **Costs** list and are folded into the Money card's profit figure straight away. > **Warning:** Profit compares what's been invoiced against what's been logged as a cost, > both include VAT where it applies. If any invoice on the job has CIS > deducted, that reduces what the customer actually pays, not the revenue > figure shown here. ## Frequently asked ### Why is there no profit figure on my recurring job? Recurring jobs only count invoiced visits toward profit, not the per-visit price on the schedule. Profit appears once the first visit has been invoiced. ### The job shows a loss, is that right? If logged costs are more than what's been invoiced so far, the card shows a loss. That can be genuine, or it can mean the job hasn't been fully invoiced yet, check whether every visit or stage has actually gone out. ### Where do I see profit across all my jobs, not just one? That's not on the job page. **Reports** shows cash flow and expenses by category across your whole business for a chosen period. # How to set up a repeating expense _Log a cost once, monthly or yearly, van insurance, software, rent, and Trame logs each new occurrence for you._ Category: [Expenses and reports](https://trame.co.uk/help/money). Updated 2026-07-29. Van insurance, accounting software, a workshop rental, anything you pay on a fixed cycle. Set it up once as repeating and Trame logs each new occurrence for you, so you're not re-entering the same cost every month. ## Set up the repeating expense 1. Go to **Expenses** and select **Add Expense**. 2. Fill in the expense as normal, description, date, amount, category. 3. Turn on **Repeating expense**. 4. Choose `Monthly` or `Yearly`. 5. Save the expense.  This first entry is dated today, or whichever date you set. Trame logs the next one automatically when it falls due, each new occurrence carries the same description, amount, category, job and supplier as the original. > **Note:** Each new occurrence is its own expense, dated the day it's generated. It > appears in your expense list without a repeating badge, editing or deleting > one occurrence never touches the schedule. On the expenses list, a repeating expense shows a small `monthly` or `yearly` tag next to its description so you can tell it apart from a one-off cost. ## Change or stop the schedule To change the amount, category or frequency, or to stop it altogether, open the **original** expense, the one carrying the `monthly` or `yearly` tag, not one of the occurrences it has generated. 1. Open that expense. 2. To change the amount or category, edit the fields and save. 3. To change how often it repeats, pick a different period under **Repeating expense**. 4. To stop it, turn **Repeating expense** off and save. Occurrences already logged stay on your record. > **Warning:** Editing or deleting a generated occurrence only affects that one entry. To > change the schedule itself, or stop future occurrences, you have to go back to > the original expense. ## Frequently asked ### What if I change the amount partway through the year? Edit the original expense to the new amount. Occurrences already logged keep their old amount, only future ones pick up the change. ### Can I make mileage repeat? No. Repeating applies to expenses entered manually or by scanning a receipt, not to logged mileage. # Payments Let customers pay by card or bank, and see where the money is. ## Articles - [How to connect Stripe and take card payments](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/connecting-stripe-to-take-card-payments): Connect a Stripe account so customers can pay your invoices by card or Pay by Bank, with the money going straight to your own Stripe account. - [How to let customers pay you by bank transfer](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/letting-customers-pay-by-bank): Add your bank details once and they appear on every invoice automatically, alongside any online payment options you've connected. - [How to record a payment you took yourself](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/recording-a-payment-you-took-yourself): Mark an invoice as paid when a customer pays you by bank transfer, cash or cheque, so your records match what actually happened. - [When does the money reach my account](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/when-the-money-reaches-your-account): How payout timing works for card, Pay by Bank and bank transfer, and where to check the status of a payment. All help topics: [https://trame.co.uk/help](https://trame.co.uk/help) # How to connect Stripe and take card payments _Connect a Stripe account so customers can pay your invoices by card or Pay by Bank, with the money going straight to your own Stripe account._ Category: [Payments](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments). Updated 2026-07-29. Connect a Stripe account and every invoice gets a `Pay` button, so customers can pay by card or Pay by Bank instead of typing in your sort code. This is additional to bank transfer, not a replacement, bank details keep showing on the same invoice either way. > **Note:** Trame takes no cut of what you're paid this way. Stripe's own card processing fee still applies and is taken automatically before the money reaches your Stripe balance. ## Connect your account 1. Go to **Settings** and select **Payments**, under the **Money** group. 2. Select `Connect Stripe`. 3. You're redirected to Stripe's own onboarding to verify your identity and add your bank details. This takes around 10 minutes. 4. Finish the onboarding and Stripe sends you back to the **Payments** page in Trame. If you close the tab partway through, the page shows `Your Stripe setup isn't finished yet. Finish onboarding to start accepting payments.` with a `Finish setup` button that picks up where you left off. ## What changes once you're connected The page shows `Connected. Customers can pay invoices online.` and lists which methods are live on your invoices, `Card`, `Pay by Bank`, or both, as soon as Stripe confirms them. If Stripe later needs more information, for example after a change to your details, the page shows `Stripe needs more information before you can accept payments.` with a `Provide details` button. Nothing changes on invoices already out until you complete it. Select `Open Stripe Dashboard` to manage payouts, refunds and disputes. Those all happen inside Stripe, Trame doesn't have its own version of them. ## Disconnect or reconnect Select `Disconnect Stripe` and confirm. Card and Pay by Bank disappear from your invoices immediately, bank transfer details keep showing exactly as before. Any Pay by Bank payment already in flight still settles through Stripe, and your payout history stays in your Stripe account. Reconnect at any time with `Reconnect Stripe`. ## Frequently asked ### Does Trame take a cut of what I'm paid? No. What lands in your Stripe account is your invoice total minus Stripe's own processing fee, nothing else. ### Where does the money actually go? Straight to your own Stripe account, in your name, never to Trame. See [when the money reaches your account](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/when-the-money-reaches-your-account) for payout timing. ### Can customers still pay by bank transfer once I connect Stripe? Yes. Bank transfer is always shown alongside Stripe on a payable invoice. See [letting customers pay by bank](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/letting-customers-pay-by-bank). ### Is my Stripe account separate from Trame's own billing? Yes. Your Trame subscription and your customers' payments to you run through entirely separate parts of Stripe. # How to let customers pay you by bank transfer _Add your bank details once and they appear on every invoice automatically, alongside any online payment options you've connected._ Category: [Payments](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments). Updated 2026-07-29. Add your bank details once and Trame prints them on every invoice, so customers know exactly where to send a transfer. This shows up alongside card or Pay by Bank if you've connected Stripe, it never gets replaced by them. ## Add your bank details 1. Go to **Settings** and select **Company**. 2. Under **Payment details**, fill in `Bank name`, `Sort code` and `Account number`. 3. Optionally set a `Payment reference`. Leave it blank and Trame uses the invoice number instead. 4. Set your `Payment terms`, the number of days from the invoice date until it's due. > **Note:** If an invoice goes out with no bank details on file, the invoice editor shows a banner: "No bank details on file. Clients won't know where to pay." Select `Add them now` to fill them in without leaving the invoice. ## What the customer sees Every issued invoice that isn't a draft shows a **How to pay** panel with your bank name, sort code, account number and a reference, each with a copy button so the customer can paste them straight into their banking app.  Once you connect Stripe, a **Pay online** option appears above this panel. Bank transfer keeps its place either way, it's never hidden as a fallback. ## Marking a bank transfer as paid Trame has no way of knowing a bank transfer has landed in your account, banks don't report that to Trame. Once you see it, mark the invoice as paid yourself. See [recording a payment you took yourself](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/recording-a-payment-you-took-yourself). ## Frequently asked ### Do I need to fill in a reference? No. Leave it blank and Trame uses the invoice number, which is usually enough for you to match the transfer to the right customer. ### Can I change my bank details for one invoice only? No. Bank details live on your company profile and apply to every invoice. Update them in Settings if they change and every invoice issued from then on uses the new ones. ### What if I don't want to take bank transfers at all? Leave the bank details blank. The How to pay panel only appears when at least one of bank name, sort code or account number is filled in. # How to record a payment you took yourself _Mark an invoice as paid when a customer pays you by bank transfer, cash or cheque, so your records match what actually happened._ Category: [Payments](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments). Updated 2026-07-29. Any invoice a customer pays outside Stripe, bank transfer, cash, cheque, gets marked paid by hand. It takes one click and updates the invoice, the job and your reports straight away. ## Mark the invoice as paid 1. Open the invoice from **Invoices** or from the job it belongs to. 2. Select `Mark as paid`, next to the invoice status. 3. The invoice flips to `Paid` immediately, no confirmation, no method to pick. > **Warning:** There's no undo for this in the editor. Once an invoice is marked paid it locks, you can't edit its lines or its status from Trame. If you mark the wrong invoice paid by mistake, you'll need to sort it out directly, Trame has no "unmark as paid" button. This works on any invoice that's been issued or sent, whatever the customer actually used to pay. Trame doesn't ask which it was, it just records that the invoice is settled. ## If the invoice is tied to a job Marking the invoice paid also moves its job to `Paid`, unless it's a deposit invoice (the job stays open until the final invoice is paid too) or a recurring job (each visit is tracked separately). If the invoice has a job attached, a **Job expenses** dialog opens straight after, so you can log any materials or costs against that job while it's fresh in your mind.  ## What the customer sees Their invoice page updates to a paid confirmation showing the amount and the date. For a manually recorded payment there's no "via card" or "via Pay by Bank" note, and no automatic receipt email, those only happen for payments taken through Stripe. If you want the customer to have a record, send them one yourself. ## Frequently asked ### Can I record a part-payment? No. Marking as paid settles the whole invoice. If a customer has only paid part of what's owed, wait until the balance is in before marking it paid, or issue a separate invoice for what's outstanding. ### Does this affect my VAT or CIS figures? No. Marking paid only changes payment status, it doesn't touch the invoice's totals, VAT or CIS deduction. ### What if I use Stripe for some invoices and bank transfer for others? Both live on the same invoice at once. Mark it paid by hand as soon as you see a bank transfer land, whether or not that invoice also had a Pay button. # When does the money reach my account _How payout timing works for card, Pay by Bank and bank transfer, and where to check the status of a payment._ Category: [Payments](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments). Updated 2026-07-29. Every card or Pay by Bank payment goes straight into your own Stripe account, not Trame's. Trame never holds your money at any point, it only tells Stripe to charge the customer and records what happened. > **Note:** Trame takes no cut. Stripe's own processing fee is deducted automatically before the balance lands in your Stripe account, check Stripe's own pricing for the current rate. ## Card payments A card payment settles more or less immediately. The customer completes checkout, the invoice flips to `Paid` in Trame within moments, and the funds sit in your Stripe balance ready for your next payout. ## Pay by Bank payments Pay by Bank confirms with the customer's own bank, which isn't instant. While it's settling, the customer's invoice page shows: > Payment processing. We've received your payment and are waiting for your bank to confirm. You'll get an email when it's settled (usually within a minute, sometimes up to a few days). Nothing on your side needs chasing, the invoice flips to `Paid` on its own once the bank confirms. ## Your first payout New Stripe accounts hold the first payout for 7 days after your first paid invoice, this is a standard Stripe fraud-prevention measure for new merchants, not a Trame rule. After that first payout, payouts arrive the next business day. ## Checking a payout Payout dates, amounts and history live in Stripe, not in Trame. Select `Open Stripe Dashboard` from **Settings > Payments** to see them, along with any refunds or disputes. ## Bank transfer A traditional bank transfer never touches Stripe. It goes straight into your business bank account on your bank's own timing, and Trame has no visibility into it landing. Mark the invoice as paid yourself once you see it. See [recording a payment you took yourself](https://trame.co.uk/help/payments/recording-a-payment-you-took-yourself). ## Frequently asked ### Does Trame ever hold my money? No. Card and Pay by Bank payments go directly to your own Stripe account. Trame only triggers the charge and reads back the result. ### Why does an invoice still say "Sent" while a Pay by Bank payment is processing? The processing state only shows on the customer's invoice page. Your invoice in Trame stays on its current status until the payment fully clears, then it jumps straight to `Paid`. ### Who do I contact about a delayed payout? Stripe. Payout timing, holds and delays are managed entirely on their side, `Open Stripe Dashboard` is the fastest way in. # Enquiries and quotes Send an enquiry form, build a quote, and get it signed off. ## Articles - [How to send an enquiry form to a customer](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/sending-an-enquiry-form-to-a-customer): Share your enquiry link so a customer can describe the job themselves, and have it land in Trame ready to quote. - [How to build a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/building-a-quote): Add sections and line items to price a job, and see the total update as you go. - [How to set up your price book](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/setting-up-your-price-book): Save the rates you use again and again, so quotes fill themselves in as you type. - [How to add markup and see your margin](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/adding-markup-and-seeing-your-margin): Mark up a line item over cost, and see what the job is worth to you before you send the quote. - [How to take a deposit on a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/taking-a-deposit-on-a-quote): Set a deposit percentage on a quote and Trame issues the deposit invoice automatically the moment it's accepted. - [How to get a quote signed off](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/getting-a-quote-signed-off): Share a quote for the client to accept online with a signature, or mark it accepted yourself if they said yes another way. All help topics: [https://trame.co.uk/help](https://trame.co.uk/help) # How to add markup and see your margin _Mark up a line item over cost, and see what the job is worth to you before you send the quote._ Category: [Enquiries and quotes](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes). Updated 2026-07-29. The rate you enter on a line item is your cost, what the material or your time actually costs you. Markup is the percentage you add on top to arrive at what the customer is charged. ## Add markup to a line 1. Open a line item and select its expand arrow to reveal `Markup %`. 2. Enter a percentage. For example, a line with a **Base rate** of £100 and a **Markup %** of 20 charges £120, before VAT. The line's helper text spells this out as you type: "1 nr at £100.00 plus 20% markup is £120.00, before VAT."  > **Note:** The base rate is always the pre-markup figure. A line item never asks for the > charge directly, you set the cost and the markup, and the charge is derived. ## See your margin Below the line items, a **Margin (internal only)** strip shows: - **Cost**, what the priced lines cost you. - **Revenue**, what those lines charge, before VAT. - **Profit**, revenue minus cost. - **Gross margin**, profit as a percentage of revenue. On mobile and tablet this sits collapsed under the totals, tap it to expand. This is never shown to the customer, it is only visible inside the quote editor.  > **Warning:** A line with no markup and no recorded cost is left out of the margin > calculation entirely, since there's nothing to compare it against. If some > lines are missing, the panel shows a note like "3 of 5 lines have markup" so > you know the figure is partial, not the whole quote. ## Frequently asked ### Why is my margin panel missing? It only appears once at least one line item has either a markup percentage set or a recorded cost. A quote with every line at 0% markup and no cost data has nothing to show. ### Does the customer ever see the cost or margin? No. The customer's copy of the quote only ever shows the charge, cost, markup and margin stay internal. ### Can different lines have different markups? Yes, markup is set per line item, so materials and labour can carry different percentages on the same quote. # How to build a quote _Add sections and line items to price a job, and see the total update as you go._ Category: [Enquiries and quotes](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes). Updated 2026-07-29. A quote is built from sections, each holding one or more line items, priced as you add them. Start it from an existing job, or on its own if there's no job yet. ## Start a quote 1. Go to **Quotes** and select `New quote`. 2. Choose `From a job` to attach it to an existing job, or `Blank quote` to start from a client with no job attached. 3. Search and pick the job or client. 4. Select `Create quote`. ## Add sections and line items Each quote starts with one section and one empty line. For every line item you set: - **Description**, description of work. Start typing to see matching items from your [price book](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/setting-up-your-price-book); selecting one fills in the rest of the row. - **Qty**, the quantity. - **Unit**, `nr`, `m`, `m²`, `m³`, `hr`, `day`, `wk`, `sum`, `item`, `t` or `kg`. - **Base rate £**, the rate before any markup. - **VAT**, `0%`, `5%` or `20%` per line. `Markup %` sits behind the row's expand arrow, alongside the calculated charge and `Remove line`. See [Adding markup and seeing your margin](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/adding-markup-and-seeing-your-margin) for how that number turns into your charge. 1. Select `Add line item` to add another row to a section, or `Add section` to start a new one. 2. Give the section a title if you have more than one, for example `Materials` and `Labour`. 3. Select `Remove line` (inside the expanded row) or the section's trash icon to delete either.  Every change saves as you type, there is no separate save step. ## Set payment terms and notes At the foot of the quote: - **Notes**, for payment terms, scope exclusions or assumptions. - **Deposit**, `None`, `25%`, `50%` or `Custom`, see [Taking a deposit on a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/taking-a-deposit-on-a-quote). - The totals column: **Subtotal ex VAT**, **VAT**, and **Total inc VAT**. ## Issue the quote A draft quote is fully editable. Once you're ready to send it: 1. Select `Issue quote`. 2. Choose a **Payment period**, the number of days the balance is due after the final invoice date. 3. Optionally set an expiry date. 4. Select `Issue and email` to issue and send it straight to the client's email, or `Issue` to just lock it in and share the link yourself later. > **Warning:** Once issued, a quote becomes read-only. Line items, prices and terms are > locked. Use `Revise` to make a new draft version if something needs to change. After issuing, the quote can still be shared by email, `Copy link`, or `Share via WhatsApp` from the `Send` menu. ## Frequently asked ### Can I quote without a job? Yes. Choose `Blank quote` when starting a quote, it attaches to a client with no job. ### What happens if I need to change an issued quote? Select `Revise` from the quote's menu. This creates a new draft version rather than editing the locked one, so the client never sees a document change under them after they've read it. ### Where do I see the quote as the customer will? Select `View` from the quote's menu to open the exact page the client sees. # How to get a quote signed off _Share a quote for the client to accept online with a signature, or mark it accepted yourself if they said yes another way._ Category: [Enquiries and quotes](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes). Updated 2026-07-29. Once a quote is issued, share it with the client so they can accept it online with a name and signature, or record their answer yourself if they told you another way. ## Share the quote From an issued quote, select `Send` to reveal: - `Email` (or `Resend` once already sent), if the client has an email address. - `Copy link`, to send the quote's link yourself. - `Share via WhatsApp`, opens WhatsApp with the link pre-filled. ## What the client sees and does The client opens the quote at its own link, no account needed. They see the full breakdown, line items, subtotal, VAT, total, and payment terms including any deposit. At the bottom: 1. Select `Accept quote`. 2. Enter their full name and draw a signature. 3. Select `Confirm acceptance`. Or, if they're not going ahead, `Decline this quote` opens a dialog with an optional field for a reason, nothing is required to decline. ## After the client responds **Accepted:** the quote locks in as accepted, the linked job (or a new one, for a standalone quote) moves to `Accepted`, and you're notified by SMS and email. If a deposit is set, the deposit invoice is created and emailed automatically, see [Taking a deposit on a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/taking-a-deposit-on-a-quote). A `Create invoice` button then appears on the quote. **Declined:** the quote is marked rejected. Nothing else changes automatically, the job is left for you to decide what happens next. ## Recording acceptance yourself If the client said yes over the phone or in person, you don't need them to use the online flow: 1. Open the quote's `⋮` menu. 2. Select `Mark as accepted`. This runs the same automatic steps as an online acceptance, the job advances and the deposit invoice goes out if one is set. If they said no, select `Mark as rejected` instead. Since you've spoken to the customer directly and know whether the job is recoverable, you're then asked what to do with the job: `Requote it`, `Close the job`, or `Leave it for now`.  ## Frequently asked ### Can I change a quote after it's been accepted or rejected? Not in place. Select `Revise` to create a new draft version, the original stays exactly as the client saw and answered it. ### Does declining online do anything to the job? No, an online decline only marks the quote rejected. The job outcome prompt only appears when you mark it rejected yourself, since only you know at that point whether the job is worth chasing again. ### Where do I see who signed and when? Open the quote's client-facing view (`View` from the `⋮` menu). Once accepted, an "Accepted by" section shows the signature, the signer's name and the date. # How to send an enquiry form to a customer _Share your enquiry link so a customer can describe the job themselves, and have it land in Trame ready to quote._ Category: [Enquiries and quotes](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes). Updated 2026-07-29. Every company on Trame gets one link that opens a short form for a customer to describe their job. Send it instead of asking someone to explain everything over the phone, and it arrives in **Enquiries** ready to review. ## Get your link - On desktop, go to **Enquiries** and select `Copy form link`, top right. - On mobile, open the `+` capture menu from the tab bar and select `Share form link`. The link is `trame.co.uk/your-company/quote`, one link per company, the same one every time. On desktop it copies straight to your clipboard. On a phone with sharing available, it opens your share sheet instead, so you can send it straight into a text or WhatsApp message. ## What the customer sees The customer doesn't need an account. They land on a short form under your company name and logo, and work through it in steps: 1. **What do you need done?** A description, plus optional photos. Trame checks each photo and flags one that doesn't look related to the job. 2. A few follow-up questions, generated from what they wrote, to fill in the detail a quote needs. 3. **How soon does this need to be done?** Emergency, urgent, soon, or no rush. 4. Their name, email, phone (optional) and property postcode. As they answer, a quality pill in the corner reads `Building picture...`, `Good detail`, or `Ready to quote`, so they can see their answers are getting more useful. On submit, they see a thank-you screen and you get the enquiry.  ## Review what comes in Open **Enquiries** to see everything submitted, newest and most urgent first. Select one to open its drawer: the client's contact details, the enquiry summary, every question they answered, and any photos. From here: - `Create job` turns the enquiry into a job and client, ready for you to price. - `Archive` puts it aside without creating anything.  > **Note:** An enquiry is not a quote. It's the description of the job. You still build and > price the quote yourself once it's a job, see [Building a quote](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes/building-a-quote). ## Frequently asked ### Does the customer need to create an account? No. The form is open to anyone with the link, no login. ### Can I put the link anywhere, not just send it directly? Yes, it's a plain URL, so it works in a text message, an email signature, or a website link. ### What if the customer doesn't add photos? Photos are optional. The form still gathers enough detail from the description and follow-up questions to work from. # How to set up your price book _Save the rates you use again and again, so quotes fill themselves in as you type._ Category: [Enquiries and quotes](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes). Updated 2026-07-29. Your price book is the list of rates you use over and over, socket outlets, day rates, standard fittings. Save one once, and it shows up as a suggestion the next time you type a similar description into a quote. ## Three ways to fill it From **Price book**, an empty book offers three starting points: 1. **Import from a past invoice or quote.** Upload a PDF or photo and Trame pulls out the line items. 2. **Start with typical rates for your trade.** If your company trade is set, this button prefills UK mid-range pricing you can adjust to match your own. 3. **Add an item manually.** ## Add an item manually 1. Go to **Price book** and select `Add item`. 2. Set the **Category**, one of the trade categories (Plumbing & Heating, Electrical, Carpentry & Joinery, and so on) or `General & Sundries`. 3. Enter a **Description**, for example `Fit new socket outlet`. 4. Set **Unit** and **Base rate (£)**. 5. Optionally set **Markup %** and **VAT**. 6. Select `Add item`.  ## Import from past documents 1. Select `Import` (or `Import` from the mobile `⋮` menu). 2. Choose `From past invoices or quotes` to upload PDFs or images, or `From your Trame quotes` to pull line items already used in quotes built inside Trame. 3. Review the items found. Similar items are grouped together, pick which wording to keep for each group. 4. Select the items you want, then `Add {n} items`. ## Edit, sort and remove items - Every field in the price book table edits in place. Changes save automatically. - Sort by any column, **Used** (how many times it's been inserted into a quote) is a useful one, it defaults to most-used first. - Filter by category using the sidebar (desktop) or the category dropdown (mobile). - Select one or more rows to `Delete` them in bulk. ## Use it in a quote Once you have items saved, start typing a description in any quote line item. Matching items appear in a dropdown below the field, showing the description, category, unit and rate. Selecting one fills in the unit, rate, markup and VAT for that line and records it as a use, which is what keeps your **Used** sort meaningful over time. ## Frequently asked ### Does importing overwrite my existing items? No. Import only adds the items you select, it never changes or removes anything already in your price book. ### What if my trade isn't listed? Add items manually or import from your own documents. The typical-rates prefill only appears when your company has a trade set. # How to take a deposit on a quote _Set a deposit percentage on a quote and Trame issues the deposit invoice automatically the moment it's accepted._ Category: [Enquiries and quotes](https://trame.co.uk/help/quotes). Updated 2026-07-29. Set a deposit on a quote and Trame issues and emails the deposit invoice the moment the client accepts, no extra step for you. ## Set the deposit percentage 1. Open the quote and find **Deposit** below the line items. 2. Choose `None`, `25%`, `50%`, or select `Custom` to enter any other percentage. The deposit amount updates next to the buttons as you choose, for example `£76.50 on acceptance`.  ## What the customer sees The quote's payment terms section states the deposit plainly: "Deposit of 25% (£76.50) due on acceptance." The sticky accept bar above the `Accept quote` button also reminds them: "On acceptance, we'll send you the deposit invoice and confirm a start date." ## What happens on acceptance When the client accepts the quote, Trame automatically: 1. Creates a deposit invoice for the deposit amount, already marked as sent. 2. Emails it to the client straight away, with the PDF attached if their email is on file. This also happens if you mark the quote accepted yourself from the quote's menu, not only when the client signs it themselves. > **Note:** A quote with a deposit produces two invoices in total. The deposit invoice > first, on acceptance. The final invoice later, once you issue it from the > accepted quote, will show the deposit deducted as "Less deposit paid" and the > balance due, so the two never double-count. ## Frequently asked ### Do I need to create the deposit invoice myself? No. It's created and sent automatically as soon as the quote is accepted, provided a deposit percentage is set and the client has an email address. ### What if the client has no email on file? The deposit invoice is still created, but it can't be emailed automatically. Share it the same way you'd share any invoice, by link or another channel. ### Can I change the deposit after the quote is accepted? No. Once a quote is accepted it's locked. Use `Revise` to create a new draft version if the deposit needs to change. # Trame integrations Trame connects to the software you already run your books in. Turn a connection on once, and the same figures stop getting typed twice. ## Available integrations - **[FreeAgent](https://trame.co.uk/integrations/freeagent)** (live). Issue an invoice in Trame and it lands in FreeAgent complete, with the VAT, the CIS deduction and the reverse charge already right. - **[Xero](https://trame.co.uk/integrations/xero)** (coming soon). Issue an invoice in Trame and it will land in Xero approved. Paid in Xero means paid in Trame, so nothing gets chased twice. Calendar sync is built in: subscribe to your Trame diary from Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook. Online payments are taken through Stripe, into your own Stripe account. More integrations are on the way. If there is one you already use, email hello@trame.co.uk. ## Next - [For accountants](https://trame.co.uk/for-accountants) - [Payments](https://trame.co.uk/payments) # Trame and FreeAgent Issue an invoice in Trame and it lands in FreeAgent complete. The VAT, the deposit, the CIS, already right. Nothing to export, nothing entered twice. ## What crosses over, and when Connect it once in your settings. After that it runs on its own while you are on the tools. - Invoices when you issue them, with the lines and the VAT. - Deposits netted off, so nothing is counted twice. - Expenses and payments as they happen. - CIS withheld against labour, not materials. It runs one way, Trame into FreeAgent. Mileage stays in FreeAgent's own screen. Turn it off whenever you like. ## CIS comes off labour, not materials If you invoice contractors, this is the part that goes wrong. Deduct against the whole invoice and a job with a real materials bill withholds hundreds too much. Mark the section as materials and it drops out of the base, at 20%, 30% or gross. FreeAgent gets the same figure. The reverse charge works the same way. If you work only for householders, neither applies to you. On a £1,500 invoice with £1,000 of labour and £500 of materials, the deduction is against the £1,000 of labour. Deduct against the full £1,500 and it is £300, holding back £100 that was never yours to lose. ## Your accountant keeps working in FreeAgent as normal Nothing changes at their end. They open FreeAgent and it is there, with the VAT, the CIS and the paid invoices already marked off. No quarterly export, no folder of receipts to hand over. ## Next - [Xero integration](https://trame.co.uk/integrations/xero) - [For accountants](https://trame.co.uk/for-accountants) # Trame and Xero Issue an invoice in Trame and it will land in Xero approved. The VAT, the deposit, the CIS, already right. Nothing to export, nothing entered twice. Status: coming soon. ## What will cross over, and when Connect it once in your settings. After that it runs on its own while you are on the tools. - Invoices when you issue them, approved in Xero, not left as drafts. - Deposits netted off, so nothing is counted twice. - Expenses as bills, with the receipt attached. - CIS withheld against labour, not materials. - Paid in Xero, marked paid in Trame, so reminders stop. Invoices and expenses go one way, Trame into Xero. Payments come back, so an invoice settled in Xero stops being chased. Turn it off whenever you like. ## CIS comes off labour, not materials Mark a section as materials and it drops out of the base, at 20%, 30% or gross. Xero works it out its own way, and Trame checks the two figures agree to the penny. Reverse charge VAT works too, using the rates in your own Xero. ## Your accountant keeps working in Xero as normal Nothing changes at their end. They open Xero and it is there, approved and on the VAT return, with the CIS worked out. ## Next - [FreeAgent integration](https://trame.co.uk/integrations/freeagent) - [For accountants](https://trame.co.uk/for-accountants) # Invoicing that does the thinking Trame knows the client, the quote and the amounts. The invoice is already done by the time you need to send it. ## Every invoice, already filled in Because your invoice comes from your quote, you never start from a blank page. Client details, line items, VAT and your bank details are all there. - Final invoice built from your quote in one click. - Client details, line items and VAT carried across. - Domestic reverse charge for CIS work, with the wording HMRC requires. - Your bank details on every invoice, every time. - Overdue reminders sent automatically, or with one click. Making Tax Digital (MTD) is coming soon. ## A document that looks like a real business When you send an invoice, your customer gets a properly designed document. Send it by email, WhatsApp, or a link they open on their phone. Bank details ready to copy, status visible, payment instructions clear. ## Customers pay in one tap Every invoice you send shows a Pay button alongside your bank details. - Card and Pay by Bank on every invoice. - One-tap payment from the invoice itself. - Money lands directly in your own Stripe account. - Secure payments via Stripe. ## Trame knows what to invoice - **No re-entering, no starting from scratch.** The deposit invoice goes out automatically when a client accepts your quote, and the final invoice is built from the same quote when the job is done. - **Overdue invoices chased for you.** Trame sends a payment reminder automatically when an invoice goes overdue, and you can send one manually at any point. ## Next - [Payments](https://trame.co.uk/payments) - [Quoting](https://trame.co.uk/quoting) - [Pricing](https://trame.co.uk/pricing) # Job management: every job, every stage, one screen Enquiry in. Quote sent. Job accepted. Invoice paid. Every stage tracked, nothing in a notebook. See your whole business at a glance, with what needs your attention surfaced first. ## See everything at once Every job as a card, every stage as a column. New enquiries on the left, paid jobs on the right. - See what needs quoting, what is awaiting sign-off, what is overdue. - Every job visible on one screen, no digging through emails. - Move jobs between stages as work progresses. - Client name, job type and key dates on every card. ## From first enquiry to getting paid Every job follows the same path, and Trame moves it forward where it can. An accepted quote creates a deposit invoice. An accepted enquiry creates the job. ## Your week at a glance Drag jobs to reschedule, and never lose track of what is happening when. Sync to iPhone, Google Calendar or Outlook. Set it up once, and every job and every reschedule shows up next to your personal events. ## Every detail, one place Open any job and see the full picture: the original enquiry, the quote sent, the invoice issued, and every date along the way. - Enquiry, quote, invoice and timeline all on one page. - Link receipts and material costs directly to the job. - See what each job made, not just at year end. - Revenue, expenses and margin in one glance. ## Next - [Reporting](https://trame.co.uk/reporting) - [Recurring work](https://trame.co.uk/recurring) - [Pricing](https://trame.co.uk/pricing) # Payments: get paid, keep all of it Every invoice you send carries a Pay button. Your customer pays by card or bank in a tap, the money lands in your own account, and Trame never takes a slice. ## One tap, straight from the invoice Connect Stripe once. After that, every invoice you send shows a Pay button next to your bank details. - A Pay button on every invoice you send. - Send the pay link by email, WhatsApp or text. - Card or Pay by Bank, the customer's choice. - Nothing for your customer to install or sign up for. - Set it up once, it is on every invoice after. ## Trame never takes a slice - Trame takes 0% commission, ever. - Money lands in your own Stripe account, in your name. - The amount you invoiced is the amount you are owed. - No per-transaction fee from Trame, no monthly cap. Standard Stripe processing fees still apply to card and Pay by Bank payments. Bank transfer has no such fee. ## Big jobs in stages. Late ones chased On a larger job you can take a deposit up front, bill a stage partway through, and send the final invoice at the end. - Deposit, stage and final invoices on one job. - The deposit is netted off the final, never counted twice. - Overdue invoices reminded automatically, up to three times. - Or send a reminder yourself with one tap. ## Set it up once. Get paid for good - **Connect Stripe once.** A few minutes in settings, one time. The account is yours, in your name, so the money is always yours. - **Get paid, keep the lot.** Your customer taps Pay and chooses card or bank. The money goes straight to your Stripe account. ## Next - [Invoicing](https://trame.co.uk/invoicing) - [Reporting](https://trame.co.uk/reporting) - [Pricing](https://trame.co.uk/pricing) # Trame pricing: £29 a month, everything included One plan, no tiers, no commission, no per-user fees. 30 days free, no card needed to start. Cancel any time. - **Price:** £29 a month. - **Free trial:** 30 days, no card required. - **Commission:** none. Trame takes 0% of what your customers pay you. - **Users:** unlimited. £29 covers your whole business. - **VAT:** £29 is the total. No VAT added on top. ## Everything included - Client enquiry forms with a shareable link. - Quote builder with your saved price book. - Digital sign-off with a drawn signature. - Deposit requests on quotes. - Job scheduling with calendar sync. - VAT invoicing, created automatically on acceptance. - Online payments via Stripe (card or Pay by Bank). - Shared access for your team. - Automated payment reminders. - Expense tracking with receipt upload. - Smart receipt parsing: amount, category, VAT. - CSV import for clients and your price book. - Invoice and expense export to CSV. - Expense export to Xero, QuickBooks or FreeAgent. - Making Tax Digital (MTD), coming soon. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I cancel any time? Yes, from your account settings. No notice period, no cancellation fees. You keep access until the end of the billing period. ### Do you charge per user? No. £29 a month covers your whole business, no matter how many people you add. ### Do you take a commission on my invoices? Never. When customers pay online via Stripe, the money lands in your account, not ours. You pay £29 a month, full stop. ### Is VAT added on top? No. £29 is the total you pay. ### How do I get support? Email hello@trame.co.uk. There is no support ticket queue, and you hear back from a person. ### Can my customers pay online? Yes, optionally. Connect a Stripe account from settings, which takes around 10 minutes, and your invoices show card and Pay by Bank options alongside your bank transfer details. Funds go directly to your bank. Trame never holds your money. ### When do payouts arrive? Your first payout arrives 7 days after your first paid invoice. After that, payouts arrive the next business day. Stripe sets this delay for new accounts as a fraud-prevention measure. ### Is my data safe? Your data is stored on UK servers in London, and only you can see it. Card details never touch Trame's systems. Both your subscription and your customers' payments to you are handled by Stripe. ## Next - [Sign up](https://trame.co.uk/signup) - [Everything Trame does](https://trame.co.uk/) # Trame privacy policy This is a plain-markdown index of Trame's privacy policy. The authoritative, complete text is at [trame.co.uk/privacy](https://trame.co.uk/privacy). Where this page and that one differ, the page at trame.co.uk/privacy governs. The policy covers: - **Who we are.** Trame Software Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 17181192, registered with the ICO. - **What data we collect.** Account details, the business records you enter, and usage data. - **Why we collect it.** To run the service you signed up for. - **How long we keep it.** - **Who we share it with.** Processors such as Stripe for payments and Supabase for hosting. - **Your rights** under UK GDPR, including access, correction and deletion. - **Reporting a security issue.** See [security.txt](https://trame.co.uk/.well-known/security.txt). - **Cookies.** - **Changes to this policy.** Data is stored on UK servers in London. Card details never touch Trame's systems. Questions: hello@trame.co.uk. ## Next - [Terms of service](https://trame.co.uk/terms) - [Contact](https://trame.co.uk/contact) # Quoting: your rates, out the door fast No more building quotes from a blank page. The enquiry is linked to the job. Your saved rates load automatically. Adjust, set payment terms, send. Your client gets a proper branded document they can accept with one tap. ## Enquiry attached. Price book ready The job enquiry is attached, with all the detail your client gave you. Your saved rates load automatically. - Enquiry linked to every quote, all the job detail in one place. - Pull saved line items from your price book in one click. - VAT calculated automatically: 0%, 5% or 20%. - Markup percentage applied across all lines at once. - Payment terms, valid-until date, and your notes. - Send by email or share a direct link. ## Saved once. Every quote after Your rates and your line items, saved once. Every quote after that: pull from the book, adjust quantities, send. No typing the same thing from scratch each time. ## A quote they will trust Your company name, logo and details. A clean line-by-line breakdown. Send it however the customer prefers: email, WhatsApp, or a link they open in the browser. A PDF is available if they want one. No "Sent from Trame" watermark. ## Accepted online. Job confirmed No printing, no scanning, no chasing. - **Name, signature, timestamped.** Your client types their name and draws their signature on the quote page. Both are stored. The quote moves to Accepted in your pipeline and the invoice is created automatically. - **Request a deposit at sign-off.** Optionally set a deposit on the quote. The client sees the amount before they accept, and your bank details go out with the acceptance email. ## Next - [Invoicing](https://trame.co.uk/invoicing) - [Enquiries](https://trame.co.uk/enquiries) - [Pricing](https://trame.co.uk/pricing) # Recurring work, on autopilot Set up a recurring job once and Trame issues the invoice on your schedule. For servicing, cleans, maintenance plans and retainers. ## Recurring jobs that invoice themselves - Weekly, monthly, quarterly, or your own interval. - Each invoice issued and sent on the due date. - Set an end date, or let it run. - Never billed twice, even overnight. ## Repeat work and one-off jobs, in one place - Every recurring plan with its next invoice date. - One-off jobs live in the same list. - Change the amount or the schedule at any time. - Pause or stop a plan when a customer moves on. ## Regular costs, logged without you Insurance, software, van finance. The bills that land every month or every year. Log one as recurring and Trame records it on schedule, so it is in your expenses and ready for tax time. - Monthly or yearly recurring costs. - Logged automatically on the due date. - Sorted into the right expense category. - Ready for your tax records and your accountant. ## Set it once. It runs itself - **Set the job and the schedule.** Create the job, pick how often it repeats, and choose when the first invoice is due. - **Trame issues each invoice on time.** When an invoice is due, Trame builds it from the job and sends it, on schedule, every time. ## Next - [Invoicing](https://trame.co.uk/invoicing) - [Job management](https://trame.co.uk/job-management) - [Pricing](https://trame.co.uk/pricing) # Reporting: know what you actually made Profit on every job, revenue in and expenses out, and reports that fill themselves in as you work. ## Did you make money on that job? Trame takes what the job brought in, subtracts what you spent on it, and shows your profit and your margin. - Revenue in, expenses out, profit and margin per job. - Deposits and stage payments counted correctly, never double. - A projected figure from an accepted quote, before you invoice. - The jobs that lost you money are as clear as the ones that made it. ## Your whole business, at a glance - Invoiced, collected and outstanding across the top. - Expenses broken down by category, so you see where it goes. - Cash flow and pipeline for the quarter. - Pick a period and the whole dashboard follows. ## Log it once. It shows up everywhere Snap a receipt against a job and you are done. That cost comes off the job's profit and lands in your reports and your tax records at the same time. - One receipt updates the job, your reports and your tax records. - Filed under the right HMRC category as it lands. - Your margin moves the moment a cost goes in. ## Numbers that keep themselves current - **Every job adds itself up.** As invoices go out and expenses come in, each job keeps its own running total. - **Reports that are already written.** The same figures roll up into your dashboard. ## Next - [For accountants](https://trame.co.uk/for-accountants) - [Job management](https://trame.co.uk/job-management) - [Pricing](https://trame.co.uk/pricing) # Start a free Trame trial 30 days free. No card, no commitment. £29 a month after, with everything included. Sign up at [trame.co.uk/signup](https://trame.co.uk/signup), with an email address or a Google account. Setting up takes a few minutes: you can upload an invoice you have already sent and Trame reads your company details, VAT number and bank details off it, or fill them in by hand. Bringing an existing business across? Import your customers from a CSV, upload past quotes and invoices, and Trame builds your price book. Or start fresh, with common items prefilled for your trade. ## Next - [Pricing](https://trame.co.uk/pricing) - [Help centre: getting started](https://trame.co.uk/help/getting-started) # Trame terms of service This is a plain-markdown index of Trame's terms of service. The authoritative, complete text is at [trame.co.uk/terms](https://trame.co.uk/terms). Where this page and that one differ, the page at trame.co.uk/terms governs. The terms cover: - **The service.** What Trame provides. - **Who can use Trame.** - **Your account.** Your responsibilities for it. - **Your data.** It stays yours, and you can export it. - **Acceptable use.** - **Quotes and sign-offs.** How digital acceptance works. - **Availability and changes.** - **Limitation of liability.** - **Governing law.** England and Wales. - **Contact.** hello@trame.co.uk. ## Next - [Privacy policy](https://trame.co.uk/privacy) - [Contact](https://trame.co.uk/contact) # Free tools for UK trades Practical tools for running your business. Simple answers to everyday self-employment questions, explained in plain English. No sign-up, and nothing you type is sent to us. - **[Reverse charge VAT checker](https://trame.co.uk/tools/reverse-charge-vat).** Whether the domestic reverse charge applies to a construction job, with the invoice wording you need. - **[CIS tax refund calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/cis-tax-refund-calculator).** What a subcontractor is owed back after CIS deductions, from three figures. - **[Self-employed tax calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/self-employed-tax-calculator).** Income Tax, National Insurance and take-home on sole trader profit. - **[Day rate calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator).** Typical UK day rates by trade, region and experience, and what is left after tax. - **[Expense checker](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses).** What a UK sole trader tradesperson can claim, expense by expense. - **[Mileage allowance calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/mileage).** Your HMRC mileage claim from your business miles and vehicle type. - **[Letter before action generator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/letter-before-action).** A formal letter chasing an unpaid invoice, ready to send. Tax figures follow HMRC rules for the current UK tax year, and each page states the date it was last checked. This is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. ## Next - [Guides for UK tradespeople](https://trame.co.uk/guides) # CIS tax refund calculator Contractors take CIS off your pay as an advance on your tax. Most subcontractors have too much taken and are owed money back, a CIS tax refund, or rebate as it is often called. Put in three figures to estimate yours. Free, no sign-up. Everything you enter stays in your browser. Nothing is sent to Trame or saved on our servers. ## What it asks 1. Your total income for the tax year. 2. The CIS deducted by contractors. 3. Your allowable business expenses. ## What you get Your estimated refund with a full breakdown: Personal Allowance, Income Tax due, Class 4 National Insurance, CIS already deducted, and the balance owed back to you. An estimate for a sole trader, using the HMRC Personal Allowance, Income Tax bands for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Class 4 National Insurance rates for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 tax years, which are frozen at the same figures. ## Next - [Guide: how to claim a CIS tax refund](https://trame.co.uk/guides/cis/how-to-claim-a-cis-tax-refund) - [All free tools](https://trame.co.uk/tools) # Day rate calculator for UK trades Pick your trade for a realistic day rate range by region and experience, the sources behind it, and what it leaves you after tax and costs. Free, no sign-up. ## Trades covered - [Electrician day rates](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator/electrician) - [Plumber day rates](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator/plumber) - [Gas engineer day rates](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator/gas-engineer) - [Carpenter day rates](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator/carpenter) More trades are coming. These are the ones we can back with solid data today. Related guide: [How to set your day rate](https://trame.co.uk/guides/pricing/how-to-set-your-day-rate). # Carpenter day rates in the UK Pick where you work and how experienced you are for a realistic carpenter day rate, the sources behind it, and what it leaves you after tax and costs. ## Typical day rates Labour charged to the customer, per day, before tax and costs. | Region | Newly qualified | Experienced | Specialist | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | London | £260 to £350 | £305 to £410 | £355 to £475 | | South East | £225 to £300 | £265 to £350 | £305 to £410 | | Most of the UK | £205 to £270 | £240 to £320 | £280 to £370 | | North East, Wales & NI | £180 to £240 | £210 to £280 | £245 to £325 | Confidence in these figures: high. ## Sources - **Cost-guide consensus** (Marketplace · 2026): Checkatrade & others - **ONS earnings (ASHE)** (Official · 2025): median £17/hr (employee) - **CIJC agreed grade** (Union · 2026): Craft rate £16.40/hr - **National Careers Service** (Gov · 2026): £24k–40k/yr These are ranges, not a quote. What you can charge depends on the work, the customer and the competition where you are. All trades: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator) # Electrician day rates in the UK Pick where you work and how experienced you are for a realistic electrician day rate, the sources behind it, and what it leaves you after tax and costs. ## Typical day rates Labour charged to the customer, per day, before tax and costs. | Region | Newly qualified | Experienced | Specialist | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | London | £305 to £380 | £370 to £460 | £455 to £560 | | South East | £260 to £325 | £320 to £395 | £390 to £485 | | Most of the UK | £240 to £295 | £290 to £360 | £355 to £440 | | North East, Wales & NI | £210 to £260 | £255 to £315 | £310 to £385 | Confidence in these figures: high. ## Sources - **Checkatrade marketplace** (Self-employed · 2026): £300–500/day, avg £312 - **ONS earnings (ASHE)** (Official · 2025): median £19/hr (employee) - **JIB agreed grade** (Union · Jan 2026): Approved £20.08/hr - **National Careers Service** (Gov · 2026): £26k–45k/yr These are ranges, not a quote. What you can charge depends on the work, the customer and the competition where you are. All trades: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator) # Gas engineer day rates in the UK Pick where you work and how experienced you are for a realistic gas engineer day rate, the sources behind it, and what it leaves you after tax and costs. ## Typical day rates Labour charged to the customer, per day, before tax and costs. | Region | Newly qualified | Experienced | Specialist | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | London | £320 to £405 | £385 to £485 | £460 to £585 | | South East | £275 to £345 | £330 to £420 | £395 to £500 | | Most of the UK | £250 to £315 | £300 to £380 | £360 to £455 | | North East, Wales & NI | £220 to £280 | £265 to £335 | £315 to £400 | Confidence in these figures: medium. Gas work has no separate official earnings code, so this leans more on marketplace and job-posting figures than the other trades. ## Sources - **Contract job postings** (Market · 2026): up to £400/day - **ONS earnings (ASHE)** (Official · 2025): plumbing & heating, as proxy - **National Careers Service** (Gov · 2026): £25k–45k/yr These are ranges, not a quote. What you can charge depends on the work, the customer and the competition where you are. All trades: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator) # Plumber day rates in the UK Pick where you work and how experienced you are for a realistic plumber day rate, the sources behind it, and what it leaves you after tax and costs. ## Typical day rates Labour charged to the customer, per day, before tax and costs. | Region | Newly qualified | Experienced | Specialist | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | London | £295 to £370 | £360 to £450 | £430 to £540 | | South East | £255 to £320 | £310 to £385 | £370 to £460 | | Most of the UK | £230 to £290 | £280 to £350 | £335 to £420 | | North East, Wales & NI | £205 to £255 | £245 to £310 | £295 to £370 | Confidence in these figures: high. ## Sources - **Checkatrade marketplace** (Self-employed · 2026): £320–480/day - **ONS earnings (ASHE)** (Official · 2025): median £18/hr (employee) - **JIB-PMES agreed grade** (Union · 2025): Advanced £18.82/hr - **National Careers Service** (Gov · 2026): £24k–46k/yr These are ranges, not a quote. What you can charge depends on the work, the customer and the competition where you are. All trades: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator](https://trame.co.uk/tools/day-rate-calculator) # Expense checker for UK trades Find out what you can claim as a business expense in plain English, based on HMRC rules. Free, no sign-up. ## Every expense, A to Z - [Van insurance](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/van-insurance): Claimable in full - [Fuel costs](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/fuel-costs): Claimable in full - [Van purchase](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/van-purchase): Partly claimable - [Vehicle repairs and servicing](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/vehicle-repairs): Claimable in full - [Tools and equipment](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/tools-and-equipment): Claimable in full - [Tool and equipment hire](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/tool-hire): Claimable in full - [Protective clothing and workwear](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/protective-clothing): Partly claimable - [Home office costs](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/home-office-costs): Partly claimable - [Phone and internet costs](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/phone-and-internet): Partly claimable - [Accountancy and bookkeeping fees](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/accountancy-fees): Claimable in full - [Public liability insurance](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/public-liability-insurance): Claimable in full - [Professional indemnity insurance](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/professional-indemnity-insurance): Claimable in full - [Training and courses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/training-courses): Partly claimable - [Materials and supplies](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/materials-and-supplies): Claimable in full - [Subcontractor costs](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/subcontractor-costs): Claimable in full - [Bank charges and fees](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/bank-charges): Claimable in full - [Advertising and marketing](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/advertising-and-marketing): Claimable in full - [Meals and subsistence](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/subsistence-meals): Depends on the circumstances - [Parking and tolls](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/parking-and-tolls): Claimable in full - [Accommodation costs](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/accommodation): Claimable in full - [Stationery and office supplies](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/stationery-and-office-supplies): Claimable in full - [Trade and professional memberships](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/trade-memberships): Claimable in full - [Pension contributions](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/pension-contributions): Not claimable - [Vehicle leasing costs](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/vehicle-leasing): Depends on the circumstances - [Mobile phone costs](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/mobile-phone): Partly claimable - [Software subscriptions](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses/software-subscriptions): Claimable in full This guidance is for general information only. Tax rules change. Verify with HMRC or a qualified accountant before filing. # Accommodation costs: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated The cost of accommodation when you must stay away from home for work is fully deductible. This covers hotels, B&Bs, and other lodging. The accommodation must be necessary for the business trip. You cannot claim for somewhere you could reasonably commute from home. ## Examples - **I'm working on a project 200 miles away and need to stay overnight. Can I claim the hotel?** Yes. Accommodation necessary for a work trip is a fully deductible business expense. ## Edge cases - If you extend a work trip for personal reasons, only the business portion of accommodation is deductible. - Accommodation must be reasonable in cost. A luxury hotel when a budget option was available may be challenged. Also known as: hotel, overnight stay, B&B, Airbnb for work, away from home. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/travel Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Accountancy and bookkeeping fees: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Fees paid to an accountant or bookkeeper for preparing your business accounts or tax return are fully deductible. The cost of accounting software subscriptions (Xero, QuickBooks, Trame, etc.) is also deductible as a business expense. ## Examples - **Can I claim my accountant's fee for doing my Self Assessment?** Yes. Accountancy fees incurred wholly for the purpose of your business are deductible. This includes your annual tax return preparation. - **Can I claim the cost of job management or accounting software?** Yes. Software subscriptions used for your business (invoicing, quoting, job management, accounting) are fully deductible. ## Edge cases - If your accountant also handles personal tax matters (e.g. investment income), only the business-related proportion of the fee is deductible. Also known as: accountant, bookkeeper, tax return, self assessment help, accounting software. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Advertising and marketing: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Advertising and marketing costs are fully deductible as business expenses. This covers Google Ads, Facebook Ads, leaflet printing, flyer distribution, business cards, website hosting and design, van sign-writing, and any other cost of promoting your business. ## Examples - **Can I claim Google Ads spend?** Yes. Online advertising spend is a direct business expense. - **Can I claim the cost of sign-writing on my van?** Yes. Van sign-writing is an advertising expense, fully deductible in the year you pay for it. - **Can I claim my business website costs?** Yes. Website hosting, domain registration, and ongoing design or maintenance costs are deductible as running expenses. If in doubt about a large one-off build cost, take advice on whether it should be treated as capital expenditure. ## Edge cases - Entertaining clients (meals, events) is specifically not deductible even if intended to win business. This is client entertainment, not advertising. Also known as: Google Ads, Facebook Ads, leaflets, website costs, business cards, van sign-writing. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Bank charges and fees: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Bank charges on a business account (monthly fees, transaction charges, overdraft interest) are deductible as business expenses. Personal bank charges are not deductible even if you sometimes use the account for business. ## Examples - **Can I claim the monthly fee on my business bank account?** Yes. Business account fees are a deductible business expense. - **I use my personal account for business. Can I claim bank charges?** No. Charges on a personal account are a personal expense, even if business transactions go through it. You can deduct the business transactions themselves but not the account charges. ## Edge cases - Interest on a business overdraft or business loan is deductible as a finance charge. - Card payment processing fees (e.g. Stripe, SumUp) are deductible. Also known as: business bank account, bank fees, transaction fees, overdraft interest, card fees. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Fuel costs: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Fuel used for business journeys is deductible. You can either claim actual fuel costs (keeping all receipts and a mileage log) or use HMRC's flat mileage allowance (Approved Mileage Allowance Payments, or AMAP): 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles in the tax year, 25p per mile after that. The mileage allowance covers cars and vans. Most sole traders use it as it's simpler and covers all vehicle running costs in one rate. ## Thresholds 55p/mile for first 10,000 business miles in the tax year (cars and vans), 25p/mile after. Motor cycles: 24p/mile flat. Bicycles: 20p/mile flat. ## Examples - **Should I use the flat mileage rate or claim actual fuel costs?** For most trades, the flat mileage rate is simpler and often gives a higher deduction. Actual costs require detailed receipts for every fill-up and a mileage log to work out the business share of use. Pick one method and stick with it for the year. You cannot switch mid-year. - **Can I claim fuel for driving to and from my home to a regular job site?** No. HMRC is clear: you cannot claim for travel between home and work. But travel to different client sites, or from one site to another during the day, is deductible. ## Edge cases - If you use the flat mileage rate (AMAP), you cannot also separately claim fuel, insurance, repairs, or other running costs for the same vehicle. The rate covers everything. - Passenger payments: you can claim an additional 5p per mile per passenger (fellow employees on the same business journey) on top of the mileage allowance. Also known as: petrol, diesel, fuel, mileage, fuel receipts. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/travel - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-and-allowances-travel-mileage-and-fuel-allowances/travel-mileage-and-fuel-rates-and-allowances - https://www.gov.uk/simpler-income-tax-simplified-expenses/vehicles Last checked 2026-07-23. > The mileage allowance rate (AMAP) is set by HMRC and reviewed periodically. Check the current rate before filing. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Home office costs: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Partly claimable.** ## How it is treated If you do some of your business admin from home (invoicing, quotes, emails), you can claim a proportion of household costs. The simplest method is HMRC's flat rate, but you must work at least 25 hours per month from home to use it: £10/month (25-50 hours), £18/month (51-100 hours), or £26/month (101+ hours). Alternatively, calculate actual costs based on the proportion of rooms and time used for business. The flat rate does not include telephone or internet. Claim those separately on actual business use. ## Thresholds Flat rate (minimum 25 hrs/month): £10/month (25-50 hrs), £18/month (51-100 hrs), £26/month (101+ hrs). Actual method: proportionate share of mortgage interest/rent, utilities, council tax. ## Examples - **I do my quoting and invoicing from home. Can I claim anything?** Yes. Even occasional admin use qualifies. Use the flat rate (minimum £10/month) for simplicity, or calculate your actual costs. - **I have a dedicated room I use only for my business. Can I claim more?** Yes. Actual costs based on that room's proportion of the total house are deductible. But be careful: exclusive business use of a room can trigger Capital Gains Tax on that proportion of the property when you sell. ## Edge cases - Exclusive business use of a room can affect Capital Gains Tax relief when you sell your home. Mixed-use rooms avoid this. - If you rent, check your tenancy agreement. Some prohibit business use. Also known as: working from home, home office, use of home, home as office, home expenses business use. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed - https://www.gov.uk/simpler-income-tax-simplified-expenses/working-from-home Last checked 2026-07-23. > Exclusive business use of a room may affect Capital Gains Tax. Take advice before claiming on this basis. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Materials and supplies: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Materials bought specifically for jobs are fully deductible as a business expense in the tax year you incur them. This covers anything you purchase to do the work: pipe, cable, fittings, timber, fixings, grout, paint, etc. ## Examples - **Can I claim materials I buy for jobs?** Yes. Materials purchased for specific jobs are a direct business expense. Keep supplier invoices and receipts. - **I bought stock in advance and haven't used it yet. Can I claim it now?** Technically, materials you have not used yet at year-end should be listed as unused stock (shown as closing stock in your accounts) and not deducted until used. For small amounts with fast turnover, HMRC usually accepts claiming them in the year you bought them. ## Edge cases - Charging a client for materials at a mark-up: the cost is still deductible, and the mark-up forms part of your taxable income. Also known as: building materials, plumbing materials, electrical materials, stock, supplies, consumables. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/reselling-goods Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Mobile phone costs: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Partly claimable.** ## How it is treated You can claim the work portion of your phone bill. If you use the same phone for work and personal stuff, work out roughly what percentage is for the business and claim that. HMRC's own example: if your bill is £200 and £70 of that is for work, you claim £70. You do not need a separate business phone. Splitting a personal contract is fine. For the handset, if you bought it outright and use traditional accounting, it counts as a capital purchase. Claim it via the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA). On cash basis, just deduct it as a normal expense in the year you paid. Either way, only claim the work-use proportion if you also use it personally. ## Thresholds No fixed threshold. HMRC's own example (gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed): annual bill £200, business use £70, claimable amount £70. For the handset on traditional accounting: AIA limit of £1 million per year applies. ## Accounting basis Your monthly contract or PAYG costs are a day-to-day expense on both methods, deducted in the period you paid. The handset is different: on traditional accounting, use capital allowances (AIA); on cash basis, it is a normal expense in the year you bought it. ## Examples - **I use my personal mobile for work and personal calls, about 60% for the business. Can I claim something?** Yes. Work out your business percentage and claim that share. If your monthly contract is £40 and 60% is for work, claim £24 a month, £288 a year. Keep a simple note of how you worked it out. - **I bought a new smartphone for £800 purely for work. Can I claim the full cost?** On traditional accounting, the handset is a capital purchase. Claim the full £800 via AIA in the year you bought it. On cash basis, just deduct it as a normal expense in the year you paid. If you also use it personally, reduce the claim by that percentage. - **I want to get a second SIM on PAYG just for business. Does that make the tax simpler?** Yes. A dedicated business SIM means 100% of that line is for work. No percentage to calculate. Claim the full top-up or contract cost and keep the receipts. ## Edge cases - HMRC states you cannot claim any non-business use of a phone. There is no rule letting you claim 100% of a phone that is also used personally. A high proportion (e.g. 90%) is fine if you have records to back it up, but 100% on a mixed-use phone is not supported by HMRC guidance. - If your phone contract bundles the handset cost into the monthly payment, the tax treatment is less clear. HMRC has not published specific guidance on this. If the amounts are significant, check with an accountant. - If you claim home-office costs using the rooms method, that covers your broadband and landline. It does not cover your mobile. Always split your mobile bill separately, based on call and data usage. ## Common mistakes - Claiming 100% of a personal mobile bill. HMRC is clear you cannot claim non-business use. Work out your business percentage and keep a note of your method. - Missing that a handset bought outright may be a capital item on traditional accounting. A phone costing a few hundred pounds should go through capital allowances, not as a day-to-day expense. Also known as: mobile phone bill, business phone, work phone, smartphone expenses, phone contract, PAYG phone, mobile phone tax, cell phone. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/office-property Last checked 2026-07-23. > HMRC does not publish a specific mobile-phone expenses guide. The rules derive from the general allowable expenses guidance for self-employed people. If you are claiming a large amount, keep a contemporaneous record of your apportionment method. > This is general guidance only and does not constitute tax advice. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Parking and tolls: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Parking fees, toll charges, congestion charges, and ULEZ charges incurred on business journeys are deductible as business expenses. Keep receipts or screenshots of charges paid. ## Examples - **Can I claim parking charges when I visit a client site?** Yes. Parking on a business journey is deductible. Keep the parking receipt. - **Can I claim the London Congestion Charge or ULEZ?** Yes, if the journey was for business purposes. Keep records of when and why you entered the zone. ## Edge cases - Parking fines (PCNs) are not deductible. Penalties are never a business expense. - Congestion charges on personal journeys are not deductible even if incidentally related to work. Also known as: parking fees, congestion charge, toll road, ULEZ, car park. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/travel Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Pension contributions: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Not claimable.** ## How it is treated Pension contributions are not a business expense. You cannot deduct them from your self-employment profits on your tax return. However, you do get tax relief on personal pension contributions. Basic rate relief (20%) is usually added automatically by your pension provider. If you pay higher rate tax, you can claim the extra relief through Self Assessment. The annual allowance for pension contributions is £60,000 (or 100% of your earnings, whichever is lower). ## Thresholds Annual allowance: £60,000 (or 100% of annual earnings if lower). Basic rate tax relief (20%) added automatically by provider. Higher rate relief (additional 20-25%) claimed via Self Assessment. ## Examples - **Can I put my pension contributions through my business accounts?** No. As a sole trader you cannot pay into a pension as a business expense. Contributions come from your personal income after tax. The tax relief comes back through your pension provider and Self Assessment, not through reduced business profits. - **Do I get any tax relief on pension contributions as a sole trader?** Yes, but not as a business expense. Your pension provider claims basic rate (20%) relief from HMRC and adds it to your pot. If you pay 40% tax, you claim the additional 20% relief on your Self Assessment return. - **How much can I contribute to my pension each year?** Up to £60,000 per tax year, or 100% of your earnings, whichever is lower. This includes the tax relief amount, not just what you personally pay in. ## Edge cases - The annual allowance can be lower if you have flexibly accessed your pension or have a high income (the allowance tapers down for very high earners). - Unused annual allowance from the previous three tax years can be carried forward. - If you also have employment income, all pension contributions across all schemes count towards the one annual allowance. Also known as: pension, SIPP, personal pension, retirement savings, pension pot, pension payment. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-your-private-pension/pension-tax-relief - https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-your-private-pension/annual-allowance Last checked 2026-07-23. > Pension rules are complex. The annual allowance and taper rules can create unexpected tax charges. Take advice if contributing large amounts. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Phone and internet costs: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Partly claimable.** ## How it is treated If you have a dedicated business phone or SIM, the full cost is deductible. If you use a personal phone for both work and personal calls, only the business-use proportion is claimable. Estimate the percentage from your call logs or usage. Broadband used partly for work can be claimed on the same proportionate basis. ## Examples - **I use my personal mobile for business calls. Can I claim the bill?** Only the business-use proportion. Estimate what percentage of your calls are work-related and claim that fraction of the monthly bill. - **I have a separate SIM just for work. Can I claim it?** Yes, in full. A dedicated business line is 100% deductible. ## Edge cases - Keep a sample of call logs to justify any estimated business-use percentage if HMRC asks. Also known as: mobile phone, broadband, phone bill, internet bill, data plan, work phone. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Professional indemnity insurance: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Professional indemnity insurance is fully deductible as a business expense. Like public liability, it is a wholly business cost with no personal benefit element. ## Examples - **Can I claim professional indemnity insurance?** Yes, in full. It is a business expense with no private use element. Also known as: PI insurance, indemnity insurance, errors and omissions insurance. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Protective clothing and workwear: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Partly claimable.** ## How it is treated Protective clothing and workwear required for your trade are deductible: PPE, hi-vis vests, hard hats, safety boots, overalls. Ordinary clothing you could wear outside work (even if you only wear it for work) is not deductible. The test is whether it's protective or a recognisable uniform, not whether you choose to wear it only at work. ## Examples - **Can I claim the cost of steel-toe-cap boots?** Yes. Safety boots required for your trade are protective equipment and are fully deductible. - **I buy plain black trousers that I only wear on site. Can I claim them?** No. Plain clothing that could be worn everyday, even if you personally only wear it for work, does not qualify. HMRC's test is whether it is protective or a recognisable work uniform, not your personal usage. - **Can I claim high-visibility vests?** Yes. Hi-vis vests are protective workwear specific to the trade and are deductible. ## Edge cases - Branded workwear (e.g. a fleece with your company logo) may qualify as a uniform if it is not suitable for everyday wear. - Laundry costs for qualifying workwear can also be claimed, but you claim the actual cost you incur and keep records. The HMRC flat-rate laundry allowances you may have seen are for employees only, not the self-employed. Also known as: PPE, hi-vis, work boots, hard hat, safety gear, uniform, overalls, work clothes. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Public liability insurance: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Public liability insurance premiums are fully deductible as a business expense for sole traders. This is one of the clearest costs you can claim in the trades. HMRC has no ambiguity here. ## Examples - **Can I claim public liability insurance as a plumber/electrician/builder?** Yes, in full. Trade insurance is a wholly business expense. ## Edge cases - Combined policies that include personal cover (e.g. personal accident) should have only the business portion claimed if a split is identifiable. Also known as: PLI, liability insurance, trade insurance, contractor insurance. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Software subscriptions: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Software you pay for monthly or yearly (accounting tools, job management apps, design software) is a normal business expense. Claim it in the year you paid. This works the same on traditional accounting and cash basis. HMRC specifically says software where you make regular payments to renew the licence counts as an allowable expense, even if you end up using it for more than two years. One-off software you buy outright is treated differently. On traditional accounting, it is a capital purchase. Claim it through the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA). On cash basis, just deduct it as a normal expense. If you use the software personally too, only claim the business portion. ## Thresholds No monetary threshold for subscription software. The cut-off between expense and capital comes down to whether you make regular renewal payments or buy outright. HMRC also allows one-off software as a normal expense if your business uses it for less than two years (source: gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/office-property). One-off software on traditional accounting otherwise follows AIA rules (£1 million annual limit). ## Accounting basis Subscription payments are a day-to-day expense on both methods, deducted in the period you paid. One-off software purchases are different: on traditional accounting, use capital allowances (AIA); on cash basis, deduct it as a normal expense in the year of payment. ## Examples - **I pay £30 a month for accounting software to do my invoicing. Can I claim it?** Yes, the full £360 a year. Ongoing subscription payments for business software are a normal expense. If you also use it for personal finances, only claim the business proportion. - **I pay £50 a month for a job management app for my plumbing business. Is that claimable?** Yes. Software you use to run your business is claimable. The £600 a year comes off your taxable profit. Keep a note of what the app is for. - **I bought a one-off CAD software licence for £1,200 that I own permanently. How do I claim it?** On traditional accounting, this is a capital purchase. Claim the full £1,200 via AIA in the year you paid for it. On cash basis, deduct it as a normal expense in the year of payment. Either way, the full cost comes off your profits. ## Edge cases - HMRC's line is about regular renewal payments. A perpetual licence paid once is capital. A subscription paid regularly is a day-to-day expense. Paying for an annual subscription upfront still counts as a day-to-day expense, not a capital purchase. - If a subscription has a personal element (say a Microsoft 365 subscription you also use for personal documents), only claim the business proportion. HMRC does not give a formula. Use a reasonable method and keep a note. - HMRC allows one-off software as a normal expense if you expect to use it for less than two years. So a short-lived tool bought outright can still be expensed directly, even if it is not a subscription. ## Common mistakes - Claiming a one-off perpetual software licence as a day-to-day expense on traditional accounting. It should go through capital allowances (AIA). In practice the tax result is often the same if AIA is available, but the paperwork differs. - Claiming 100% of a subscription you also use personally. Only the business proportion is claimable. Also known as: SaaS, software costs, app subscription, accounting software, job management software, cloud software, monthly software, annual software licence, Microsoft 365, QuickBooks, Xero. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/office-property Last checked 2026-07-23. > HMRC does not publish a dedicated software-expenses guide. The rules derive from the office, property and equipment section of the self-employed expenses guidance. > If you are uncertain whether a particular software purchase is a capital item or revenue expense, check with an accountant. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Stationery and office supplies: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Stationery, printer ink, postage, and general office supplies used for your business are fully deductible. Keep receipts. ## Examples - **Can I claim printer ink and paper for printing invoices and quotes?** Yes. Consumable office supplies used for your business are a direct expense. Also known as: paper, printer ink, envelopes, stamps, postage, office supplies. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Subcontractor costs: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Payments to subcontractors for work on your jobs are fully deductible as a business expense. If you are in the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), you must deduct the appropriate tax from payments to unregistered subcontractors and pay it to HMRC. ## Thresholds CIS deduction rates: 20% for registered subcontractors, 30% for unregistered, 0% for gross payment status. ## Examples - **Can I claim the cost of paying a subcontractor to help with a job?** Yes. Subcontractor payments are a business expense. If you are the contractor under CIS, you must also handle the CIS deduction. - **Do I need to register for CIS if I use subcontractors?** If you pay subcontractors for construction work, you must register as a contractor under CIS and make deductions. Check HMRC's CIS guidance. ## Edge cases - Payments to genuine employees go through PAYE, not CIS. The distinction between employee and subcontractor is critical. - If HMRC reclassifies a subcontractor as an employee, you become liable for unpaid PAYE and National Insurance. Also known as: subbies, subcontractors, labour, hired labour, CIS payments. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/what-is-the-construction-industry-scheme - https://www.gov.uk/what-you-must-do-as-a-cis-subcontractor Last checked 2026-07-23. > CIS rules are complex. If you pay subcontractors regularly, take advice on registration and deduction obligations. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Meals and subsistence: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Depends on the circumstances.** ## How it is treated Meal costs are deductible only when you are working away from your normal base and the trip requires you to be away for an unusually long time or overnight. Day-to-day lunch near your normal workplace or home is not deductible. Eating is a personal expense regardless of whether you are working. When a meal is deductible, you claim the actual reasonable cost and keep receipts. ## Examples - **I work on different sites every day and buy lunch nearby. Is it deductible?** Generally no. Everyday meals are a personal cost. The fact that you are working when you eat does not make it a business expense. - **I was away overnight for a job and needed to eat. Can I claim?** Yes. Meals during an overnight work trip away from home are deductible. Keep your receipts and claim the actual reasonable cost. ## Edge cases - HMRC does not publish flat-rate meal allowances for the self-employed. Standard daily rates apply only to employers paying employees, not to sole traders. Claim actual costs. - Client entertainment (taking a client out for a meal) is not deductible, even if you hope to win business from it. Also known as: lunch, food costs, meal allowance, subsistence, eating on site, overnight stays. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/travel Last checked 2026-07-23. > HMRC's meal and subsistence guidance can change. Verify before filing. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Tool and equipment hire: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Hiring tools or equipment for a job is a direct business expense, fully deductible in the tax year you pay it. No capital allowances needed. It is not a purchase. ## Examples - **Can I claim the cost of hiring a cement mixer for a job?** Yes. Plant and equipment hire is a revenue expense. Keep the hire invoice and match it to the job. ## Edge cases - Long-term hire agreements where you own the item at the end (hire purchase) are treated as a purchase for tax purposes, not hire. Also known as: plant hire, equipment rental, scaffold hire, machinery hire, hire costs. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Tools and equipment: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Tools and equipment bought for your trade are deductible. Consumable or short-lived items (blades, fixings, sandpaper) are direct business expenses. Lasting assets (tools, power equipment, scaffolding) go through capital allowances (the way HMRC lets you claim the cost of bigger purchases over time or upfront). The Annual Investment Allowance lets you deduct the full cost in the year of purchase, up to £1 million per year. If you use cash basis accounting (where you record income and spending when money changes hands), you can claim most equipment as a direct expense without using capital allowances. ## Thresholds AIA limit: £1,000,000 per year. ## Accounting basis On cash basis accounting, you can claim most tools and equipment as a direct expense. No capital allowances needed. On traditional accounting, lasting assets go through capital allowances (AIA gives full deduction in year of purchase). Consumables like drill bits and blades are a direct expense under both methods. ## Examples - **Can I claim the cost of a new drill and set of tools?** Yes. Trade tools used solely for business are fully deductible. Deduct small tools as a direct expense; claim capital allowances for more expensive equipment. - **I bought a scaffold tower for £800. How do I claim it?** As a capital item, claim it through the Annual Investment Allowance. You can deduct the full £800 in the tax year you bought it. ## Edge cases - Consumables like drill bits, blades, and sandpaper are direct expenses. No capital allowances needed. - Equipment hired rather than bought: the hire cost is a direct expense, not a capital allowance. Also known as: power tools, hand tools, drill, saw, scaffolding, ladders, equipment purchase. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/capital-allowances/annual-investment-allowance - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Trade and professional memberships: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Annual subscription fees for trade and professional bodies are deductible as business expenses: Gas Safe registration, NICEIC or NAPIT electrical certification, FMB membership, and similar. Regulatory registration fees required to legally carry out your trade are also fully deductible. One-off joining or admission fees are generally not deductible under HMRC guidance. Only annual renewal fees qualify. ## Examples - **Can I claim my annual Gas Safe registration fee?** Yes. Gas Safe registration is a mandatory requirement to carry out gas work and is fully deductible as a business expense. - **Can I claim my NICEIC or NAPIT annual certification fee?** Yes. Electrical certification body fees are deductible as annual professional subscriptions required for your trade. - **I just joined the FMB. Can I claim the joining fee?** The one-off joining or admission fee is generally not deductible under HMRC guidance. The annual renewal fee in subsequent years is deductible. - **Can I claim a trade association subscription?** Yes, the part of the subscription used towards trade-related expenditure is deductible. For most mainstream trade associations, HMRC accepts the full annual subscription. ## Edge cases - One-time joining or admission fees are not deductible. Only ongoing annual subscriptions qualify. - If a subscription covers both trade and personal benefits (e.g. discounted products), only the trade-related proportion is deductible. Also known as: Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, FMB, CITB, trade body, professional membership, industry body, trade association fee, professional subscription. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/business-income-manual/bim47415 - https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/business-income-manual/bim47420 - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Training and courses: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Partly claimable.** ## How it is treated Training costs are deductible if the course helps you improve skills you already use, keep up with technology in your industry, develop new skills related to changes in your industry, or develop skills that support running your business (including admin skills). You cannot claim for training that helps you start a new business or expand into new areas not directly related to your current trade. ## Examples - **Can I claim the cost of renewing my Gas Safe registration or CSCS card?** Yes. Renewals and refresher qualifications for your existing trade are deductible. - **I'm a plumber training to become an electrician. Can I claim the course?** No. HMRC does not allow training that helps you expand into a new area not directly related to your current trade. - **Can I claim a bookkeeping or invoicing course to help run my business admin?** Yes. HMRC explicitly allows training that develops skills to support your business, including administrative skills. - **Can I claim a first aid course required on site?** Yes. Health and safety training required for your existing work qualifies. ## Edge cases - Travel to training is deductible on the same basis as other business travel. - If a course covers both business and non-business content, only the business proportion is deductible. Also known as: CSCS card, NVQ, trade qualification, CPD, first aid course, certification, gas safe renewal. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/training-courses Last checked 2026-07-23. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Van insurance: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Van insurance premiums are fully deductible as a business expense for sole traders who use their van solely for work. If you also use the van personally, you can only claim the business-use proportion. ## Examples - **Can I claim van insurance as a sole trader?** Yes. If the van is used exclusively for business, the full premium is deductible. Keep the insurance certificate and bank records as evidence. - **I use my van for both work and personal trips. Can I still claim?** Yes, but only the business-use proportion. Work out the percentage of miles driven for business versus personal use and apply that to the premium. ## Edge cases - Breakdown cover added to the policy is also deductible as part of the same premium. - If HMRC disputes the split, mileage logs are the strongest evidence. Also known as: vehicle insurance, commercial vehicle insurance, fleet insurance. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/travel Last checked 2026-07-23. > This guidance is for sole traders. Limited company rules differ. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Van purchase: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Partly claimable.** ## How it is treated You cannot deduct the full purchase price of a van as a normal expense. Instead, you claim capital allowances (the way HMRC lets you claim the cost of bigger purchases like vans and equipment, either upfront or spread over time). Under the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), you can deduct the full cost of a van (up to £1 million per year) in the tax year you buy it. This is the simplest option for most trades. If you use cash basis accounting (where you record income and spending when money changes hands), you can claim the van as a direct expense without going through capital allowances. If you prefer to spread the cost, use writing-down allowances, but the AIA is almost always the better choice for a single van. ## Thresholds AIA limit: £1,000,000 per year. Writing-down allowance (main pool): 14% per year from 6 April 2026 (was 18% in prior years). ## Accounting basis On cash basis accounting, you can claim a van as a direct business expense in the year you pay for it. No capital allowances needed. The main exception is cars: cars must go through capital allowances even on cash basis. If you use traditional accounting, the AIA or writing-down allowances apply. ## Examples - **Can I deduct the cost of buying a new van in the year I buy it?** Yes, via the Annual Investment Allowance. Claim the full purchase price (excluding VAT if VAT-registered) in your tax return for the year you bought it. - **I bought a second-hand van. Can I still claim?** Yes. Capital allowances apply to new and second-hand vans alike. The purchase price is the deductible amount. ## Edge cases - If the van is used partly for personal use, you must reduce the allowance to reflect the business-use proportion. - Hire purchase counts as a purchase for capital allowances purposes. Claim when the agreement starts, not when it ends. ## Common mistakes - Claiming the full van cost as a straightforward expense without going through capital allowances (only valid on cash basis; traditional accounting requires AIA or writing-down allowances). - Forgetting to reduce the AIA claim when the van has any personal use. - Treating hire purchase as an operating expense. It counts as a purchase for capital allowances purposes and must be claimed as such. Also known as: buying a van, new van, second-hand van, vehicle purchase, capital allowances van. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/capital-allowances/annual-investment-allowance - https://www.gov.uk/work-out-capital-allowances/rates-and-pools Last checked 2026-07-23. > AIA limits can change at Budget. Verify the current limit before filing. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Vehicle leasing costs: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Depends on the circumstances.** ## How it is treated Lease payments on a van or car you use for work are a day-to-day running cost. You deduct them from your profits in the year you pay them. For vans and motorcycles, it is simple: claim the business-use portion in full. For cars, it depends on CO2 emissions. If the car emits more than 50g/km, HMRC blocks 15% of the lease cost, so you can only claim 85%. Cars at 50g/km or less, including electric, have no restriction. If you also use the vehicle personally, work out the business percentage first, then apply it to what is left after any restriction. ## Thresholds 15% restriction on car lease payments where CO2 exceeds 50g/km (HMRC BIM47730, current from 6 April 2021; prior threshold was 110g/km for hire periods starting before 1 April 2021). Example from HMRC (BIM47740): £6,000 annual rent × 15% = £900 disallowed; £5,100 claimable. Maintenance charges listed separately in the contract are not restricted. ## Accounting basis Lease payments are a day-to-day cost on both traditional and cash basis. You deduct what you paid in the period. The 15% car restriction and any personal-use split apply the same way on either method. ## Examples - **I lease a diesel van for building work at £350 a month. Can I claim the payments?** Yes, for the business-use portion. Vans are not subject to the 15% car restriction. If the van is 100% for work, claim the full £350. If you use it personally too (say 20% personal), claim 80%, which is £280 a month. - **I lease a petrol car (150g/km CO2) and use it 100% for work. What can I claim?** Because CO2 is above 50g/km, 15% of the cost is blocked. At £400 a month, only £340 (85%) is claimable. The other £60 per month cannot be claimed. If the car is also used personally, reduce the 85% further by the personal-use proportion. - **I lease an electric car for site visits at £500 a month. Is there a restriction?** No restriction. Electric cars emit 0g/km CO2, so the 15% rule does not apply. Claim 100% of the business-use portion of the payments. ## Edge cases - Double-cab pick-ups changed from April 2025. HMRC no longer treats them as vans for leasing purposes. Contracts started before 6 April 2025 (the Income Tax cut-off for sole traders) had transitional relief until 1 October 2025. After that, car rules apply regardless of when you signed. - Hire purchase is different from a standard lease. Under hire purchase, you are treated as the owner from the start, so you claim capital allowances on the purchase price rather than deducting the monthly payments. The interest element is still deductible as a finance cost. - If your lease bundles in a separately stated maintenance charge, the 15% restriction applies only to the rental element, not the maintenance part (HMRC BIM47740). ## Common mistakes - Trying to claim capital allowances on a leased vehicle. You do not own it, so capital allowances do not apply. Claim the monthly payments as a running cost instead. - Missing the 15% restriction on high-emission car leases. Only 85% of the cost is claimable for cars over 50g/km CO2. - Treating double-cab pick-ups as vans for contracts entered into or renewed after April 2025. HMRC changed its position and most are now treated as cars. Also known as: car lease, van lease, contract hire, vehicle hire, leasing payments, car rental business, PCP business, lease car tax, hire purchase. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/travel - https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/business-income-manual/bim47730 - https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/business-income-manual/bim47740 Last checked 2026-07-23. > This covers sole trader rules only. The 15% restriction applies under ITTOIA 2005 s48-s49 for Income Tax. > HMRC guidance does not explicitly address finance leases (as opposed to operating leases/contract hire) for sole traders. Verify with an accountant if your arrangement is a finance lease. > CO2 emissions thresholds have changed over time; always use the threshold applicable to when your hire period began. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Vehicle repairs and servicing: can you claim it? **Quick answer: Claimable in full.** ## How it is treated Repairs and maintenance costs for a vehicle used in your trade are deductible as day-to-day running costs: servicing, MOTs, tyres, oil changes, and repairs to keep the vehicle in working order. If the vehicle is used partly personally, only the business-use proportion is deductible. ## Examples - **Can I claim my annual van service and MOT?** Yes. Routine servicing and MOT costs are fully deductible for a business-only van. - **I had a major repair after a breakdown on a job. Is that deductible?** Yes, repairs to restore the vehicle to working order are revenue expenses. Keep the invoice. ## Edge cases - Improvements that go beyond restoring the vehicle to its original condition may be treated as a capital purchase rather than a repair. - If you use the flat mileage rate (AMAP) for mileage, you cannot also claim separate repair, fuel, or insurance costs. The mileage rate covers all running costs. Also known as: van service, MOT, car repair, vehicle maintenance, tyres, breakdown repair. ## Sources - https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/travel - https://www.gov.uk/simpler-income-tax-simplified-expenses/vehicles Last checked 2026-07-23. > If you use the flat mileage rate (AMAP), do not also claim repair costs separately. The mileage rate covers all running costs. All expenses: [https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) # Letter before action generator Build a formal letter before action for an unpaid invoice. It uses the right wording, deadline and rules depending on whether the customer is a private individual, a sole trader or a limited company. Free, no sign-up. Everything you enter stays in your browser. Nothing is sent to Trame or saved on our servers. ## How it works 1. **Who owes you?** A private individual, a sole trader, or a limited company. This sets the rules the letter follows, including the response deadline and whether statutory interest applies. 2. **The details.** Your name and address, their name and address, the invoice number, the amount, and the work carried out. 3. **The letter.** Copy it out, ready to send. This tool produces a letter from the details you enter. It is not legal advice. If the debt is disputed, large, or you are unsure how to proceed, consider speaking to a solicitor or a free service such as Citizens Advice. ## Next - [Guide: how to send a letter before action for an unpaid invoice](https://trame.co.uk/guides/getting-paid/letter-before-action-for-unpaid-invoices) - [All free tools](https://trame.co.uk/tools) # Mileage allowance calculator How much can you claim for business mileage as a UK sole trader? Calculate using HMRC approved mileage rates (AMAP) for cars, vans, motorcycles and bicycles. Free, no sign-up. ## What it asks 1. Your vehicle type: car or van, motorcycle, or bicycle. 2. Your business miles for the tax year. 3. Whether you bought the vehicle specifically for work. ## What you get Your mileage claim for the tax year, with the 45p and 25p car and van bands applied correctly at the 10,000 mile threshold. Rates shown are the HMRC Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAP) for the current tax year. These apply to sole traders and self-employed people using their own vehicle for business. ## Next - [Expense checker](https://trame.co.uk/tools/expenses) - [All free tools](https://trame.co.uk/tools) # Domestic reverse charge VAT checker Not sure whether to charge VAT on a construction invoice? Answer a few questions and find out whether the domestic reverse charge applies, with the exact wording to put on the invoice. Free, no sign-up. Everything you enter stays in your browser. Nothing is sent to Trame or saved on our servers. ## What it asks 1. Is the work a construction service covered by CIS? Most on-site building, civils, installation and finishing work is. Professional services like architecture, and materials supplied on their own, sit outside it. 2. Are both you and your customer VAT registered? 3. Is your customer CIS registered? 4. Is your customer an end user or an intermediary supplier? ## What you get A yes or no answer for your situation, and the exact wording HMRC wants on the invoice when the reverse charge applies. Based on the HMRC rules for the VAT domestic reverse charge for building and construction services, in force since 1 March 2021. This tool checks applicability, it is not tax advice for your situation. ## Next - [Guide: the VAT domestic reverse charge for construction, explained](https://trame.co.uk/guides/vat/domestic-reverse-charge-for-construction) - [All free tools](https://trame.co.uk/tools) # Self-employed tax calculator How much tax will you pay as a sole trader, and what is left to take home? Put in your income and expenses for an estimate of your Income Tax, National Insurance and take-home pay. Free, no sign-up. Everything you enter stays in your browser. Nothing is sent to Trame or saved on our servers. ## What it asks 1. Your income for the tax year. 2. Your allowable business expenses. ## What you get Your estimated tax bill and take-home pay with a full breakdown: profit, Personal Allowance, Income Tax by band, Class 4 National Insurance, and what to set aside. An estimate for a sole trader, using the HMRC Personal Allowance, Income Tax bands for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Class 4 National Insurance rates for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 tax years, which are frozen at the same figures. ## Next - [Guide: self-employed tax explained, what a sole trader pays](https://trame.co.uk/guides/tax/self-employed-tax-explained) - [All free tools](https://trame.co.uk/tools)