The fastest way to understand Tally is to send one real invoice through it. Start small, use a client you already know, and let the workspace teach you where the rest of your billing details belong.
Create Your Workspace
After signing up, create a workspace for your business or team. This becomes the place where clients, services, time, invoices, and payment status live together.
Choose a name clients will recognize. If you work under a studio name, use that. If you bill as an individual consultant, use your own name or business name. You can update it later.
Add Your First Client
Create a client profile with the basics: contact details, billing email, payment terms, tax information, and any notes your team normally repeats in invoices or handoff messages.
This record is intentionally practical. It should answer the questions that slow billing down later:
- Who receives the invoice?
- What payment terms apply?
- Which services or projects belong to this client?
- Are there deposits, retainers, or special notes to remember?
Set Your Billing Rules
Before creating the invoice, add the services you sell most often. Save names, rates, quantities, tax settings, and descriptions so future invoices do not start from a blank page.
For example, a studio might save strategy sprint, design audit, and monthly support. A consultant might save advisory hours, implementation day, and retainer credit.
Track Time or Add Fixed Work
Tally supports both tracked hours and fixed-fee work. Log billable time as it happens, or add project items manually when the scope is already agreed.
The goal is simple: by the time you are ready to invoice, the work is already organized by client and billing status.
Send the First Invoice
Create an invoice from your saved services, logged time, deposits, or retainer items. Review the client details, payment link, due date, and notes before sending.
Once the invoice is shared, Tally keeps the status visible: draft, sent, viewed, paid, or overdue. That context helps your team follow up with confidence.
Bring in the Team When Needed
If other people help with client work, invite them after the first invoice is working. Give access based on what they need to see: time, projects, invoices, client notes, or account status.
Start with the people closest to billing. A small, accurate setup beats a big rollout full of half-finished records.
What Comes Next
After the first invoice, add the clients and services you bill most often. Then bring over retainers, recurring invoices, and payment reminders.
Tally works best when it becomes the shared record for client money: what was done, what was sent, what was paid, and what still needs attention.
