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Accounting and invoicing for tradespeople

Write the quote, order the material, work on site, send a stage invoice, write the final invoice: tradespeople do not invoice at a desk but between two jobs. Saldiqo takes you from the quote to the paid invoice.

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What comes up for tradespeople

Jobs that run for weeks

A roof, a bathroom, a heating system: the job takes time and the money comes in stages. You need a quote, an order confirmation, stage invoices and a final invoice that ties everything together.

Material and labour kept apart

Customers and insurers want to see material, labour and call-out separately. An invoice with lump sums brings questions.

Receipts on site

Builders’ merchant, wholesaler, petrol station: receipts are in the van, not in the office. The longer they lie there, the more get lost.

Payment behaviour

Open invoices are the most common reason for cash problems in the trades. If you chase too late, you wait for months.

How Saldiqo helps

  • Quote, order confirmation, invoiceThe quote turns into the order confirmation, and that into the invoice. You write positions and prices once.
  • Stage and final invoicesStage invoices by progress are created straight from the quote. The final invoice deducts them automatically.
  • Delivery notes for materialDelivery notes stay linked to the job, so you can later show what was delivered when.
  • Time tracking and invoice from timeStart and stop on your phone, and Saldiqo creates the invoice line from the recorded hours.
  • Cost centre per siteAssign material and time to a site and see whether the job paid off.
  • Reminders with deadlinesPayment reminder and reminder levels with fixed deadlines and fees, sent with one click.

Typical invoice lines

Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.

  • Skilled worker, hour
  • Labourer, hour
  • Material at cost, as per delivery note
  • Call-out charge
  • Stage 1: start of works
  • Disposal of old material

Tax and invoicing in Malta

What applies to invoices in Malta, in short. As of October 2026.

VAT
Rates 18 %, 12 %, 7 % and 5 %. Malta has no zero rate in law. Exports, EU supplies, food and medicines are exempt with credit, which lets you reclaim input VAT. Exempt without credit does not.
Article 11 small undertakings
With up to €35,000 of domestic turnover a year you can be exempt under Article 11. The status ends on the day the limit is passed, and you still register with the VAT department. Saldiqo adds the exemption note and leaves VAT off.
Tax invoice or fiscal receipt
A tax invoice is issued only when the customer gives you a VAT number. Otherwise a fiscal receipt from an approved system is required. Saldiqo writes invoices. It is not a fiscal receipt system, and a Saldiqo PDF does not replace a fiscal receipt.
Invoice timing
Issue the invoice by the 15th of the following month, or when payment arrives if that comes first. Simplified invoices are allowed up to €100.
E-invoicing
There is no mandate. Public bodies accept e-invoices through Peppol (EN 16931). The tax authority plans e-invoicing and real-time reporting but has set no dates, and EU rules apply from 1 July 2030.
VAT returns
Returns are due by the 15th day of the second month after the period, with 7 extra days when you file and pay electronically. Article 11 businesses file a yearly declaration by 15 February. Saldiqo does not file returns.
Record keeping
VAT records for 6 years, income tax records for 9 years and company records for 10 years. Plan for 10 years.
Late payment
Interest on late business payments is 10.40 %, plus €40 compensation between businesses.
Languages
Use Saldiqo in English or Maltese and send invoices in either language.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bill stages by progress?

Yes. You create stage or part invoices straight from the quote. The final invoice deducts the stages already paid.

How do I capture receipts from site?

Photograph the receipt with your phone or upload it and capture it as an expense. You can assign material to a cost centre, for example a site.

Can I show a reverse charge for construction services?

Yes. You choose the tax type reverse charge on the invoice, Saldiqo adds the note and calculates without VAT. Whether the rule applies to the job, you clear with your tax adviser.

Do tradespeople in Malta have to charge VAT?

If you are registered under Article 10, yes. Small undertakings under Article 11 with domestic turnover of up to €35,000 a year are exempt from charging VAT, but the status ends on the day the limit is passed.

Do tradespeople in Malta need a fiscal receipt?

Sales to consumers need a fiscal receipt from an approved fiscal receipt system, and Article 11 businesses use one for all sales. Saldiqo is not such a system. It covers tax invoices to customers who give you their VAT number.

How long should tradespeople keep invoices?

VAT records for 6 years, income tax records for 9 years and company records for 10 years, so plan for 10 years. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.

Try Saldiqo for free

Write invoices, match payments, collect receipts and send reminders: free and without a trial period.

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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.