Knowledge base

Glossary

Short explanations of terms you meet with quotes, invoices and VAT. This is general information and not advice.

Archive: The place for finished quotes, invoices and clients: out of sight, yet easy to find and to bring back.; Archiving in Avsaro means a quote, invoice or client disappears from your lists and counters, with a reason recorded. You find everything under the Archived filter and restore it with one click. The portal does not delete invoices, numbered quotes, payments or evidence records. An archived invoice with an outstanding balance still appears in the debtors report.; Read about the feature: Archive and retention
Backup: A copy of your data in another place, so you can restore it if the original is lost or damaged.; A backup is a spare copy. How often it is made, how long it is kept and where it is stored differs per solution. A good backup lives somewhere other than the original, and you only know it works once you have restored from it. For any system that holds your data, ask how the backup is arranged and who looks after it.
Client portal: A secure online space where a client views documents and takes actions. In Avsaro the client works with a personal link, without an account.; Many people picture a client portal as an environment with a login where a client manages their own file. Avsaro opts for your client's convenience instead: a personal link per quote and per invoice, leading to a page in your branding, in Dutch or English, with no account and no password. There the client can accept or decline a quote or ask a question, and view and pay an invoice. Only people with the link can open the page.; Read about the feature: Quotes and e-signing Read the guide: Having a quote signed online: what your client does and what you record
Credit note: A document that cancels an earlier invoice in full or in part, for example after a mistake or a returned delivery.; You do not edit an invoice that has been sent, because your records would no longer add up. Instead you issue a credit note that refers to the original invoice and shows the amount as a negative. If you invoiced 1,000 euros too much, the client receives a credit note for that difference. In Avsaro you can credit the full amount or part of it, and choose whether it is offset, refunded or kept as a credit balance.; Read about the feature: Invoices and payments Read the guide: What must a Dutch invoice contain? Requirements explained
CRM: Customer relationship management: software for keeping track of clients, contacts and conversations.; A CRM system stores who your clients are, who you talk to and what you agreed. Some packages also support sales opportunities and follow-up tasks. Avsaro has a client file with contacts, notes, quotes, invoices and subscriptions, and a timeline of what has happened with that client. That keeps everything about your client and your sales together. It is not a full CRM with leads and tasks.; Read about the feature: Quotes and e-signing
Data processing agreement: An agreement with a party that processes personal data on your behalf, setting out what that party may do with the data.; If your work involves handling your client's personal data, for example when hosting or maintaining a website, the requires a data processing agreement. It covers the purpose, the security measures and what happens to the data afterwards. In Avsaro you can have your own data processing agreement attached to a quote as a fixed attachment, by default for services that process personal data. Have a lawyer draft or review the text.; Read about the feature: Quotes and e-signing
Debtors: Clients who still owe you payment for an invoice. A debtors overview shows who owes what and for how long.; Debtors are the clients with an outstanding invoice. A debtors overview shows, per client, the amount outstanding and how old the debt is, for example how much is still within its term and how much is overdue. Avsaro has a debtors report with outstanding, overdue and ageing. With iDEAL through Mollie the payment status updates by itself. For an ordinary transfer you record the payment with one click, which keeps the overview current.; Read about the feature: Reports and VAT Read the guide: Invoice not paid: what you can do, step by step
Deposit: Part of the price that the client pays up front, usually when the work starts. The rest follows in the final invoice.; A deposit covers part of your costs and shows that the client is serious. On a 5,000 euro job with a 30 per cent deposit you first ask for 1,500 euros and invoice the rest later. In Avsaro you set a percentage between 0 and 100 per quote, with a separate payment term for the deposit and for the remainder. After the client accepts, the portal prepares the deposit invoice and the final invoice as drafts. The final invoice deducts what has already been paid.; Read about the feature: Invoices and payments Read the guide: Asking for a deposit: how much and how to invoice it
Electronic signature: A signature in digital form. The EU eIDAS Regulation distinguishes three levels: simple, advanced and qualified.; The eIDAS Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 910/2014) distinguishes between simple, advanced and qualified electronic signatures. An advanced signature is uniquely linked to the signatory and makes later changes detectable. A qualified signature uses a qualified certificate and has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature. Avsaro uses a simple electronic signature: the client draws or types their name and confirms with a code sent by email, and the portal records the details in an evidence file. Whether that is enough for your agreement depends on what you have agreed. If in doubt, ask a lawyer.; Read about the feature: Quotes and e-signing Read the guide: When is an electronic signature valid? The EU rules
ERP: Enterprise resource planning: a large software package that connects several parts of a business, such as finance, purchasing, stock and staff.; An ERP system brings the administration of a whole company into one package. That is useful when you need to link stock, purchasing, production and staff. For a small service business it is often too heavy. Avsaro is not an ERP: it focuses on the sales side, with quotes, signing, invoices, subscriptions and overviews. You do bookkeeping, purchasing, stock and payroll in packages built for that.; Read the guide: ERP or business portal: what fits your business?
Exact Online: Accounting software used by many business owners and accountants. Avsaro sends invoices as a pdf to your digital mailbox in Exact.; Exact Online is accounting software. Avsaro is not. The connection is an email containing only the invoice as a pdf, sent to the address of your digital mailbox for sales invoices. Exact reads it in from there. You keep the payment status in Avsaro. You choose per invoice whether a copy goes to Exact. The connection runs through your Microsoft 365 mailbox.; Read about the feature: Exact, OneDrive and Mollie
GDPR: The General Data Protection Regulation: the EU rules for handling personal data.; The GDPR applies to anyone who processes personal data, including your own client list with names, email addresses and phone numbers. You may collect only the data you need, you must protect it properly and not keep it longer than necessary. If an outside party handles data for you, you set out the arrangements in a . Avsaro helps with adjustable retention periods and a presentation mode that hides client data. For questions about your situation, contact the Dutch Data Protection Authority or a lawyer.; Read about the feature: Archive and retention
ICP (intra-Community supplies listing): A listing for the Dutch Tax Authority of your business supplies to clients in other EU countries, in addition to the regular VAT return.; If you have VAT-registered clients in other EU countries and you reverse charge the VAT, you report that turnover separately in the ICP listing. It is filed periodically with the Dutch Tax Authority, often per quarter, but the frequency depends on your situation. Avsaro shows turnover with reverse-charged VAT in its own box of the VAT summary (3b), so you have the figures to hand. The portal does not prepare or file the ICP listing.; Read about the feature: Reports and VAT Read the guide: Invoicing abroad: Dutch VAT and reverse charge
iDEAL: A Dutch payment method that lets a client pay straight from their own banking app. In Avsaro it runs through Mollie, if you connect it.; With iDEAL a client pays online in the environment of their own bank. Avsaro can offer iDEAL on the invoice page through Mollie. To do so you connect your own Mollie account, which starts in test mode. Once iDEAL is connected, the portal records the payment itself. Mollie charges an amount per transaction, which you pay to Mollie. Without that connection the invoice shows the payment details with copy buttons and you record yourself when an invoice is paid.; Read about the feature: Invoices and payments
Invoice: The document in which you ask a client to pay for work delivered. An invoice has to meet legal requirements.; An invoice shows, among other things, your business details, your client's details, an invoice number, the date, a description, the amount and the VAT. Which details are mandatory is best checked with the Dutch Tax Authority. In Avsaro you create an invoice from an accepted quote or from scratch, with a continuous number and a payment term. A finalised invoice cannot be edited. You correct it with a .; Read about the feature: Invoices and payments Read the guide: What must a Dutch invoice contain? Requirements explained
OneDrive: Microsoft's online storage. Avsaro keeps a pdf copy of your signed quotes, terms and invoices there.; When you connect Microsoft 365, Avsaro places copies of your documents in your own OneDrive. By default they go into a folder per client, per year and per job, so the quote, the terms and all invoices of one job sit together. You can adjust the folders and file names. If an upload fails, it stays visible with a Try again button. Without Microsoft 365 there is no OneDrive copy.; Read about the feature: Exact, OneDrive and Mollie
Payment link: A personal link to your client's invoice page, with everything needed to pay.; Every invoice in Avsaro has its own link that you send along with the invoice. The client does not need an account. The page shows the amount, the IBAN, the account name, the payment reference and the due date, with copy buttons. If you have connected , an iDEAL button appears as well. Only people with the link can see the invoice.; Read about the feature: Invoices and payments Read the guide: A payment link on your invoice: what it saves and what to watch for
Payment reminder: A friendly message that an invoice is still open. If payment stays out, a firmer demand for payment follows.; A reminder usually goes to the client shortly before or just after the due date. A formal demand for payment follows later and says more clearly that the client has to pay. Avsaro has a schedule of five steps for invoices and three for deposits, starting three days before the due date. By default they wait for your approval in the Follow-up screen, so you click send yourself. You can set individual steps to send automatically. Statutory interest and collection costs are off by default.; Read about the feature: Invoices and payments Read the guide: Invoice not paid: what you can do, step by step
Payment term: The number of days a client has to pay an invoice, counted from the invoice date or from receipt.; Your invoice states the final date for payment. If you agree nothing else, a term of 30 days generally applies between businesses in the Netherlands. Many business owners choose a shorter term, such as 14 days. In Avsaro you set a default payment term and can change it per invoice, up to 120 days. For a deposit, the term can differ from the one for the remainder.; Read about the feature: Invoices and payments Read the guide: What must a Dutch invoice contain? Requirements explained
Quote: An offer that sets out what you will deliver, what it costs and how long the offer stays open. The client can accept or decline it.; A quote contains a description of the work, the price, the validity period and your terms. Once the client agrees, the quote normally turns into an order. A quote for a website might consist of a design phase, a build phase and a monthly maintenance fee. In Avsaro you write the quote in your own branding, send it with a personal link and see when the client opens it. You can read more under quotes and e-signing.; Read about the feature: Quotes and e-signing Read the guide: How to write a good quote: structure, example, tips
Quote funnel: The overview of what happens to your quotes: how many you send, how many the client opens and how many are accepted.; A funnel shows where quotes get stuck. If you send 20 quotes, 15 are viewed and 6 are signed, you know better where to adjust. If opening is the problem, a better email helps. If quotes are viewed but go no further, the cause is often price or clarity. Avsaro shows sent, viewed, accepted, the acceptance rate and the turnaround time in the Quote funnel report.; Read about the feature: Reports and VAT Read the guide: Following up on a quote without nagging: when to call and when to e-mail
Recurring invoice: An invoice that is created again on a fixed schedule, for example every month, quarter or year.; A recurring invoice belongs to a subscription. In Avsaro you choose a fixed day of the month, and on that day the portal prepares a draft invoice with the period in the title, such as Hosting October 2026. By default you review and send it yourself. Per subscription you can choose automatic sending, but the first invoice of a subscription is never sent automatically.; Read about the feature: Subscriptions Read the guide: Recurring invoices for hosting and maintenance
Retention period: The period for which you must or may keep records. For business records the general minimum in the Netherlands is seven years.; As a business owner you are obliged to keep your records for a set time, generally seven years. Some records carry a longer period, and you should not keep personal data longer than necessary. Avsaro uses seven years as the minimum for invoices, which you can extend up to 30 years. Signing evidence and sent emails also default to seven years, and quotes without acceptance to two years. This is not legal advice. For your own situation, consult the Dutch Tax Authority or your accountant.; Read about the feature: Archive and retention Read the guide: Keeping invoices: how long and where?
Small business scheme (KOR): A Dutch scheme under which small businesses charge no VAT and file no VAT return, but also cannot reclaim VAT on purchases.; The scheme, known as the KOR, is voluntary and applies only while your annual turnover stays below a limit. The current limit and conditions are on the Dutch Tax Authority website, because the rules can change. If you use the scheme, your invoices show no VAT. If you use the scheme, you create an invoice at 0 per cent VAT in Avsaro. Agree with your accountant which wording belongs on it.; Read about the feature: Invoices and payments Read the guide: Preparing your Dutch VAT return as a small business
Subscription: An agreement in which you provide a service over a longer period for a recurring amount, such as hosting, maintenance or advice.; In a subscription you record what you deliver, how often you invoice and how long the agreement runs. A web agency might look after a website for 79 euros a month. The term, the notice period and any price increase belong in the agreement. In Avsaro you create a subscription from an accepted quote or from scratch, and the portal prepares the invoice on the agreed day.; Read about the feature: Subscriptions Read the guide: What is a subscription in your bookkeeping? Explained
Two-factor authentication: Logging in with your password and then a code from an app on your phone, so a leaked password alone is not enough to get in.; Two-factor authentication proves who you are in two ways: something you know (the password) and something you have (your phone). In Avsaro it is mandatory. You use an authenticator app that shows a six-digit code every 30 seconds. A code can be used only once. When you set it up you receive ten one-time recovery codes in case you lose your phone. Keep them somewhere safe.
VAT: A tax you charge your clients on your sales and pass on to the tax authority. The Netherlands has three rates: 21, 9 and 0 per cent.; You add VAT to your invoice and pay it over, after deducting the VAT you paid on your own business purchases. The standard rate of 21 per cent applies to most services. A lower rate or 0 per cent applies only to certain supplies. In Avsaro you choose the treatment per quote or invoice: a rate, reverse charge, or not taxable in the Netherlands. The portal works with amounts excluding VAT and shows the VAT separately. You keep the VAT on purchases in your bookkeeping.; Read about the feature: Reports and VAT Read the guide: Preparing your Dutch VAT return as a small business
VAT return: The report to the tax authority of the VAT you charged and paid, usually per quarter. Avsaro does not file a return.; In the VAT return you state how much VAT you charged on your sales and how much you reclaim on purchases. You pay the balance, or receive it back. Many small businesses file per quarter. Avsaro helps you prepare with a sales VAT summary per quarter, split into the boxes of the return and rounded to whole euros. The summary covers sales only. VAT on your purchases lives in your bookkeeping, and you file the return itself there or with the Dutch Tax Authority.; Read about the feature: Reports and VAT Read the guide: Preparing your Dutch VAT return as a small business
VAT reverse charge: For certain business supplies abroad, your client accounts for the VAT in their own country. Your invoice shows no VAT but does carry a statement.; The reverse charge applies mainly to services supplied to a VAT-registered business in another EU country. The invoice then shows no VAT amount, carries your VAT number and your client's, and states that the VAT is reverse charged. Whether it applies depends on the type of supply and its place of supply. Check this with the Dutch Tax Authority or your accountant. In Avsaro you choose reverse charge per quote or invoice, and the statutory wording is added to the document for you.; Read about the feature: Invoices and payments Read the guide: Invoicing abroad: Dutch VAT and reverse charge

This explanation is general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. If in doubt, ask your accountant or adviser, or check with the Dutch Tax Administration (Belastingdienst) or the Chamber of Commerce (KvK).