Ledgerly
Product design, 2024
Overview
A bookkeeping app for freelancers who hate bookkeeping. I redesigned invoicing so a first invoice takes under a minute.
- Role
- Product designer
- Scope
- Research, UI, design system
- Team
- Product designer, 2 engineers, 1 product manager
- Duration
- 4 months
- Platform
- iOS, Android, web
- Tools
- Figma, FigJam, Maze
The problem
New users abandoned setup before sending an invoice. Interviews showed they were afraid of getting tax details wrong.
Goals
- Cut onboarding drop-off
- Let users send a first invoice in under a minute
- Keep tax setup trustworthy
Success metrics
- Onboarding completion rate
- Median time to first invoice
- Support tickets about tax setup
Research
Methods
- 14 interviews with freelancers
- Analysis of onboarding funnel data
- Usability tests of the old flow with 6 users
Key insights
Tax fear stalls setup
Users left at the tax form because they worried about getting it wrong.
Invoicing is the real goal
People signed up to get paid, not to do bookkeeping.
Phones start the first invoice
Most first invoices began on mobile between meetings.
Who it is for
Arjun, 29
Freelance illustrator“I just want to get paid without learning accounting.”
Needs
- Send an invoice fast
- Know the numbers are correct
Frustrations
- Long forms before any value
- Jargon like accrual basis
Defining the opportunity
How might we let freelancers send an invoice first and handle tax details when they matter?
Design
I moved tax setup after the first invoice, replaced forms with plain-language questions, and built a small component library to keep the screens consistent.
Key decisions
Invoice first, tax later
Moved tax setup after the first invoice so users reach value in minutes.
Plain-language questions
Replaced accounting terms with questions like “Do you charge sales tax?”.
A small component library
Reusable inputs and cards kept web and mobile consistent.
Key visuals
Testing and iteration
- Round 1: tested a prototype with 8 freelancers in Maze. Tax questions still caused hesitation.
- Round 2: added inline examples and a skip option. Completion improved and hesitation dropped.
Results
Onboarding drop-off halved and the median time to first invoice fell below one minute.
Reflection
Ordering the flow around the user's goal mattered more than any visual change. Next: recurring invoices and payment reminders.