The Three Most Costly Studio Designer Mistakes Interior Designers Make (And How to Fix Them)

Studio Designer is an incredibly powerful platform tailored for interior design bookkeeping & accounting, but only when used correctly. Many designers unknowingly use the software in ways that cause inefficiencies, reporting errors, or billing issues. Whether you're new to Studio Designer or have been using it for years, understanding these common pitfalls can save you time, money, and a lot of headaches. In this article, we’ll uncover the top mistakes interior designers make in Studio Designer—and how to fix them.

Mistake # 1: Not reconciling in a timely manner

Without reconciling you can’t count on proposal/invoice balances, client fund balances, vendor balances, or deducting all of your expenses correctly.

How to fix it:

• Reconcile all accounts (bank, credit cards, loans, etc) need to be reconciled to the bank statement every month.

• There are two sets of reconciliation balances in Studio (Outstanding and Reconciled.  Both must match the bank statement but we frequently find that only the Reconciled side matches.  This means that only that specific month is reconciled and there are prior months that are not reconciled.

Mistake # 2: Overpaying sales taxes

How to fix it:

• All typically taxable items should ALWAYS be taxable = YES (even if the vendor charged you tax).  Enter the tax you paid to your vendor in the sales tax field below the purchase cost.  This amount will show on your sales tax report to be taken as a credit.

• Invoice your clients as goods are completed (see # 3 below) so you avoid invoicing later after rates have increased.

• Always check your sales tax general ledger to the amount on the sales tax report.  This is the only way to catch items that have changed or were back dated, etc.

Mistake # 3: Failing to invoice as goods are completed

We find tons of items that were never final invoiced and it’s common to see remaining balances that the client never paid and sales taxes still due years afterwards.

How to fix it:

• Make it standard procedure to create a final invoice for your client as soon as you receive a final invoice from the vendor and don’t pay the vendor without a final invoice from them.

• Create a new item (as a component of the original) as freight, delivery, receiving & storage charges come in.

• It’s not necessary to send all of the invoices to your client.  If you like to consolidate payment requests, consider using a professionally formatted project worksheet to request balances.

Conclusion: Mistakes Are Normal—Fixing Them Is Powerful 

Even the most seasoned interior designers can fall into habits that limit Studio Designer’s full potential. By identifying and correcting these common mistakes, you can create a more efficient, accurate, and scalable design business. If you’re unsure where to start or want a full Studio Designer audit, we’re here to help you get the most from your software.