Automating My Freelance Workflow with Python: A Step-by-Step Guide

As a freelancer, managing multiple projects and clients can be overwhelming. However, by leveraging the power of Python, I've been able to automate many tasks, freeing up more time to focus on high-leverage activities like coding and client relationships. In this article, I'll walk you through the specific steps I take to automate my freelance workflow using Python.

Step 1: Project Management with Trello and Python

I use Trello to manage my projects and tasks. To automate the process of creating new boards and lists, I use the Trello API and the requests library in Python. Here's an example of how I create a new board:

import requests

# Trello API credentials
api_key = "your_api_key"
api_token = "your_api_token"

# Create a new board
board_name = "New Project"
response = requests.post(
    f"https://api.trello.com/1/boards/",
    params={
        "key": api_key,
        "token": api_token,
        "name": board_name
    }
)

# Get the board ID
board_id = response.json()["id"]

# Create new lists
lists = ["To-Do", "In Progress", "Done"]
for list_name in lists:
    response = requests.post(
        f"https://api.trello.com/1/lists",
        params={
            "key": api_key,
            "token": api_token,
            "name": list_name,
            "idBoard": board_id
        }
    )

This code creates a new board with the specified name and adds three lists: To-Do, In Progress, and Done.

Step 2: Time Tracking with Harvest and Python

I use Harvest to track my time and generate invoices. To automate the process of tracking time, I use the Harvest API and the requests library in Python. Here's an example of how I log time:

import requests

# Harvest API credentials
api_key = "your_api_key"
api_token = "your_api_token"

# Log time
project_id = "your_project_id"
task_id = "your_task_id"
hours = 2
response = requests.post(
    f"https://api.harvestapp.com/v2/time_entries",
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_token}",
        "Harvest-Account-Id": api_key
    },
    json={
        "project_id": project_id,
        "task_id": task_id,
        "hours": hours
    }
)

This code logs 2 hours of time for the specified project and task.

Step 3: Invoicing with Stripe and Python

I use Stripe to generate invoices and accept payments. To automate the process of generating invoices, I use the Stripe API and the requests library in Python. Here's an example of how I create a new invoice:

import requests

# Stripe API credentials
api_key = "your_api_key"

# Create a new invoice
customer_id = "your_customer_id"
amount = 1000
response = requests.post(
    f"https://api.stripe.com/v1/invoices",
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}"
    },
    json={
        "customer": customer_id,
        "amount": amount
    }
)

This code creates a new invoice for the specified customer with the specified amount.

Monetization Angle

By automating my freelance workflow with Python, I've been able to increase my productivity and efficiency, allowing me to take on more clients and projects. This has resulted in a significant increase in revenue. Additionally, I've been able to offer higher-level services to my clients, such as custom automation solutions, which has further increased my revenue.

Conclusion

Automating my