Open commissions
In-progress commissions, each with its deposit and balance invoices and current statuses.
Creator finance · Invoicing
An invoice tracker for commission work
Commissions rarely get paid in one go — there's a deposit at sketch, sometimes a payment at the approved draft, and the balance on final delivery. When several commissions move through those stages at once, knowing which invoice is paid and which is overdue gets confusing fast. Cash Workspace gives you one place to record a commission's invoices by milestone and keep their statuses straight.
The problem
Why commission invoices get confusing
Each commission can spawn several invoices across milestones. Without a clear status per invoice, paid and unpaid stages blur together.
- A deposit invoice is paid but the final balance invoice is forgotten.
- Multiple commissions sit at different stages and you can't tell which are settled.
- An overdue balance goes unnoticed because nothing flags the due date.
- Sketch-stage and final-stage payments get mixed up across clients.
- The brief for an invoice isn't attached, so you re-explain scope to confirm payment.
The workflow
Track each commission's invoices by stage
Record an invoice per milestone, give each a status, and attach the brief so every payment stage is clear.
- 1
Record the deposit invoice
At the sketch stage, record the deposit invoice with amount, due date, and a status of sent.
- 2
Mark the milestone stage
Tag each invoice with its stage — sketch, draft, or final — so the sequence is clear.
- 3
Attach the brief
Attach the commission brief or scope to the invoice so the work behind the payment is documented.
- 4
Update statuses
Mark each invoice sent, partially paid, paid, or overdue as payments come in.
- 5
Review what's outstanding
Scan the list for any final-balance invoice still unpaid before you call a commission done.
Record structure
What to record for each commission invoice
A consistent record per invoice keeps every milestone payment visible.
- Commission
- Which commission and client the invoice belongs to.
- Milestone stage
- Sketch, draft, or final, so the payment's place in the project is clear.
- Invoice amount
- The amount for this stage — deposit, mid-payment, or balance.
- Deposit vs balance
- Whether this invoice is the up-front deposit or the remaining balance.
- Due date
- When this stage's payment is due, so overdue invoices stand out.
- Status
- Sent, partially paid, paid, or overdue.
- Brief attached
- The commission brief or scope attached to the invoice record.
- Client
- The commissioning client, kept as a consistent record.
Example setup
An example invoice tracker setup
One way to lay out commission invoices inside the workspace.
Awaiting final payment
Commissions delivered but with the balance invoice still marked unpaid.
Completed and paid
Commissions where every milestone invoice is marked paid.
Briefs
Commission briefs attached to their invoices for scope reference.
Common mistakes
Mistakes to avoid
- Recording one lump invoice when the commission was actually paid in stages.
- Leaving the milestone stage blank, so deposit and balance look the same.
- Forgetting to set a due date, so overdue balances slip by unnoticed.
- Calling a commission complete while a final-balance invoice is still unpaid.
- Not attaching the brief, so you scramble to confirm scope at payment time.
How it helps
How Cash Workspace helps
Invoices by milestone
Record a sketch, draft, or final invoice per stage so each commission's payments are separated cleanly.
Clear statuses
Mark each invoice sent, partially paid, paid, or overdue and update it as payments arrive.
Brief on the record
Attach the commission brief to its invoice so scope and payment stay together.
Related
Related creator finance workflows
Commission records
Organize each commission's scope, price, and agreement.
Milestone invoices
Record staged invoices for projects paid in milestones.
Creator invoice tracker
Track creator invoices by status across clients.
Unpaid invoice tracker
Keep unpaid invoices organized so follow-up is simple.
All finance workflows
Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.
FAQ
Commission invoice tracker FAQ
- Does Cash Workspace send the invoices to clients?
- No. You create and send invoices with your own tool, then record each one here with its stage and status. Cash Workspace organizes the records; it does not send invoices or chase payment.
- How do I track a commission paid in stages?
- Record a separate invoice for each milestone — deposit at sketch, the balance at final — and give each its own status, so you always know which stages are paid.
- Will it remind me when a balance is overdue?
- Cash Workspace does not send reminders for you. You set a due date and mark statuses yourself; reviewing the list shows you which balances are overdue so you can follow up.
Organizing help — not tax, accounting, or legal guidance
Cash Workspace is a free workspace for organizing invoices, expenses, receipts, clients, and documents. This page is organizing guidance only — not tax, accounting, legal, or bookkeeping guidance. Cash Workspace does not connect to your bank, does not scan or read your receipts for you, and does not move or collect payments. Whether an expense is deductible depends on your situation, so confirm it with a qualified accountant or tax professional.
Keep every commission payment clear
Start a free workspace and record each commission's invoices by milestone with statuses, so you always know what's paid and what's still owed.