Estimate & contract
The signed estimate, scope, and any addenda for the project.
Templates · Construction projects
A construction project finance template
A build generates paperwork from every direction — your estimate, progress draws to the client, subcontractor invoices, and a stack of materials receipts — and it all has to stay tied to one project. This template gives each project a folder organized by phase, with a status for each draw and a place to file change orders. Cash Workspace gives you one place to file every document and record each draw's status — organization only, with no cost or margin calculation.
The problem
Why build paperwork gets out of control
Documents arrive faster than they can be filed: receipts from the supply yard, invoices from subs, draws to the client. Without a per-project, per-phase folder, nothing ties back to the right job.
- Materials receipts from three jobs end up in one truck-console pile.
- A subcontractor's invoice can't be matched to the phase it covers.
- You can't tell which progress draw has been invoiced and which has been paid.
- A change order was agreed verbally but never documented against the project.
- At job close, assembling the project's full record means hunting through trucks and email.
The workflow
Organize the build by project and phase
Create one folder per project, file documents by phase, and record each draw's status as work progresses.
- 1
Open a project folder
Create a folder per build, named by client and address, and file the signed estimate there first.
- 2
Set up phases
Add phase areas — e.g. site prep, foundation, framing, finishes — so documents file where the work happens.
- 3
Record progress draws
Record each draw invoice to the client with its amount, date, and a status of sent, paid, or overdue.
- 4
File sub invoices and receipts
Attach subcontractor invoices and materials receipts to the phase they belong to.
- 5
Capture change orders
File each signed change order against the project so scope and its documents stay together.
Record structure
What to record for each project
A consistent set of records per build keeps the estimate, draws, and costs filed to one job.
- Project
- The build, named by client and address, that everything files under.
- Estimate
- The signed estimate or contract for the project, attached up front.
- Phase
- Which stage a document belongs to, e.g. foundation or finishes.
- Progress draw
- Each client draw with amount, date, and a sent/paid/overdue status.
- Subcontractor invoice
- The sub's invoice, attached to its phase, with amount and date.
- Materials receipt
- Supply-yard and merchant receipts attached to the right phase.
- Change order
- The signed change-order document filed against the project.
- Status note
- A short note on where each draw and phase stands.
Example setup
An example project folder
One way to structure a build's records inside your workspace.
Progress draws
Each client draw invoice with amount, date, and sent/paid/overdue status.
Subcontractor invoices
Sub invoices attached to the phase they cover, with amount and date.
Materials receipts by phase
Supply-yard receipts filed under site prep, foundation, framing, and finishes.
Change orders
Each signed change order documented against the project.
Common mistakes
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting receipts from multiple jobs mix instead of filing each to its project.
- Recording draws without a status, so paid and unpaid draws look the same.
- Agreeing change orders verbally with no document filed against the project.
- Filing subcontractor invoices loose instead of attaching them to a phase.
- Waiting until job close to organize, when receipts have already gone missing.
How it helps
How Cash Workspace helps
One folder per build
Keep the estimate, draws, sub invoices, and receipts filed to a single project folder.
Phase organization
File documents by phase so each stage's costs and paperwork stay together.
Draw status tracking
Record each progress draw with a sent, paid, or overdue status so client billing is clear.
Related
Related project finance templates
Renovation project template
A project finance folder tuned for renovation work.
Materials receipt tracker
Organize job materials and supplies receipts by job.
Multi-project tracker
Organize records across several active builds at once.
Trades finance checklist
A monthly finance routine for trades contractors.
All finance workflows
Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.
FAQ
Construction project finance FAQ
- Does this calculate my project costs or margin?
- No. It organizes the estimate, draws, sub invoices, and receipts in one folder for your review. Cash Workspace keeps records side by side but does not compute cost totals, margin, or profit.
- How do I keep each job's paperwork separate?
- Create one folder per project, named by client and address, and file every draw, sub invoice, and receipt by phase under that project.
- Where do change orders go?
- File each signed change order against its project folder so the scope change and its document live with the rest of the build's records.
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 build's records in one folder
Start a free workspace and give each project a phase-by-phase folder so estimates, draws, sub invoices, and receipts are all tied to the right job.