Maya R. — illustrator
Her signed contract, W-9, three submitted invoices, and a payment list with dates and amounts.
Freelance finance · Subcontractors
Keep every subcontractor's paperwork in one folder
When you bring on subcontractors, their contracts, tax forms, and submitted invoices end up scattered across email threads, your downloads folder, and a chat app. Six months later you can't find the signed agreement or remember what you paid. A folder per subcontractor, with a simple payment-record list beside it, keeps everything together. Cash Workspace gives you one place to file each subcontractor's documents and record what you paid them.
The problem
Why subcontractor paperwork goes missing
Subcontractor records live wherever they happened to arrive — an email, a signed PDF, a payment confirmation. Without one folder per person, the pieces drift apart.
- The signed contract is in an email thread you can no longer find.
- A subcontractor's tax form arrived once and was never filed anywhere.
- You can't tell which of their invoices you've already paid.
- At year-end you can't total what you paid each person without digging through your inbox.
- Two subcontractors have similar names and their documents got mixed up.
The workflow
Build a folder per subcontractor
Set up one folder for each subcontractor the first time you work with them, then file everything into it as it arrives.
- 1
Create the folder
When you engage a subcontractor, make a folder named for them and add a short note with their role and start date.
- 2
File the contract and tax form
Attach the signed agreement and their submitted tax form (such as a W-9) to the folder right away.
- 3
Record their invoices
As each invoice arrives, attach the PDF and record its number, date, and amount in that subcontractor's list.
- 4
Note each payment
When you pay, record the payment date, amount, and method so paid and unpaid invoices are clear.
- 5
Review before year-end
Open each folder and confirm the contract, tax form, and a complete payment list are all present.
Record structure
What to record for each subcontractor
A consistent set of fields per subcontractor keeps the folder reviewable and ready for handoff.
- Subcontractor name
- The person or business you engaged, kept as a consistent record so documents stay grouped.
- Role or service
- What they did for you, e.g. copywriting, illustration, or development.
- Contract
- The signed agreement attached to the folder.
- Tax form
- Their submitted tax document, such as a W-9, attached for your records.
- Invoice number
- Each invoice they submitted, with its PDF attached.
- Invoice amount
- The amount on each submitted invoice.
- Payment date
- When you paid each invoice, so paid and unpaid are clear.
- Payment method
- How you paid, e.g. bank transfer or check, noted for your own reference.
Example setup
An example subcontractor folder setup
One way to organize subcontractor records inside your workspace.
Dev Studio LLC
The development agreement, their tax form, and invoices recorded month by month.
Subcontractor index
A short note listing each subcontractor, their role, and start date for quick reference.
Common mistakes
Mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the signed contract in email instead of filing it in the folder.
- Skipping the tax form because you 'have it somewhere'.
- Recording the invoice but not the payment, so you can't tell what's still owed.
- Mixing two subcontractors' documents under one ambiguous folder name.
- Waiting until year-end to gather everything from scratch.
How it helps
How Cash Workspace helps
A folder per subcontractor
Keep each subcontractor's contract, tax form, and invoices attached together in their own document folder.
A simple payment list
Record each payment's date, amount, and method so paid and unpaid invoices stay clear.
Ready for handoff
Export the folder so your accountant can see exactly who you paid and what's on file.
Related
Related subcontractor and vendor workflows
Subcontractor payment log
Record every payment to subcontractors with dates and amounts.
Contractor payee records
Organize who you paid for year-end reporting.
Vendor records directory
Keep a tidy list of the vendors and contractors you work with.
Accountant handoff folder
Gather records into one export-ready folder for your accountant.
All finance workflows
Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.
FAQ
Subcontractor document folder FAQ
- What documents should I keep for each subcontractor?
- Most freelancers keep the signed contract, the subcontractor's tax form, every invoice they submitted, and a record of what was paid and when. Cash Workspace lets you attach all of these in one folder per person.
- Can I see what I still owe a subcontractor?
- You record each invoice and each payment, so the difference between recorded invoices and recorded payments shows what is still outstanding when you review the list.
- Does Cash Workspace read the tax form or contract for me?
- No. You attach the documents yourself; Cash Workspace stores them in the subcontractor's folder alongside your invoice and payment records so everything stays together.
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 each subcontractor's paperwork together
Start a free workspace and build a folder per subcontractor so their contract, tax form, invoices, and payments stay in one place all year.