Project — contract
The signed contract, schedule of values, and contract total for reference.
Receivables · Progress billing
Progress billing records for long-running projects
On long, construction-adjacent projects you bill in stages as the work advances, and each invoice needs to sit in context: how far along the project is, what you billed this stage, and how much you've billed in total. Cash Workspace gives contractors a progress-billing log per project where you record a noted percent complete, the amount billed this stage, a cumulative total you keep yourself, and a status per invoice — all kept beside the project documents. Entry is manual; the workspace does not do percent-complete math for you.
The problem
Why progress billing gets hard to follow
Stage invoices pile up over months, and without a running log it's tough to see where billing stands against the contract. The cumulative picture is what gets lost.
- You've sent four progress invoices but can't quickly say how much of the contract is billed.
- Each stage's percent complete lives in a separate progress report, not next to the invoice.
- You're unsure whether the next draw would push past the contract value.
- Stage invoices and the project drawings live in different places, so context is missing.
- At close you can't reconcile the sum of stage invoices against the agreed total.
The workflow
Keep a running progress-billing log
Log each stage invoice with the percent complete you note and the cumulative total you carry forward.
- 1
Set up the project log
Create a folder per project and record the contract value and a starting cumulative-billed of zero.
- 2
Note percent complete
When you bill a stage, record the percent-complete figure you've assessed for that point in the work.
- 3
Record amount this stage
Record the amount billed for this stage and its invoice number and date.
- 4
Carry the cumulative total
Add this stage to your running cumulative-billed figure and record it, so you can see total billed to date.
- 5
Set status and file
Mark each stage invoice Sent or Paid and keep it beside the project drawings and contract.
Record structure
What to record for each progress invoice
These fields give every stage invoice the context a long project needs.
- Stage / draw number
- Which progress billing this is, e.g. Draw 3.
- Percent complete (noted)
- The completion figure you assessed for this stage — a number you enter, not one the workspace computes.
- Amount this stage
- The value billed in this progress invoice.
- Cumulative billed (user-tracked)
- Your running total of everything billed so far, carried forward by you.
- Contract value
- The agreed total, kept on the project record to compare against.
- Invoice number and date
- Your reference and the date this stage was billed.
- Status
- Sent, partially paid, or paid for each stage invoice.
- Project documents attached
- Contract, schedule of values, or drawings attached for context.
Example setup
An example progress-billing log
One way to lay out a staged project inside your workspace.
Progress invoices
One record per draw with stage number, noted percent complete, amount this stage, cumulative billed, and status.
Stage backup
Progress photos, sign-offs, or measurements supporting each draw, attached to the matching invoice.
Common mistakes
Mistakes to avoid
- Not keeping a cumulative total, so you can't see how much of the contract is billed.
- Storing percent-complete in separate reports away from the invoices.
- Assuming the workspace will calculate percentages — you enter those yourself.
- Filing stage invoices apart from the contract and drawings.
- Skipping status, so paid and unpaid draws are indistinguishable at close.
How it helps
How Cash Workspace helps
A log per project
Keep every stage invoice for a project in one running list, beside the contract and drawings.
Context on every stage
Record the noted percent complete, amount this stage, and your cumulative total so each invoice sits in context.
Status across draws
Mark each draw sent or paid so you can see the project's billing position at a glance.
Related
Related receivables workflows
Milestone invoice tracker
Bill per defined milestone rather than percent complete.
Final invoice checklist
Reconcile all stages before the closing invoice.
Outstanding balance log
See remaining balances across projects and clients.
Workspace for contractors
How contractors organize project finances.
All finance workflows
Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.
FAQ
Progress billing FAQ
- Does Cash Workspace calculate percent complete or totals?
- No. You assess percent complete and carry the cumulative total yourself; the workspace records the figures you enter beside each stage invoice so the running picture stays in one place.
- How do I see total billed to date?
- You keep a cumulative-billed figure on the project, updating it each time you record a stage invoice. Recorded against the contract value, it shows how much of the project is billed so far.
- Can I keep the drawings with the billing log?
- Yes — attach the contract, schedule of values, and supporting documents to the project folder so each draw can be reviewed in context.
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 your staged billing in one running log
Start a free workspace and log each progress invoice with its percent complete, amount, and cumulative total so a long project's billing never gets murky.