Retainers with an hours quota

The problem

A retainer covers 20 hours a month. The team logs 26, nobody sees it until the invoice is due, and the client pays for 20. The favour in week two is logged to the retainer and lost in it.

How it works in workelligence

1. 1

   Create the project with the billing type Retainer.

   Enter Retainer / month (net) and the included hours.

2. 2

   Watch Quota used this period on the Retainer tab.

   The meter shows the included hours used so far, any day of the month; the period ledger lists every period with Logged, Covered, Over quota and Billed.

3. 3

   Decide what to raise before you bill.

   Every entry against the retainer is visible before the invoice, so a favour is a decision, not a surprise.

4. 4

   Click Bill this period.

   The draft contains the fee, the covered hours and the overage as a separate line, with the statement of hours. One invoice per period, never two.

5. 5

   Let it repeat.

   A recurring invoice definition bills the fee on its own; you keep the check before it goes out, or let it finalize automatically.