Contracts and measuring work
Set up the contract a client's work is delivered under, then measure completed work against its rates.
Rufineous Emmanuel
Last Update a day ago
Once your rate cards exist (see Rate cards, priced items and uplifts), a contract ties them to a client, and measures record the work you've actually done.
Contracts
A contract is "the agreement a client's work is delivered under — its rate card, currency, retention and payment terms." New contract captures:
- Client and Rate card, Currency, Status (Draft / Active / On hold / Closed).
- Code / reference.
- Retention (%) — the percentage held back on each valuation.
- Payment terms (days) — drives the due date on certified valuations.
- Contract value (an optional ceiling), Period and Notes.
Measures
A measure records quantities of work done against a job — and nothing is billable without that operational link. Record measure builds one or more priced lines:
- Pick a rate item from the card, a quantity, and optionally one uplift (OOH, weekend…). A live preview shows qty × rate (uplift) = total.
- Add as many lines as the measure needs.
- Attach evidence — photos/files that back up the quantities.
Each line prices at its effective (uplifted) rate, rounded per line then summed. Field staff can record measures — only billing managers approve and bill them.
Approval
A submitted measure waits for a decision: Approve or Reject (the submitter is notified). Only approved measures feed billing, and a measure can only be decided once. Statuses run Submitted → Approved / Rejected → Applied (applied = pulled into a valuation or payment application).
Why it's built this way: every bill traces back to an approved, evidence-backed measure against a real job — and each measure is stamped applied the moment it's billed, so it can never be charged twice. Getting the money out is the next article.