Keep the accepted version
A customer saying yes is a good point to pause and check what they accepted. If you sent several versions, save the exact estimate and the approval record together. Give the job a consistent name or reference.
Record the agreed work, price, assumptions and timing. If the approval includes a new request, clarify whether it changes the scope before treating it as part of the original price. Follow the approval method required by your agreement.
Keep older versions for reference, but make the accepted version easy to identify. A folder with five files called “final” will be hard to use when you need to explain a price later.
Confirm the payment plan and start arrangements
Check whether payment is due before work, at a milestone or after completion. Confirm any deposit, the remaining payment schedule and the information the customer needs to pay.
Keep a requested deposit separate from a deposit actually received. A line saying “deposit requested: $300” does not mean the balance has already been reduced by $300.
Agreed total: $1,800. Deposit received: $300. Remaining balance: $1,500. If the deposit has only been requested, it has not yet been credited as a payment.
Confirm access, material choices and scheduling before the start date. An accepted estimate alone does not resolve every practical detail of getting the job underway.
Carry the scope into a job record
Keep the estimate, customer details, planned work and relevant notes together. Include the site address, the person handling approval and any access arrangements you discussed.
Use the same job reference on change records and invoices. This makes it easier to connect an extra material purchase or a customer question to the right project.
Track progress against the accepted scope. When something changes, document the added or removed work and its price or schedule effect. The Change Order Template gives you a starting point for that record.
Prepare an invoice for the payment being requested
An estimate describes proposed work and pricing. An invoice requests payment. Prepare the invoice for the agreed deposit, milestone or completed work you are billing now, rather than copying the entire estimate without reviewing it.
- Use a unique invoice number and an issue date.
- Identify the job and the work or payment stage being billed.
- Carry over agreed pricing and approved changes.
- Credit payments already received when they apply to this invoice.
- Show a clear balance due, due date and payment instructions.
A deposit invoice and a final invoice should not each demand the full job amount without accounting for the earlier payment. Check the invoices together before sending the next one.
Check the balance and keep a follow-up record
Review line items and totals, then confirm the recipient and attachments. The Invoice Checklist covers the details that are easy to miss when you are rushing.
Use the Invoice Due Date Calculator when your terms count calendar days from the invoice date. If your agreement uses a different starting point, follow that agreement.
Save the sent invoice and note when to check for payment. Update your records when funds arrive so later reminders reflect the current balance. A clear record helps you answer the next customer question without rebuilding the job's history.
Make the first invoice easier to check.
Use the Invoice Worksheet and pre-send checklist to carry the agreed details into the next document.