Retainer management
Keep every retainer hour tied to its billing period.
A monthly fee can look healthy while the work quietly runs past the agreement. Billable8 keeps the hours, period rules and delivery cost together so you can review the engagement before the invoice leaves.
By Ops Automators, the team behind Billable8
Set the period before the work starts
Start with the client, included hours, fee and billing dates. A retainer that runs from the 29th to the 28th needs its own period boundaries; grouping everything by calendar month can put work on the wrong side of a close.
Record the rollover and overage rules you actually agreed with the client. Billable8 supports period-based retainer work, but it can't decide what your contract permits. If the agreement is unclear, settle that before relying on an overage amount.
See what has been used
Time logged against the project contributes to the retainer record. A task entry, timer or weekly timesheet should lead to the same reviewable work history. Check the client, date and task when an entry lands; a correct duration on the wrong project is still a billing mistake.
| Item | Hours |
|---|---|
| Included this period | 30 |
| Eligible carry-in | 2 |
| Available before overage | 32 |
| Logged work | 35 |
| Hours beyond the allowance | 3 |
This example assumes all 35 hours belong to the period and qualify against the allowance. Whether the extra three hours are charged, waived or carried depends on the agreed rule and your review.
Review the commercial result
Used hours tell only part of the story. Compare the retainer's value with delivery cost based on the cost rates you've configured. An engagement can stay inside its allowance and still consume expensive specialist time.
Historical bill and cost rates are stored on time entries. A later rate change doesn't silently reprice earlier work. If you correct history deliberately, review the affected entries and billing period before closing.
Close the period with an audit trail
Review time and approvals, resolve exceptions, then carry the checked amount into your accounting system. Billable8 prepares the work behind the invoice; your accounting system sends it.
Closing the period gives the team a boundary for later changes. Keep the external invoice reference with the billing record so the amount can be traced back to the approved work.
Give the client the useful part
The client portal shows the work you've made available to that client. Internal cost rates and delivery margin stay inside the workspace. Client users don't count as paid internal seats.
Start the trial with one live retainer whose rules you understand. Check a normal entry and an overage case before moving the rest of the book. If all you need is a free stopwatch, this is more software than that job needs.
Continue with the workflow
Retainer Rollover and Overage: A Worked Example
A practical example of included hours, carry-in and retainer overage, with checks for expiry, billing dates and period close.
Delivery profitabilityAgency Profitability Software for Client Work
Compare client project value with configured delivery costs. Billable8 connects time, frozen rates and billing review for consulting teams.