Bill as the job progresses, with a clear amount left to go.
Collect a deposit, invoice the next stage, and send the remaining bill when the work is finished. PayPolka tracks each invoice against the accepted estimate or fixed project fee.
Try every feature free for 30 days. No card needed.
You shouldn't have to fund the whole job yourself.
Materials, subcontractors, and your team's time can all cost money before a job is finished. When you've agreed to staged payments, your billing needs to follow that agreement clearly.
For an illustrative $10,000 estimate before tax and discounts, you might invoice a $2,500 deposit, $5,000 after the next stage, and $2,500 at completion. Enter each amount when you're ready to bill it, review the draft, and send it to the client.
PayPolka tracks invoiced amounts separately from payments. A deposit invoice waiting for payment is already counted as billed, so the remaining estimate amount doesn't tell you whether that deposit has cleared. The invoice shows that. See the step-by-step example.
How PayPolka helps
Invoice the deposit you agreed
Enter a dollar amount or percentage on the accepted estimate. PayPolka creates a draft for that portion; you decide when to send it.
Add progress invoices when a stage is ready
Create further invoices against the amount left to bill. Each one stays linked to the original estimate so you can follow the job's billing history.
Show the client where this bill fits
Partial invoices include the estimate reference and a breakdown of the original subtotal, previously invoiced amount, and current invoice.
Finish with the amount still unbilled
The amount field starts with what remains. Check the existing invoices, then create and review the final draft.
A partial invoice says where it sits in the whole.
Questions, answered.
Is a percentage based on the remaining amount?
No. It uses the original pre-tax subtotal. On a $10,000 estimate, 25% means $2,500 even if some of the estimate has already been invoiced.
Do drafts count toward the amount billed?
Yes. A draft reserves its portion. Deleting it makes that amount available again. Written-off invoices are excluded from the remaining-amount calculation.
Can I do this on a fixed-fee project?
Yes. The project's Invoices tab has an Amount to invoice field for dollar amounts or percentages of the fee.
What does PayPolka cost?
$9 per person per month. Every feature is included, and read-only accountant access is free. New accounts get 30 days free with no card needed. Add a card before the trial ends to keep going; if you never do, nothing is charged.
Make the payment schedule easier to follow.
Start with your next client project. Log the work, prepare the invoice, and see how PayPolka fits your business.
Try every feature free for 30 days. No card needed.