The Accounting tab (Figure 1) of the Edit Project drawer allows you to create a billing schedule for projects with a Fixed Fee or Fixed Monthly billing type. In order to edit a project you must have access to the project and also have the Edit project permission set on your security profile.
Only projects with a Fixed Fee or Fixed Monthly billing type use a billing schedule. Projects with a Time & Materials billing type will not have the billing schedule tab. A billing schedule is a ledger of project milestones that will be invoiced to the client on specified dates. When a milestone has been billed via a published invoice, an invoice icon (Figure 1) will show on the corresponding row of the billing schedule.
Figure 1 - Accounting Tab will Include a Billing Schedule for Fixed Fee and Fixed Monthly Projects
It is a good practice to set up the billing schedule at the outset of the project, even if the exact milestone dates are uncertain. This helps ensure that the scheduled invoice milestones match the fixed fee amount on the Overview tab of the Edit Project drawer. If the milestone completion dates shift during the project, the bill dates on the billing schedule can be adjusted accordingly.
To create a billing schedule entry, simply click the + Quick Add button at the bottom-left of the list (Figure 1). This will allow you to key in the bill date, invoice item, invoice milestone description, and the fee amount. If you wish to supply a quantity and rate for the milestone, check the Include a quantity and rate for this milestone checkbox and enter the Quantity and Rate values in the fields provided. Upon entering a quantity and rate, Ruddr will calculate the total Amount for the milestone.
You can edit or delete a billing schedule entry by using the menu on the right end of the row. Once a billing schedule entry has been billed on a published invoice, it can no longer be edited or deleted.
The Billing area of Ruddr will automatically pick up fixed fee invoice milestones once the bill date of the milestone is reached. These milestones will appear on the Ready to Bill screen.
Fixed Monthly Billing Schedules
A Fixed Monthly project is one in which you will invoice the client the same amount each month. These projects are essentially a monthly, fixed fee engagement that recurs for specified number of months. The billing schedule (Figure 2) for a fixed monthly project allows you to create individual billing schedule items and will also allow you to "build out" a billing schedule, based on a date range and a recurring Fixed Monthly Fee amount.
Figure 2 - Fixed Monthly Billing Schedule
To add multiple items to the billing schedule, click on the Add Multiple button found at the top of the billing schedule (Figure 2). This will present a Multiple Invoice Milestones modal (Figure 3) that will allow you to enter the following:
- Include a quantity and rate for this milestone - if you would like to specify a quantity and rate for the milestone, check this box and you will be presented with form fields to enter these values. When entered, the Amount will be calculated for you.
- Starting Month - provide the first month for which you want to create a billing milestone
- Ending Month - provide the last month for which you want a billing milestone created
- Scheduled on Day - enter the day of the month on which you want the billing milestone to be available for invoicing. On these dates each month, the billing milestone will appear in the Ready to Bill screen.
- Invoice Item - the invoice item will be set on the invoice line associated with this milestone when an invoice is created for the milestone.
- Milestone Description - provide a description that you would like to assign to the milestone. Note that this milestone description will be the default description assigned to the invoice line item associated with this milestone.
- Append Month and Year - select this setting if you would like to include the Month and Year of the billing schedule item inline with the milestone description.
- Amount - the monthly amount you wish to invoice for this milestone
Figure 3 - Create Multiple Invoice Milestones for a Fixed Monthly Project
As these milestones are created, they will be added to the Fixed Fee Billing Schedule (Figure 4).
Figure 4 - Items with a Monthly Bill Date of the 7th on the Fixed Fee Billing Schedule of a Fixed Monthly Project
Once items have been added to the schedule, whether individually or in multiples, you still have the ability to edit these billing schedule entries or create additional entries (using the +Quick Add button as shown in Figure 2).
For more information about the various billing methods for projects, see the Billing Types article.