Project-based billing
Bill the approved project - not a reconstructed version.
Keep the fixed fee, milestone or approved time source visible when project work becomes an invoice.
7-day free trial, no card needed.Invoicera supports project-based billing through fixed-fee work, accepted milestones and approved time. Finance can apply the agreed customer terms, rate and outgoing review before an invoice is delivered, then retain receivables context afterward. It supports the billing step around project work; it does not plan, assign or manage project delivery.
Recognise the work
The project record says progress. Finance needs a billable event.
Status updates describe delivery, but they do not always identify the agreed amount, acceptance condition, approved hours or reviewer. Billing needs a narrower record that explains why this project value belongs on this invoice now.
See how stage-by-stage progress billing works in construction billing.
- 01
Progress has no commercial trigger
A project percentage changes, but the billing terms depend on a specific accepted milestone.
- 02
Time is recorded but not approved
Hours exist in a work system without the decision that makes them ready for invoicing.
- 03
Fixed and variable work are combined too early
Finance sees one total without the source, rate and review behind each component.
Progress billing software
Progress billing software for agreed stages, not project plans.
Progress billing, also called progress invoicing, bills a project in parts as agreed stages are reached instead of in one invoice at the end. Invoicera handles the invoicing side: milestone billing, fixed-fee instalments and the review before each invoice leaves. Planning the work, assigning people and tracking delivery stay in your project tool.
- 01
Milestone billing
Trigger an invoice when an agreed project milestone is completed, with the milestone amount and approver kept on the record (from the Grow plan).
- 02
Fixed-fee instalments
Bill a fixed project price in agreed instalments mapped to the deliverables in the contract, on every plan.
- 03
Invoices tied to the project
Project invoicing keeps every progress invoice linked to its project, with roll-ups that show what has been billed so far (from the Grow plan).
Time and materials billing
Time and materials billing on approved hours.
Time and materials billing charges the client for the hours worked and the materials used, at agreed rates. The risk is an invoice built on hours nobody approved or on a rate that has since changed. Invoicera turns approved time into invoice lines at the rate that applies to each role or task. Time and materials billing is included from the Grow plan.
- 01
Rates by role or task
Apply a different rate to each role or task, so a senior hour and a junior hour are not billed the same.
- 02
Approval before billing
Approve timesheets before billing and bill at task level within the project when the client asks for that detail.
- 03
Time from where it is tracked
Capture time in Invoicera, or bring time tracked in Harvest or Toggl in as invoice lines.
- 04
Mixed project types
From the Scale plan, a billing rule engine handles projects that mix time and materials, fixed fees and milestones.
How it works
Turn project evidence into an explainable invoice.
The billing path begins only after the relevant work, milestone or time record meets the agreed commercial condition.
Start with the broader Solutions map.
- 01
Identify
Select the fixed fee, accepted milestone or approved time that belongs in the billing period.
- 02
Apply
Use the agreed amount or rate and retain the source that supports each invoice component.
- 03
Review
Complete outgoing approval, deliver the invoice and carry exceptions into receivables work.
A practical decision rule
Project status informs billing. It does not authorise it alone.
Use the commercial term and approval state to decide what is billable, even when delivery progress is already visible elsewhere.
Bring approved hours into project invoices through time tracking and billing.
Worked example
A $50,000 project with three billing triggers
- Project start
- 20% = $10,000
- Milestone accepted
- 40% = $20,000
- Approved additional time
- 18 × $175 = $3,150
- Current outgoing invoice
- $23,150
Industries
Billing by industry.
Explore billing by industry.
View all industries
Professional services
Control retainers, approved time, project work and client review before the invoice leaves finance.
View industry →
SaaS
Keep recurring periods, entered or imported quantities and renewal billing decisions visible.
View industry →
Construction
Turn accepted milestones, change orders and project billing checkpoints into controlled invoices.
View industry →
Logistics
Connect service records, rates, accessorial charges and customer requirements to outgoing billing.
View industry →
Legal
Keep the fee arrangement, reviewer and receivable path connected to the outgoing invoice.
View industry →Blog
Relevant reading for this decision.
Explore billing decisions.
View more articles
Billing operations · Sep 22, 2026
5 Common Project Billing Problems and How to Fix Them
Read article →
Billing operations · Sep 15, 2026
How to Simplify Complex Billing Without Replacing Your Business Systems
Read article →
Billing operations · Sep 9, 2026
Zoho Billing vs Invoicera: Which Fits Growing Businesses?
Read article →Customer perspective
What customers say about working with Invoicera.
My contractor business moved away from a manual invoicing process. Invoicera made invoicing simpler, which leaves me more time to help clients.
Late payments made cash flow difficult to manage. Invoicera gives me notifications when clients have not paid, so I can respond and keep the business moving.
Invoicera has streamlined our billing operations and helped us reduce manual effort. We particularly value its automation, ease of use, and professional invoicing experience. It’s a great solution for growing businesses, and we’re happy to recommend it.
Questions buyers ask
Know where this fits.
Each answer stands on its own, including the boundary of what Invoicera does and does not do.
What is project-based billing in Invoicera?
Project-based billing turns agreed fixed fees, accepted milestones or approved time into outgoing customer invoices. Each component should retain its commercial source, amount or rate and approval state. Invoicera manages that billing record and subsequent receivables context, while the team’s delivery system remains responsible for planning and executing the project itself.
Can one project invoice combine milestones and time?
Yes, when the customer terms permit both components and each is ready to bill. The milestone should retain its accepted amount and approver, while the time component retains approved hours and the agreed rate. Combining them on one invoice should not remove the separate explanation for how each amount became billable.
Does Invoicera replace project-management software?
No. Invoicera does not plan work, assign tasks, manage resources or determine whether delivery is complete. It uses fixed-fee, milestone and approved-time inputs for the outgoing billing step. The project system can remain the work and delivery record, while Invoicera keeps the commercial source, invoice decision and receivables state connected.
When should a project milestone be invoiced?
Invoice a milestone when the contract’s billing condition has been met and the appropriate owner has confirmed acceptance. A general progress percentage is not enough when the agreement requires a named deliverable or review. Retain the milestone, agreed amount, confirmation and outgoing reviewer so finance can explain why the invoice was issued.
Can project billing work alongside Jira?
Jira can act as a live companion for work connected to billing. Keep the work record and billing decision distinct: relevant project or milestone context can support billing, but the approved billable input and outgoing invoice remain controlled in Invoicera. Confirm the exact setup and supported objects for the intended project flow before implementation.
What is the difference between progress invoicing and milestone billing?
Progress invoicing bills a project in parts as work advances, often against a share of the contract value. Milestone billing is a form of progress billing where each invoice is tied to a named deliverable or event. In Invoicera, progress is billed through milestone-based invoice triggers and fixed-fee instalments. Invoicera does not measure percentage complete; the team confirms the stage and Invoicera bills the agreed amount for it.
How does time and materials billing work in Invoicera?
From the Grow plan, approved time becomes invoice lines at rates set by role or task. Timesheets can be approved before billing, time can be captured in Invoicera or brought in from Harvest or Toggl, and billing can go down to task level. Agreed materials are added as their own invoice lines. From the Scale plan, a rule engine handles projects that mix time and materials, fixed fees and milestones.
Is Invoicera project invoicing software or project-management software?
Project invoicing software. Invoicera turns fixed fees, completed milestones and approved time into customer invoices, reviews them before they are sent and follows the open balance afterwards. It does not plan projects, assign tasks, manage resources or report on delivery. Those stay in the project tool the team already uses.
Start with the real billing case
Bring the schedule, exception or approval that is hardest to control.
See how Invoicera would run it without moving the ledger out of the system your finance team already uses.
Book a Demo