Bill retention

Retention (also called retainage) is the share of each progress payment the customer holds back until the job is done, often 5% or 10%. Each application for payment (progress bill) shows the retainage held so far. When the job is finished, you send one more application that asks for all of it.

Before you startCopy Anchor Link

The Bill retention button appears only when all of these are true:

• At least one application for payment is saved.
• The last saved application shows the job 100% complete: the total in the % (G/C) column of its continuation sheet is 100%.
• You are on the Create new bill tab, starting a new application. The button doesn't appear while you edit a saved application.

If the last application is not yet 100% complete, bill the remaining work first. See Bill with applications for payment.

Bill the retentionCopy Anchor Link

1. Open the project and go to Billing.
2. Click the Create new bill tab.
3. Check Application Date and Period To, and make any other changes to the new application.
4. Click Bill retention. BidUnity sets the Retainage column to zero on every line, so the Current Payment Due, This Application on the summary page becomes the total retainage held.
5. Check the amounts. If you change a line after this, click Bill retention again before you save.
6. Click Save application.

If you see Bill retention is not available for this application. Refresh the page to see the current billing state., the billing changed since you opened the page, for example someone else saved or deleted an application. Refresh the page and check the last application.

What happens nextCopy Anchor Link

• The retention application is saved like any other application for payment, with its own tab. You can print it with Print pay app.
• When you record that you have been paid the full net contract amount, the contract status changes to Discharged and it leaves the Work in progress report. See Record payments received.