Tracking retainers and invoices
Two finance questions come up constantly at a small agency: which relationships actually carry the business, and did that invoice go out and get paid. Neither should require opening a spreadsheet. This guide covers keeping retainer value visible where you already work, and making invoicing quiet enough that it stops being a monthly scramble.
Key takeaways
- Put each client's retainer value and status on their client card, not in a separate sheet.
- Invoices should carry payment terms and tax handling so they're client-ready without editing.
- Marking an invoice paid should post the income to your accounts automatically.
- A pre-filled reminder for an overdue invoice removes the awkward drafting step.
Retainers where you can see them
Each client card carries its contract value and relationship status alongside the operational detail — contacts, handles, targets, activity log. That means the answer to "which renewals are coming" and "which five clients are most of our revenue" is a glance at the client list, not an export. It also means the number is in front of whoever is doing the work, which tends to improve how retainers get serviced.
Invoices that are ready to send
An invoice should come out of the system with your company details, GST line items and payment terms already on it — nothing to reformat. The unpaid/paid ledger shows what's outstanding at a glance. The goal is that raising an invoice is a 60-second action, not a document-editing session, because friction here is exactly why invoicing slips to the end of the month.
Paid invoices that post themselves
When an invoice is marked paid, the income should post to your accounts automatically. That single automatic step is what turns month-end reconciliation from a re-keying exercise into a review. Without it, you are maintaining the same numbers in two places and hoping they agree; with it, the accounts are a byproduct of the billing you were already doing.
Chasing without the awkwardness
For an overdue invoice, a pre-filled reminder — the right amount, the invoice number, a polite line — removes the part people avoid, which is drafting the chase from scratch. Making the follow-up a click rather than a writing task is a small change that measurably shortens how long invoices sit unpaid.
Common questions
Is this full accounting software?
No. It handles agency invoicing and posts paid income to an accounts ledger. For statutory filing and full bookkeeping you'll still use your accountant's tools.
Does it handle GST?
Invoices support GST line items and carry your company details and payment terms.
Can I see profitability per client?
You can see retainer value per client and income in accounts. Full per-client profit-and-loss is a roadmap item.
See how ThodaLogic Ops does this
Invoicing & payments — part of one workspace for clients, content, approvals, invoicing and client reporting.
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