Agency milestone invoices need an acceptance trigger

Name the event behind each payment

Square documents deposits and milestone payment schedules for eligible invoice subscriptions. For a hypothetical branding agency, that can organise collection, but the business still needs to define each milestone. A date on an invoice is not the same as a client accepting a deliverable. Decide whether payment is due on a calendar date, after approval or before the next phase begins. Make the trigger readable in the agreement and invoice. Verify the current plan and country requirements before making the feature part of the sales promise.

• Square: invoice deposits and payment schedules ↗

Make approval specific enough to record

For each stage, identify the material the client reviews, who can approve it and how the approval is captured. A message saying looks good may refer to a colour direction rather than the full identity package. Use a clear version reference and a defined response. Keep the accepted work separate from ongoing exploratory files. In the hypothetical agency, approving a concept should not accidentally imply that every later application is already complete. A structured acceptance record helps both the delivery team and the person preparing the next invoice.

Handle scope changes before they distort the schedule

If the client asks for an additional deliverable, describe its effect on work, timing and price before adding it to the project. Decide whether it belongs in the existing schedule or a separate approved change. Do not quietly increase the next payment request and expect the client to infer why. Keep outstanding approvals and outstanding payments visible as different states. A late invoice may be an operational issue at the agency, while a delayed approval may be waiting on the client. The response should follow the actual cause. Include the client's approval reference on the internal payment request checklist, so billing staff can confirm the trigger without rereading every project message.

Reconcile a sample project

Take one hypothetical engagement through deposit, first approval, revised scope and final payment. Ask a colleague to explain the original total, approved additions, amounts received and remaining obligation using the records alone. Check how the actual tool reports partial payments before using its figures in management reporting. Keep professional accounting decisions with the appropriate adviser. The invoicing workflow is ready when each request has a clear basis and the team can identify the next action. A payment schedule should clarify the project rather than hide an unresolved agreement.