Issue a usage statement instead of an invoice
Show a retainer client what drew their prepayment down this period without asking for money, and keep it out of bookkeeping.
A usage statement records work drawn down against a retainer the client already paid. It has no balance, no due date, and no bookkeeping entry. This article creates one and says when to use it.
Steps
- Go to Billing, then Usage statements, and click New usage statement.
- Pick the client and brand.
- Pull in the billable hours for the period or add lines by hand.
- Save. The statement is numbered U-, and the PDF is ready to download or share.
- Mark it Issued when you send it. Viewed updates on its own when the client opens the link.
When to use which
| Situation | Document |
|---|---|
| New month's retainer, deposit, top-up, overage, hourly bill | Invoice |
| Periodic recap of hours against a prepaid retainer | Usage statement |
Pull in the period's hours
Choose the project and the date range. Verbial lists the billable entries in that window with their drawdown against the retainer, grouped by task or by person, so the statement reads the same way the credit ledger does on the paid invoice. Entries flagged Incomplete by the bookkeeper are held back here as well.
What the client sees
The PDF is titled Usage statement, shows Applied to retainer, and omits payment instructions. The share link works the same way as an invoice link without a pay step.
What to check
- Statements never appear in outstanding or overdue totals.
- Statements are skipped by the QuickBooks bridge. See Record, reconcile, and sync payments.
- The setup wizard offers monthly usage statements as a default for retainer agencies. Decline it if your clients do not want the recap.
Questions
How do I tell a statement from an invoice?
Invoices are numbered N-, statements U-. Statements have their own sidebar link, run Draft, Issued, Viewed, never Paid, and never sync to QuickBooks.
Can I turn an invoice into a statement?
Yes. The document type is a label on the same record. Change it on the detail page; the number stays.