Project & Ad Hoc Work Billing

Q: Does someone still need to review the invoice before it goes out?

Yes, a finance manager still reviews the draft invoice before it is sent to the client.

Q: Will this work with our existing ticketing and accounting tools?

It is built to connect with the ticketing and accounting tools already in use, so existing records stay intact.

Q: What happens if a time entry does not clearly fit the scope?

Unclear entries are flagged for human review rather than billed automatically, so nothing questionable slips through.

Q: Is this suitable for a small IT support team?

Yes, it is designed for small and mid-size teams that run recurring project and ad hoc billing cycles each month.

Capturing and billing out-of-contract project work that would otherwise be absorbed.

256 hrs

Manual time identified

Companies have mapped

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About This Automation

Billing for project and ad hoc work requires checking every logged hour against a signed scope document before an invoice can be built. Doing this by hand invites mismatched rates, missed ad hoc charges, and slow turnaround.

The automated version pulls time entries, matches them against scope, and applies the correct billing rate on its own. It drafts the invoice, routes it for approval, and sends it to the client while logging status for follow up.

Key features:

Pulls logged time entries automatically from the ticketing system for each billing period

Matches entries against signed scope to separate retainer work from ad hoc work

Applies the correct billing rate based on contract type or rate card

Builds draft invoice line items directly in the accounting system

Routes the draft invoice for internal approval before it reaches the client

Logs invoice number, amount, and due date for payment follow up

Data insights How it works Apps used What you get FAQ

Top friction points when done manually

The issues teams report most often with this process

#	Friction point	Companies Report This
1	Manual scope reconciliation errors Checking entries against scope by hand leads to missed or misclassified charges.	80%
2	Inconsistent ad hoc flagging Ad hoc work is sometimes missed or billed at the wrong rate during manual review.	67%
3	Slow invoice turnaround Multiple handoffs between coordinator, project manager, and finance delay the invoice.	53%
4	Approval bottlenecks Draft invoices sit waiting for finance manager review before they can be sent.	40%
5	Missed payment follow up Invoice status logged manually is sometimes forgotten, delaying follow up.	26%

Disclaimer

Automation readiness

How well-suited this process is for automation

Process Pain Score™

8.9/ 10

AI Fit Rating™

8.7/ 10

Automation Lift Index™

8.2/ 10

Hidden Overhead™

6.3/ 10

How The Automation Works

The full workflow, from trigger to completion.

1. Time Entries Synctrigger

Weekly billing cycle triggers a pull of all logged time entries and tickets for active projects and ad hoc requests.

2. Reconcile Entries Against Scope

Time Entry Reconciliation matches entries to project budgets and flags anything outside the signed scope as ad hoc.

3. Update Reconciled Hours Sheet

Reconciled and flagged hours are written for the billing coordinator's record.

4. Draft Invoice

Invoice Drafting calculates billable totals and creates a draft invoice.

5. Finance Manager Reviews High Value Invoice

Invoices above the review threshold route to the Finance Manager for a manual check before release.

6. Send Invoice

Approved invoice is emailed to the client directly.

7. Log Invoice Status

Invoice number, amount, and due date post to the finance channel for tracking.

Most popular tool stack used

— the complete tool combinations companies use

58% of companies

28% of companies

12% of companies

Disclaimer

What you get when you map this process

Everything you need to understand, plan, and build your automation.

ROI and business case

What this process costs today and what changes once it's automated.

Launch schedule

What gets built, in what order, and what success looks like once it's live.

Process runbook

How the automation runs day to day, including exceptions and human decision points.

Developer handover pack

Full build spec, logic, and configuration — ready to hand off without a briefing call.

Integration and connections guide

Every tool connection, credential, and data mapping the build needs.

Test and QA plan

184 hrsIdentified

4Mapped

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Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know before mapping this process.

What parts of project billing can this automation handle?

It handles pulling time entries, matching them against scope, calculating rates, and drafting the invoice for review.

Does someone still need to review the invoice before it goes out?

Will this work with our existing ticketing and accounting tools?

What happens if a time entry does not clearly fit the scope?

Is this suitable for a small IT support team?

View more FAQs

Process pain:8.9/10

Mapped by:8 Companies

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Page updated 10 August 2026