{"id":32781,"date":"2025-10-03T09:55:42","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T13:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=32781"},"modified":"2025-10-10T05:47:46","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T09:47:46","slug":"progress-billing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/progress-billing\/","title":{"rendered":"Progress billing: Definition, benefits, and how to implement"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/category\/strategy-legal-operations\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Strategy, Legal &amp; Operations<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tProgress billing: Definition, benefits, and how to implement\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-10-03T09:55:42-04:00\">October 3, 2025<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Progress billing: Definition, benefits, and how to implement\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/progress-billing\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/joechurchwoods\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/05\/Joe-Yard-2-crop-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Joe Church Woods\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Joe Church Woods<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever worked on a project that takes weeks\u2014or even months\u2014you know the waiting game can be brutal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You put in the hours, deliver results, but can\u2019t bill until everything is wrapped up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, cash flow gets tighter, and managing expenses feels like juggling fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s where progress billing can help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of waiting until the very end, this method lets you invoice your clients as portions of the project are completed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s like breaking one giant invoice into smaller, manageable chunks\u2014keeping your revenue steady and your clients informed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this guide, we\u2019ll break down the progress billing meaning, show you which industries rely on it most, and walk you through how to implement it smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s what we&#8217;ll cover:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-progress-billing\" data-level=\"2\">What is progress billing?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-which-industries-use-progress-billing\" data-level=\"2\">Which industries use progress billing?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-common-progress-billing-features\" data-level=\"2\">Common progress billing features<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-benefits-of-progress-billing\" data-level=\"2\">Benefits of progress billing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-s-included-when-progress-billing-for-a-project\" data-level=\"2\">What&rsquo;s included when progress billing for a project?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-progress-billing-example\" data-level=\"2\">Progress billing example<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-progress-billing-challenges\" data-level=\"2\">Progress billing challenges<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-to-implement-progress-billing\" data-level=\"2\">How to implement progress billing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-progress-billing-and-cost-overruns\" data-level=\"2\">Progress billing and cost overruns<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-manage-progress-billing-with-sage-solutions\" data-level=\"2\">Manage progress billing with Sage solutions<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-final-thoughts\" data-level=\"2\">Final thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-progress-billing\"><strong>What is progress billing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At its core, progress billing is an invoicing method where you bill clients based on the percentage of work completed instead of waiting until the project is fully done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of it as a pay-as-you-go approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You finish a phase, send the invoice, and keep the project moving\u2014without waiting months for a lump-sum payment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a lifesaver for industries where projects stretch out over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-which-industries-use-progress-billing\"><strong>Which industries use progress billing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not every business needs progressive billing, but for industries with long-term contracts and phased deliverables, it\u2019s a game changer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll see progress billing in accounting most often in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Construction and engineering.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Architecture and design.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consulting and legal services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Software development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For these industries, it\u2019s not just about billing\u2014it\u2019s about keeping projects financially healthy from start to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-common-progress-billing-features\"><strong>Common progress billing <\/strong>features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re new to progress billing, there are a couple of common features you&#8217;ll come across that you should be understand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-schedules-of-values\">Schedules of values<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is basically a detailed breakdown of all the project components and their associated costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scheduled of values is like the billing blueprint, making sure everyone\u2014contractor, client, consultant\u2014is on the same page about what\u2019s been done and what\u2019s being billed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-percentage-retained\">Percentage retained <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another common progress billing feature is percentage retained (or retention).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clients will often hold back a portion of payment until the project is 100% complete. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why? It protects them from paying in full for work that isn\u2019t finished or doesn\u2019t meet quality standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Retention ensures accountability while keeping trust intact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-benefits-of-progress-billing\"><strong>Benefits of progress billing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So why go through the trouble of setting up progress billing? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simple\u2014it offers a ton of advantages, like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Improved cash flow<\/strong>: payments roll in during the project, not just at the end.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reduced financial risk<\/strong>: no scary, giant invoices that clients hesitate to pay.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enhanced transparency<\/strong>: clients can track progress and see exactly where their money is going.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Better project management<\/strong>: milestone-based billing keeps everyone motivated to deliver on time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s no wonder progress billing has become the preferred approach for so many project-based businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-s-included-when-progress-billing-for-a-project\"><strong>What\u2019s included when progress billing for a project?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A progress billing sample invoice usually includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Project name and contract details.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Schedule of values.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Percentage of work completed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amount previously billed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Current billing amount.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Retention amount.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Total billed to date.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This format keeps billing cycles clear, professional, and consistent. No confusion, no messy back-and-forth emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-progress-billing-example\"><strong>Progress billing example<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s bring this to life with an example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine a construction firm takes on a $500,000 commercial build. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After finishing 25% of the work, they send a progress billing invoice for $125,000. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a 10% retention, the client pays $112,500 right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The remaining $12,500 gets paid when the project is complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See how it works? It spreads payments out fairly while protecting both the firm and the client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-progress-billing-challenges\"><strong>Progress billing challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, no system is perfect. Progress billing does come with a few hurdles, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Complex tracking<\/strong>: you need accurate documentation to prove progress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Client disputes<\/strong>: if clients question the percentage of completion, payments can stall.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Retention management<\/strong>: keeping tabs on withheld amounts can get tricky.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Luckily, efficient <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/industry\/services\/legal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">legal accounting and billing software<\/a> takes most of the headache out of these challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-implement-progress-billing\"><strong>How to implement progress billing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to try progress billing in your business? Here\u2019s a simple roadmap:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Define project milestones<\/strong>: break your project into measurable phases.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Create a schedule of values<\/strong>: assign costs to each piece.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Track progress accurately<\/strong>: use tools to monitor percentage completion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Invoice regularly<\/strong>: send bills as each milestone is hit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Manage retention<\/strong>: clearly spell out retention terms in the contract.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Automation tools like Sage Timeslips make this even easier, combining time tracking, billing, and reporting into one system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-progress-billing-and-cost-overruns\"><strong>Progress billing and cost overruns<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, what happens when projects go over budget? Cost overruns can throw a wrench into your billing plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To stay on track:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Monitor budgets closely.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Communicate changes early.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adjust billing schedules when necessary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Using software that tracks both time and expenses helps you stay proactive\u2014and avoids unwelcome surprises when invoicing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-manage-progress-billing-with-sage-solutions\">Manage progress billing with Sage solutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to simplify the whole process, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/products\/sage-timeslips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sage Timeslips<\/a> is a great place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With customizable billing templates, integrated time tracking, and robust reporting, Sage makes it easy to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Automate billing workflows.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Track progress in real-time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Handle retention and cost overruns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure compliance and transparency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re in construction, consulting, legal, or software, Sage gives you the flexibility and control you need to make progress billing work for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">InCloudCounsel boosts cash reconciliation efficiency by 50%<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Legal tech firm slashed close times in half and gains scalability amid global business growth, with Sage Intacct.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/success-stories\/incloudcounsel\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tid=\"cta-id-16717\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-button-location=\"cta_box\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1166085712-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"People networking during conference\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1166085712-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts\"><strong>Final thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what is progress billing really about?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not just splitting up invoices\u2014it\u2019s about protecting your cash flow, reducing risk, and building stronger client relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By breaking payments into phases, you create a billing system that\u2019s fair, transparent, and efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And with software like Sage Timeslips, you can automate the process, save time, and keep your projects on budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, progress billing isn\u2019t just good for your finances\u2014it\u2019s good for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to our Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get our latest business advice delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-ab515c6e-7e90-4c2f-a67e-113872516e8b\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Working from home with tea in hand\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/boss-your-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBoss your business\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/business-continuity\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBusiness Continuity\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/cash-flow\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCash Flow\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/client-advisory-services\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tClient Engagement\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/growing-a-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGrowing a business\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/productivity\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProductivity\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/small-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall business\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-29306 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accounting-101 tag-boss-your-business tag-business-continuity tag-small-business business_type-small-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1215\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1415809513-1215x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1415809513-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1415809513-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1415809513-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-12T10:24:32-04:00\">June 12, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/what-is-a-purchase-order\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWhat is a purchase order (PO) and how is it used?\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tIf your business buys from suppliers, purchase orders are one of the most important controls you have. Learn what a purchase order includes, how it works, and when to use each type.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-29310 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations category-technology-innovation tag-artificial-intelligence tag-automation tag-boss-your-business tag-cash-flow tag-cloud-financial-management tag-sage-accounting business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/order-to-cash-process-otc-o2c\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1190223207-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1190223207-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1190223207-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1190223207-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-10T12:23:35-04:00\">June 10, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">12 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is the Order to Cash process?\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-29062 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-boss-your-business tag-business-intelligence tag-growing-a-business tag-inventory-management tag-productivity tag-staying-competitive tag-supply-chain-management business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/what-is-an-order-management-system-oms\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1417607997-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1417607997-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1417607997-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1417607997-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-10T10:25:03-04:00\">June 10, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">19 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is an order management system?\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-28210 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers category-strategy-legal-operations tag-boss-your-business tag-business-intelligence tag-business-strategy tag-distribution tag-growing-a-business tag-inventory-management tag-productivity tag-supply-chain-management business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business industry-distribution industry-wholesale-distribution\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/what-is-order-processing\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-841574854-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-841574854-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-841574854-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-841574854-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-02T11:22:21-04:00\">June 2, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">19 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tOrder processing explained: Steps, systems and best practices\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-28775 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-business-strategy tag-cash-flow tag-growing-a-business tag-small-business business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business industry-nonprofit\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/peer-to-peer-fundraising-best-practices\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1414263386-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1414263386-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1414263386-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1414263386-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-02T05:54:37-04:00\">June 2, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">15 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tPeer-to-peer fundraising guide: Best practices for success\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Explore what progress billing is and which industries rely on it most. This article will walk you through how progress billing works and how to implement it smoothly in your law firm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1847,"featured_media":20165,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[195,399,299,380,153,272,34],"business_type":[40,41],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[55],"persona":[98,96,97],"imagine_tag":[461,468,233,462,230],"coauthors":[592],"class_list":["post-32781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-strategy-legal-operations","tag-boss-your-business","tag-business-continuity","tag-cash-flow","tag-client-advisory-services","tag-growing-a-business","tag-productivity","tag-small-business","business_type-small-business","business_type-growing-business","industry-professional-services"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Joe Church Woods","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530.jpg","imagine_tags":{"461":"Cloud","468":"Grow your business","233":"Medium Businesses","462":"Payments","230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1847"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32781\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/20165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32781"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=32781"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=32781"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=32781"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=32781"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=32781"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=32781"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=32781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}