Progress Billing lets firms collect an upfront retainer, apply completed work against that balance over time, and track billing progress for long-running engagements — all in one place in Canopy.

Why it matters: Most accounting engagements don't end cleanly with one invoice — work happens over months, cash flow suffers, and clients get surprised by large bills at the end. Progress Billing gives firms a way to collect upfront, apply work as it's completed, and keep the engagement financially visible from start to finish.

​Required: Access to Time & Billing Permissions
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Progress Billing centers on a retainer:

The firm sends a retainer invoice to the client to collect funds upfront. As work is logged in Canopy, time entries and expenses are applied against that retainer balance. The Progress Bill tracks how much of the retainer has been used and how much remains.
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Key things to know:

Progress Billing works best for engagements where work spans weeks or months and a single end-of-project invoice would create cash flow problems or client friction. Common use cases:

Progress Billing is less useful for single-service work — like a standard 1040 return — where one invoice at completion is the norm.
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✅ Set the retainer amount to reflect the full expected scope of work. A retainer that's too small will hit its limit early. Build in a modest buffer for scope changes or write-ups.
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✅ Start adding WIP as soon as work begins. Don't let time entries accumulate against a Progress Bill without review. Regular WIP reviews keep the retainer balance accurate and surface early warnings if an engagement is trending over.
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✅ Communicate the retainer structure to clients before work begins. Clients who understand they're paying a retainer — and that work will be drawn against it — are less likely to have questions when the final balance differs from the retainer amount.
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✅ Don't leave Progress Bills in Draft status longer than necessary. WIP cannot be added to a Progress Bill that hasn't been sent. Send the retainer invoice as soon as it's ready so work can start flowing.
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✅ Monitor the balance in red. If applied work exceeds the retainer amount, the remaining balance displays in red on the Progress Bill. This is your signal to discuss an additional retainer or adjust scope — before the final invoice.
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Progress Billing is being released in phases. Here's a snapshot of current and upcoming availability:

Not yet available: scheduled milestones, WIP statements, Client Portal retainer management, and Engagements integration.
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Progress Billing gives firms a structured way to collect upfront retainers, apply work over time, and stay financially visible throughout long-running engagements. Use the related articles below to create and manage Progress Bills in Canopy.
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Contact Support or ask Penny, our AI Support Bot, for assistance.