Progress billing certification depends on comparing each payment application to the last one, with close attention to any corrected line items. When those prior applications live in scattered emails and folders, certification drags, and the payment behind it waits.
Why billing certification gets stuck
An architect or project manager has to review and certify each payment application to verify the work completed. Without organized access to previous applications and records, that review slows down, especially when corrections or comparisons come up. The delays turn into late payments, cash flow problems, and frustrated project teams.
A scenario: Maplewood Builders
Maplewood Builders is a general contractor specializing in high-end residential projects. With several projects running at once, its project managers review and certify the payment applications subcontractors submit. Each one has to be checked against previous applications, with special attention to corrected line items.
The project managers struggled to keep track of prior applications, corrections, and documentation, which were spread across emails and physical files. In one case, a project manager spent hours digging through old emails and folders to verify an updated line item. The back-and-forth caused a week-long delay in certifying the application, which held up a significant payment to a subcontractor.
The delay rippled out: the project timeline slipped, cash flow tightened, and the subcontractor who was counting on that payment to keep their crew working was left waiting. Repeated certification delays also pressured the finance team, which needed accurate billing data for cash flow projections.
The APARBooks solution
Maplewood Builders implemented APARBooks to simplify progress billing certification. All payment applications and related documentation sit in an organized digital archive, with each project's files clearly categorized. Project managers can locate a previous application, a correction, or a specific line item in seconds.
APARBooks also keeps a clear history of each payment application, so a project manager can review past certifications and line item changes without combing through paperwork or emails.
With the manual document handling gone, Maplewood Builders certifies billing applications faster. Project managers save hours each month that used to go to file searches, payments process sooner, cash flow improves, and subcontractors get the timeliness they rely on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is progress billing certification?
It's the step where an architect or project manager reviews and certifies each payment application to verify the work completed before payment is released. Each application is compared against previous ones, with attention to any corrected line items.
Why does certification get delayed?
When prior payment applications, corrections, and documentation are scattered across emails and physical files, verifying a single changed line item can take hours. At Maplewood Builders it caused a week-long delay and held up a subcontractor payment.
How does APARBooks speed up billing certification?
APARBooks keeps every payment application and its documentation in an organized digital archive with a clear history of each application, so project managers can find previous applications, corrections, and line items in seconds.
Built for Contractors. Built for Construction Accounting.
APARBooks is purpose-built construction accounting software for general contractors and bookkeepers. Manage job costing, AIA progress billing, subcontractor payments, retainage, change orders, lien compliance, and WIP reporting in one place.
