Introduction

Every small contractor knows the pain: you did the work, the client’s happy, and yet the invoice never went out. It’s more common than you think. In general, small firms find a chunk of monthly revenue can sit unbilled when admin slips. This guide shows why unbilled work happens, how to clear the backlog fast, and how to prevent it with a simple, repeatable flow. We’ll keep it practical, field-tested, and built for small teams.

Table of Contents

• Key Takeaways
• The Unbilled Work Problem
• Find And Fix Your Backlog This Week
• A Proposal-To-Invoice Flow That Sticks
• Field Triggers To Invoice Same Day
• Prevention: Structure Small Jobs To Avoid Leakage
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Key Takeaways

• In general, small contractors leak 5–10 percent of turnover to unbilled work when admin piles up; recovering it can fund tools, fuel, or another crew day.
• A 15‑minute daily “billing sweep” commonly clears 3–5 invoices and saves 2–3 hours per week of end‑of‑month scrambling.
• Many contractors find same‑day proposals and e‑signatures reduce back‑and‑forth by about half and get invoices out 1–3 days sooner.
• A revisit just to collect a signature or details typically burns 1–2 hours plus fuel; capturing scope on site by voice prevents it.

The Unbilled Work Problem

Unbilled work is any completed or accepted work that hasn’t been invoiced. It creeps in after emergencies, small extras, and “I’ll invoice it later” moments.

Why It Matters

• Cash flow drag: In general, invoices sent within 24 hours tend to be paid a few days sooner than week‑old ones.
• Lost detail: After 48–72 hours, memory fades; scope notes become vague, which invites disputes.
• Opportunity cost: Chasing old admin often steals prime selling time (late afternoons) you could use to quote new jobs.

Typical Causes

• Verbal yes with no signed acceptance.
• Extras approved on site but not captured in writing.
• Admin batching once a week, then slipping.

Real‑World Snapshot

A two‑person team doing four small jobs a day can easily forget 1–2 minor extras daily. Over a month, that’s 20–40 missed lines. In general, even modest extras of £30–£80 per visit add up fast.

Find And Fix Your Backlog This Week

Let’s clear the decks.

The 90‑Minute Backlog Sweep

1. Pull last 30 days of jobs (calendar, texts, WhatsApp threads, supplier receipts, van diary).
2. Flag any visit without a matching invoice or with “scope changed” notes.
3. Reconstruct scope with photos and simple line items.
4. Send invoices same day.

Practical Targets

• Many contractors report recovering 8–15 missed lines in the first sweep and freeing 2–3 hours of mental load.
• Aim to get 80 percent of the backlog invoiced within 24 hours of this session.

Quick Message Template (Text/Email)

“Hi [Name], following our visit on [date], here’s the invoice for the agreed works, including the small extra we discussed on site. If anything looks off, reply and we’ll sort it. Thanks.”

Example

You replaced a leaking trap and, on site, added a new isolation valve at the client’s request. No invoice went out. During the sweep you find the photo of the new valve in your camera roll and add a clear line item. Result: a clean, defensible invoice out today.

A Proposal-To-Invoice Flow That Sticks

The easiest invoices to send are the ones that write themselves.

Solution: Capture Scope On Site, Get a Signature, Convert to Invoice

• Speak the scope while you’re still there. Use voice, text, and photos to capture the details once—no re‑typing later.
• Send a branded proposal the client can view and accept digitally.
• Once accepted, convert the proposal to an invoice in one click while the details are still fresh.

With Donizo, you can:

• Use voice‑to‑proposal to capture scope on site.
• Send proposals as PDFs with client portal access and get a legally binding e‑signature.
• Convert accepted proposals to invoices in one click and track payments on paid plans.

Why This Works

• In general, standardising admin cuts per‑job paperwork from 30–45 minutes to roughly 10–15 minutes.
• Commonly, teams that send the proposal before leaving the driveway invoice 1–3 days sooner.

Step‑By‑Step You Can Copy

1. On arrival: Take 3–5 photos and voice‑note the scope (room, exact fix, materials, acceptance criteria).
2. Before leaving: Generate and send the proposal; ask for e‑signature while you’re packing the tools.
3. After acceptance: Convert to invoice immediately. If it’s a same‑day job, include photos of the finished work.

Example

Kitchen tap swap with corroded tails. You narrate: “Remove old mono tap, fit new mono mixer, adapt tails, test hot/cold, check for weeps at 3, 10, 30 minutes.” Client signs the proposal in minutes. You finish, update with two completion photos, and convert to invoice before leaving.

Field Triggers To Invoice Same Day

Don’t rely on memory. Build automatic prompts into your day.

Triggers That Work

• Signed acceptance received: Convert to invoice as soon as you get the e‑signature.
• Photo checklist complete: When you tick “after” photos, send the invoice.
• Last tool in the van: Quick 60‑second check—“proposal signed? invoice sent?”

Time Anchors

• A 15‑minute daily billing sweep (lunch or end of day) commonly clears 3–5 invoices.
• A revisit just to collect details or signatures typically costs 1–2 hours plus fuel—avoid it by using on‑site e‑sign.

Example

Emergency call‑out Sunday morning. You dictate the scope, send a proposal, and get e‑signature. You finish and convert to invoice on the kerb. Zero office time later, zero risk of forgetting.

Prevention: Structure Small Jobs To Avoid Leakage

You don’t need a big system—just a few steady habits.

Build Simple, Defensible Line Items

• Use consistent language: location, action, material, test/verification.
• Tie every extra to a photo and a short note (“client requested add: new valve on cold feed”).

Standard Time Windows For Admin

• 5 minutes at the start: scope capture.
• 5 minutes before you leave: proposal sent and signed.
• 5 minutes after completion: invoice sent.

In general, this 15‑minute rhythm saves 2–3 hours per week otherwise lost to late‑night admin.

Lightweight Proof Pack

• 2 “before” photos, 2 “after” photos, and one verification note (e.g., “no leaks at 10 minutes”).
• Many contractors find this reduces questions and chargebacks by about half.

Ad‑Hoc vs. Standardised: What Changes

Frequently Asked Questions

What Counts As Unbilled Work And How Do I Spot It Fast?

Unbilled work is any completed or accepted task without a sent invoice. Fastest way to spot it: scan the last 30 days of calendar entries and match each visit to an invoice. Any visit with “extras” or “client OK’d on site” notes is high risk. A 90‑minute sweep is usually enough to find most of it.

How Quickly Should I Invoice Small Jobs?

Same day if possible, within 24 hours at most. In general, invoices sent within 24 hours are paid days sooner than those sent a week later, and details are freshest—so fewer queries.

Are Verbal Approvals Enough?

They leave you exposed. Use a simple digital proposal and e‑signature so acceptance is clear and legally binding. With Donizo, clients can e‑sign the proposal you send; that becomes your baseline for the invoice.

How Do I Handle Small Extras Agreed On Site?

Add a separate line item with a short description, a photo, and “client requested add” wording. Send an updated proposal for e‑signature before doing the extra. It takes a minute and prevents disputes later.

We’re A Tiny Team—Is This Overkill?

Not at all. In general, two‑person crews recover meaningful revenue by standardising. A 15‑minute daily billing sweep and on‑site proposal habits are enough to stop leakage.

Conclusion

Unbilled work isn’t a mystery—it’s a process gap. Clear the backlog with a 90‑minute sweep, shift to on‑site scope capture, get e‑sign acceptance, and convert to invoice the same day. The admin becomes a few short habits, not a late‑night headache. If you want the shortest path from site to signature to invoice, try Donizo: speak the job to generate a proposal, send for e‑signature, then convert accepted proposals to invoices in one click and track payments on paid plans. That’s how you keep cash moving and evenings free.