How contractor progress statements are calculated
Last reviewed: 2026-10-25
In short
A contractor progress statement is cumulative: net due equals work to date, minus deductions to date, minus what was already paid. Work to date counts every earlier period again, and deductions add up across statements, so nothing taken off once comes back as owed.
What an agreement holds
There is one agreement per contractor per project, with priced work items.
- A price change is a new price with a start date, so earlier statements keep their old price.
- An expense paid to a contractor names the agreement it was paid under.
The calculation
Each statement lists, per item, the previous quantity and this period’s quantity.
- Work to date = previous plus current quantity, times the unit price, summed over every item.
- Deductions to date = deductions on earlier approved statements plus this statement’s, each with a reason such as a penalty or materials handed over.
- Net due = work to date − deductions to date − previously paid.
- A negative net due means the contractor was paid ahead of the work; it is allowed and flagged.
Approval and printing
A draft shows previously paid live. Approving a statement stores it. Statements print like the paper statement.
Common questions
- Can we deduct penalties?
- Yes. Deductions carry a reason and add up across statements.
- What if the unit price changes during the project?
- Add a new price for the item with a later start date. Earlier statements keep the price they used.
- What if a contractor was paid ahead of the work?
- The net due is negative and flagged, so it is visible instead of hidden.
See it on your own projects
Ask for a demo and we will walk through this with your cheques, custodies and contractors.