How custody settlement works (تقفيل العهدة)
Last reviewed: 2026-10-25
In short
A custody is money one person holds for one project. A settlement closes a period of that custody: the holder submits it with frozen opening balance, totals in and out and closing balance, and a reviewer approves it or returns it with a note. While a settlement is submitted or approved, nothing dated inside its period can change.
How custodies are structured
Each project has one main custody. Staff are funded from it, to any depth.
- One open custody per person per project.
- Money moves only between a custody and its direct parent, so every pound has a clear path.
- Lines are append-only. A mistake is voided with a required reason and recorded again.
- Negative balances are allowed when someone pays from their own pocket, and are shown in red.
The settlement steps
A settlement follows the paper statement that companies already know.
- The holder submits a numbered settlement for a period. The figures freeze at that moment.
- A reviewer approves it, or returns it with a note.
- Returning unlocks the period; the holder fixes the lines and submits again under the same number.
- The settlement prints for signing and filing.
Bringing old statements in
Old Excel statements can be imported. A preview finds the header, reads pounds and piasters, flags rows it would refuse and compares the sheet totals with the rows. The sheet comes in whole or not at all.
Common questions
- Can a settled period be changed?
- Not while the settlement is submitted or approved. If the reviewer returns it, the period unlocks.
- Does a custody line need approval before it counts?
- No. A line counts the moment it is recorded. The approval step applies to settlements.
- What happens when someone spends their own money?
- The custody balance goes negative and is shown in red, so the company can see what it owes the person.
See it on your own projects
Ask for a demo and we will walk through this with your cheques, custodies and contractors.