When something looks off
When numbers do not match
The handful of rules that explain almost every figure that looks wrong at first glance.
In short
Most surprising totals come from one of five deliberate rules. Each one is doing something useful, and this page says which is which.
Almost every "that number looks wrong" turns out to be one of the rules below. They are deliberate, and each one exists so a different number stays trustworthy.
A draw is less than what you have spent
A draw request bills categorized spend only. Anything still sitting uncategorized is left out on purpose, because the draw sheet has to tie line by line to the schedule of values, and an uncategorized charge belongs to no line.
If a draw looks short, the usual cause is charges waiting in the queue. The job page shows an uncategorized count that links straight to them.
Tip
Work the inbox down before you raise a draw, not after. The number will be right the first time and you will not have to explain a revision.
A split charge shows no spending of its own
When you split one charge across several jobs or categories, the original row becomes a container. The parts underneath carry the real money, and the container carries none.
That is what stops the same dollar being counted twice, once on the parent and again on each part. If a split parent reads as zero, it is working correctly. Look at the parts.
Original does not move when the job changes
On project costing, Original is what the signed contract said and it stays fixed. Approved change orders and any adjustment you type appear in their own column, and Revised is the two added together.
This is the whole point of the layout. A client can see what was agreed, what changed, and what the number is now, without having to take your word for the difference.
A fee category changes on its own
Fee and contingency categories are a percentage of other categories, so when the work they are based on moves, they move too. That is usually what you want, and it is why they are a percentage rather than a typed amount.
When you need a fee to stop following the work, set it explicitly and it will hold at the figure you chose.
The client is seeing old numbers
Sending a proposal freezes a copy of it. The client signs that copy, so editing the estimate afterwards changes your working figures and never changes theirs.
Note
This is a feature, not a sync problem. If you need the client on new numbers, send a change order, or revoke the proposal and send a fresh one.
Still not adding up
Two things worth checking before anything else: whether the charge is dated in the period you are looking at, and whether it landed on the job you think it did. The transactions guide covers finding and moving a charge.