Most trades lose money in the gap between the quote and the bank statement: the quote is approved on a nod, the invoice goes out late, and the chase happens never. A fixed workflow closes that gap. This is the complete quote-to-paid sequence for UK trades in 2026: what happens at each step, what the paperwork must show, and where software removes the manual work.
- The chain is: quote → deposit → work → stage or completion invoice → chase → paid.
- Each step produces a document the next step relies on. Keep them linked.
- Deposits and stage payments de-risk long jobs from day one.
- Automatic reminders replace memory-based chasing.
- A statement and statutory interest close the stubborn invoices.
Step 1: Quote: the document everything traces back to
The quote sets the price, the scope and the payment terms. Get three things on it and the rest of the chain stays clean:
- The payment structure: deposit amount, stage percentages, final balance due date. If it is not in the quote, every later invoice is a negotiation.
- Payment terms: how many days from invoice, and that late payment attracts interest.
- What is excluded, the scope boundary that prevents the classic “I didn’t know that was extra” dispute.
A quote accepted in writing (email “yes, go ahead” counts) is your evidence for everything downstream.
Step 2. Deposit: money before materials
On any job with materials or multi-week duration, invoice the deposit the moment the quote is accepted, not the day the van rolls. A deposit invoice is a real invoice with a real number; the stage payment template shows how deposit and stage lines sit together. Paying a deposit also commits the customer psychologically: deposit-paid jobs cancel less and pay faster.
Step 3. Work and stages: invoice at the milestone, not the month-end
For jobs beyond a week or two, split into stages agreed in the quote (foundation, first fix, second fix, completion) and invoice each stage on its completion, same day. Month-end batch invoicing turns your cashflow into a sawtooth and doubles the age of every debt. Where the work is measurable, a valuation instead of a fixed stage keeps the numbers honest.
On construction work between VAT-registered businesses, the VAT reverse charge applies at the invoice, not afterwards: what a reverse-charge invoice must show. And if you are subcontracting to a contractor, the CIS deduction comes off the labour element after VAT: the worked example with payment and deduction statements.
Step 4. Completion invoice: the final account
The final invoice reconciles everything: contract price, adjustments, minus deposit and stage payments already received, equals balance due. Issue it the day the job finishes, with:
- a unique invoice number and the date
- both parties’ details: every legal requirement
- the payment due date and payment details
- the running total of what has been paid
An invoice issued on completion day is paid weeks earlier than one issued “when I get round to it”, and it starts the interest clock on time.
Step 5. The chase: scheduled, written, escalating
Chasing fails when it depends on memory. The schedule that works:
- Day 0 (due date): a polite, factual reminder. Invoice number, amount, payment details.
- Day 7–14: firmer tone; note that interest is accruing.
- Day 30: statement of account plus the interest and compensation the late payment has incurred: what you can charge by debt size.
- Ongoing: monthly statements for open debts; letter before action if it crosses your threshold.
The exact wording for each stage is in the reminder templates. Software that sends these automatically turns the chase from a character test into a setting.
Step 6. Paid and recorded: the half everyone skips
Mark the payment against the invoice the day it lands (part payments included) and send a receipt. At year end, the exported invoice and payment records are your bookkeeping: the CSV export workflow for handovers covers how the export maps to your accountant’s fields. Chase time, not records, is what this step saves.
The whole chain on one line
Quote (with payment terms) → deposit invoice → stage invoices on completion → final account on completion day → scheduled reminders → statement and interest → recorded payment. Every document links to the quote; every date is documented; nothing depends on memory.
Where manual steps remain, software removes them: Sendinvo runs exactly this chain (deposits, stages, reminders, statements) as defaults rather than disciplines.
FAQ
What is a quote-to-cash workflow?
The full sequence from accepted quote to recorded payment: quote with payment terms, deposit, stage invoices on milestones, completion invoice, scheduled reminders, statements, and payment records. Each step produces the document the next one relies on.
When should I invoice, on completion or in stages?
On completion for jobs under a week; in stages for anything longer. Stage payments de-risk long jobs for both sides and smooth your cashflow. The structure should be agreed in the quote, not improvised later.
How much deposit should I ask for?
Enough to cover materials and show commitment: commonly 10-30% on trade jobs, more where bespoke materials are ordered. There is no legal cap for most work, but it must be agreed in the quote.
How do I chase an unpaid invoice without damaging the relationship?
Written, factual and scheduled: a polite reminder at due date, a firmer one at 14 days naming accruing interest, a statement at 30. Consistency reads as professionalism, not aggression, customers respect a business that documents its terms.
Can I charge interest on late-paying customers?
Yes, for business-to-business debts, statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate plus fixed compensation per invoice under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, unless your contract states different terms.
What records do I keep at the end of the chain?
Quote, deposit invoice, stage invoices, final invoice, reminders sent, payments and receipts, all linked to the job. Software that stores the chain makes the export to year-end accounts a download, not an archaeology project.