Billing & Time Tracking
The Revenue section in AtlasOS supports the full range of billing models used by consulting firms — from fixed-fee engagements and retainers to time-and-materials arrangements with milestone-based invoicing.
Billing Models
AtlasOS supports three primary billing models for consulting engagements:
Fixed Fee
A single agreed fee for the entire engagement or a defined phase of work. The fee is invoiced on completion or according to a pre-agreed schedule (e.g. 50% on commencement, 50% on delivery).
Time-and-Materials
Bill based on actual time spent at agreed hourly or daily rates. Time entries are accumulated against the engagement and invoiced periodically (weekly, monthly, or on milestone completion).
Retainer
A recurring fee for ongoing advisory services. The retainer is invoiced on a regular cycle (monthly or quarterly) regardless of actual hours worked. Excess hours beyond the retainer scope can be billed at agreed overage rates.
Set the billing model when creating an engagement. You can change the model during the engagement if the scope changes.
Time Tracking Per Engagement
Record time against specific engagements and tasks:
- Start a timer from the engagement detail view or from any linked task
- Alternatively, log time manually from Revenue > Time Entries
- Each entry captures: engagement, date, duration, activity type, narrative, and fee earner
- Mark entries as billable or non-billable
Time entries feed directly into invoicing and utilisation reports.
Milestone-Based Invoicing
For engagements with defined milestones, invoice on milestone completion:
- Navigate to the engagement and review completed milestones
- Select the milestone(s) to invoice
- AtlasOS generates an invoice with the milestone description and agreed fee
- Review, adjust if necessary, and send to the client
Rate Configuration
Configure billing rates at multiple levels:
| Level | Example |
|---|---|
| Practice default | R2,000 per hour for all consultants |
| By seniority | Partner: R3,000/hr, Senior: R2,200/hr, Analyst: R1,400/hr |
| Per engagement | Custom rate agreed with the client |
| By work package | Strategy: R2,800/hr, HR advisory: R2,000/hr |
Rate overrides cascade: engagement-specific rates take precedence over seniority rates, which take precedence over practice defaults.
Quotes and Proposals
Generate quotes and proposals from AtlasOS:
- Navigate to Revenue > Quotes
- Create a new quote linked to a prospect or existing client
- Define the scope, deliverables, timeline, and fee
- Send the quote via the Client Portal or as a PDF
- Convert accepted quotes to engagements with a single click
WIP Tracking
Work-in-progress reports show unbilled time across all engagements:
- Identify engagements with significant unbilled work
- Review team utilisation and billing efficiency
- Monitor aged WIP for potential write-offs
- Prepare for monthly billing runs
Access WIP reports from Revenue > Reports > WIP Summary.