Certificates & Retainage

Construction payment certificates software with retainage tracking and release

Generate payment certificates with automatic FIDIC calculations, track retainage on every contract and release withheld amounts through requests with approval. PDF export with signature blocks.

FIDIC
Calculation standard
5-10%
Retainage under control
PDF
GPP format with signatures

Why do you need payment certificates software?

A payment certificate summarizes the work performed, deducts the advance and the retainage, and shows the exact amount due. In Excel that means manual formulas, mismatches with previous periods and forgotten withheld money.

Manual FIDIC calculations

Works performed minus advance minus retention - three sections with cumulative values. One wrong cell in Excel and the amount due is incorrect. The software calculates everything automatically.

Mismatch with previous certificates

Every certificate builds on what was certified to date. Copying values from old files causes differences the client will dispute. The system pulls previous values itself.

Forgotten retainage

5-10% of every payment stays withheld for months or years. Without a system nobody tracks the deadlines and amounts simply never get released. The balance per contract is always visible.

Payment without approval

A certificate sent out without review puts the company's money at risk. The submit, certify and approve workflow guarantees control with a full audit trail.

Key features of the payment certificates software

Construction Team covers the full cycle - from calculating the certificate to releasing the last withheld amount.

Automatic FIDIC calculations

Sections for works performed, advance payment and retention money. The amount due is calculated automatically: cumulative works minus advance minus retention for the period.

Approval workflow

Draft → Submitted → Certified → Approved. Each step requires the right permission and is recorded with user and timestamp. Rejection with a reason sends the certificate back for correction.

Auto-fill from contract

Pick a contract and the system fills in contract amounts, approved changes and the totals certified in previous certificates. Automatic numbering per company.

Retainage per contract

Set a percentage in the contract and the system withholds it automatically on every document. See expected, withheld, released and balance, split into receivables from clients and payables to subcontractors.

Release requests

A formalized process: request with amount and reason, approval, document and payment. Partial release by milestones, warranty period or final acceptance.

PDF export and payment tracking

Export the certificate as a PDF in GPP format with signature columns. After invoicing, the status updates automatically with every payment - partially paid or paid.

How Construction Team works for certificates and retainage

Four steps from work performed to released retention:

1

1. Create from contract

Choose a contract and period. The system fills in contract amounts and the total certified to date, then calculates works performed, the advance deduction and the retainage.

2

2. Certify and approve

The certificate is submitted for review, certified and approved by an authorized user. If something is off - rejection with a reason and return for correction.

3

3. Invoice and payment

Invoice the amount due from the approved certificate with VAT calculated automatically. Incoming payments update the status to partially paid or paid.

4

4. Release the retainage

When the warranty period expires, submit a release request - in full or partially. After approval the amount is invoiced and paid, and the contract balance updates.

Who is the payment certificates software for?

Suitable for any firm working with interim payments and retainage:

General contractors

Certify subcontractor work and withhold the retention percentage automatically. A full picture of payables across all contracts.

Contractors and subcontractors

Track what your clients have withheld from you and when warranty periods expire. No retainage is ever forgotten.

Project managers

Prepare certificates in minutes instead of hours. Cumulative values and deductions calculate themselves, with no mismatches against previous periods.

Accounting and CFO

Invoice directly from the approved certificate. See the net retainage position - receivables versus payables - for an accurate cash forecast.

Payment certificates software vs Excel

Why specialized software replaces manual spreadsheets:

FeatureExcelConstruction Team
FIDIC calculationsManual formulasAutomatic sections for works, advance and retention
Cumulative valuesCopying from old filesAutomatic from previous certificates
ApprovalEmail and paperSubmit → Certify → Approve with audit trail
RetainageSeparate manual sheetAutomatic from the contract percentage
ReleaseNo processRequests with approval and statuses to paid
Warranty deadlinesForgotten amountsBalance and status per contract
PDF documentManual formattingGPP format with signature blocks

Frequently asked questions about payment certificates

What is a payment certificate and how is it calculated?+

A FIDIC-style document that summarizes the work performed in the period and determines the amount due: cumulative works minus previously certified, minus advance repayment, minus retainage. All calculations are automatic.

Which certificate types are supported?+

Advance (for the contract advance payment), interim (for monthly or milestone payments) and final (at completion). Numbering is automatic for each company.

What is the certificate workflow?+

Draft → Submitted → Certified → Approved → Invoiced → Partially paid → Paid. Rejection with a reason is possible at any step before approval and returns the certificate for editing. Editing is allowed only for draft or rejected certificates.

What is retainage?+

Standard construction practice - the client withholds a percentage (typically 5-10%) of every payment as a quality guarantee. The system tracks both directions: retainage your clients owe you, and retainage you owe to subcontractors.

How is the retainage percentage set?+

In the contract, when creating or editing it, together with the release type - final acceptance, warranty period, time-based or by milestones. The percentage then applies automatically to every certificate, proforma and invoice under that contract.

How are withheld amounts released?+

Submit a release request with an amount and reason - in full or partially. An approver reviews and approves it, then the amount is invoiced and paid. Every action is recorded with date, user and comment.

Does the system track payments against a certificate?+

Yes. Incoming payments are allocated to the certificate and its status updates automatically - partially paid for a partial amount, paid when fully covered. If a payment is deleted, the status rolls back.

Take control of certificates and retainage

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