Viewing Bill History on a Purchase Order

Viewing Bill History on a Purchase Order

Purpose

The Bill History feature in Contractor Foreman provides a clear, chronological record of all billing and payment activity tied to a specific Purchase Order (PO). It is especially useful for tracking:

• Partial payments
• Multiple invoice submissions
• Delivery-related billing
• Discrepancy resolution

By viewing the Bill History, you gain full visibility into how much has been invoiced, paid, or remains outstanding, ensuring accurate financial reporting and supplier accountability.

Why Use Bill History?

In real-world job costing and procurement workflows, a single Purchase Order may span several billing cycles. Vendors may send invoices in phases, based on delivery, milestone completion, or progressive draws. The Bill History tab becomes a centralized ledger that helps you:

• Monitor how much of the PO total has been billed
• Verify past payments against delivery records
• Prevent overbilling or duplicate payments
• Support audits or disputes with documentation

Permissions Required

To access Bill History:

• You must have View Access to the Purchase Order module.
• To create or manage bills, you must have Billing or Admin permissions depending on company settings.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Access the Purchase Order Dashboard

• Open the Main Menu (☰ icon).

• Navigate to “Purchase Orders” under the Financial or Procurement section.

• You’ll be taken to a dashboard listing all existing POs.
  • Use filters (e.g., Project Name, Vendor, Status) to locate the PO in question.

• Click the PO’s row to open the detailed view.

✅ Tip: If you regularly manage large volumes of POs, use the Status = Open or Status = Invoiced filter to narrow your focus.

2. Open the “Bill History” Tab

• Inside the PO record, locate and click the “Bill History” tab.

• This tab provides a full billing timeline related to this specific PO.

You’ll typically see:

• Date of each bill
• Invoice numbers
• Amounts billed
• Payment status
• Links to view or edit associated bills

3. Review and Track Invoices Over Time

• As vendor invoices are received, your team can generate bills tied directly to the Purchase Order.
• These bills will automatically populate in the Bill History timeline.

Each entry may include:

• Invoice Amount: The value of the invoice tied to the PO.
• Paid Amount: How much has been paid toward that invoice.
• Outstanding Balance: Any remaining amount left unpaid.
• Invoice/Payment Date: For chronological tracking.
• Bill Status: Draft, Submitted, Approved, or Paid.

Best Practices

• Create Bills Promptly
  As invoices come in, create bills in real time to ensure up-to-date payment history and PO accuracy.
• Match Against Delivery
  Always compare invoices with delivery logs or received materials to confirm accuracy before approving payment.
• Partial Payments
  The Bill History feature supports partial payments. This is useful when:
  • Only part of an order has been delivered
  • A down payment is required before shipping
  • Retainage is being withheld
• Use Notes
  Add internal notes to each bill to clarify payment conditions, such as delivery verification, change orders, or negotiated discounts.
• Audit Trail
  Each bill tied to a PO creates a historical log, useful for audits or resolving vendor disputes.

Summary

The Bill History tab serves as a financial snapshot of all invoice and payment activity tied to a specific Purchase Order. It gives your project and accounting teams the clarity they need to:

• Track how much of the PO has been paid
• Manage staged or partial deliveries
• Confirm supplier performance
• Ensure accurate cost reporting

To access it:
Menu > Purchase Orders > Select a PO > Click “Bill History”

By making use of this tool, you’re reinforcing transparency, budget control, and timely vendor communication throughout the procurement process.

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