Keep the retainer allowance and the next scope decision together.
See how approved time and proposed work affect each client's retainer allowance.
How to build your agency retainer tracker
Describe the job
See how approved time and proposed work affect each client's retainer allowance.
Review the first version
Choose how the account manager records the client and how the delivery lead reviews the next step.
Refine the views
Ask First to adjust the fields and views for the people who will use the app.
Test before sharing
Walk through the process with a sample record and check who owns the next action.
Follow Retainer RET-082 through the handoffs.
Inspect the inputs, review decision and unresolved exception in this fictional operating example.
Agency retainer tracker example
- Record
- Retainer RET-082
- Period
- July
Current stage · Account manager
Open the client retainer period
A fictional agency records a 30-hour July allowance for a client, with carryover left unspecified until the agreement is reviewed.
Read the full walkthrough
Open the client retainer period
A fictional agency records a 30-hour July allowance for a client, with carryover left unspecified until the agreement is reviewed.
- Record:
- Retainer RET-082
- Period:
- July
Review the recorded time
The time reviewer accepts 24 hours against July work and keeps an unreviewed entry separate from approved usage.
- Record:
- Retainer RET-082
- Included:
- 30 hours
Compare the new work with the balance
The client requests work estimated at eight hours. With six hours remaining, the account manager records a two-hour allowance gap.
- Record:
- Retainer RET-082
- Approved time:
- 24 hours
Record the client's scope decision
The account manager requests a scope decision before confirming the full eight-hour task. No invoice or charge is created by the status change.
- Record:
- Retainer RET-082
- Proposed work:
- 8 hours
What to include in your agency retainer tracker
Keep the client in context
Keep client, retainer period, included hours, submitted hours, approved hours, proposed work, remaining allowance and scope decision together so the next person can understand the request or record.
When the next step needs a decision
A sample agency records a 30-hour July allowance for a client, with carryover left unspecified until the agreement is reviewed. The time reviewer accepts 24 hours against July work and keeps an unreviewed entry separate from approved usage.
Keep scope decision visible
Record the scope decision before adding work beyond the remaining allowance.
Choose what each person needs
Give the account manager a working view and the delivery lead a review view. Keep client and retainer period attached to the decision as the work moves between them.
Questions about agency retainer tracker
Start with client, retainer period, included hours, submitted hours, approved hours, proposed work, remaining allowance and scope decision. Describe who enters the information and who reviews the next step.