Three approval gates
A USD 12,000 website project at 30% / 40% / 30% produces USD 3,600 at kickoff, USD 4,800 after design approval, and USD 3,600 at handover. Record what counts as approval for each gate.
Project billing
Free Milestone Invoice Planner
Plan the amounts for kickoff, approval, and handover before you draft separate invoices. Change the three percentages to match your agreement; the calculator keeps the project subtotal intact when rounding.
What you can do here
Split a project subtotal across three agreed milestones, with percentages that total 100% and amounts that reconcile to the cent.
Built for real invoice workflows
Use the plan to prepare individual invoices, then schedule delivery in InvoiceAgent.
Preparing your calculator with today’s date…
Calculation notes
How the result is calculated
The first two amounts are rounded to two decimals; the final stage receives the remaining cents. Percentages must total exactly 100%. This is an allocation of the project price, not an estimate of completion or permission to send an invoice. Tax, previously paid deposits, and scope changes need their own treatment.
Formulas and examples reviewed October 2, 2026. Illustrative figures; no tax or contractual determination.
A rounding remainder
USD 1,000 at 33.33% / 33.33% / 33.34% gives USD 333.30, USD 333.30, and USD 333.40. Dividing USD 100 into 33.33% / 33.33% / 33.34% gives USD 33.33, USD 33.33, and USD 33.34.
Questions about this calculation
Is the kickoff stage a deposit?
It can be if the agreement describes it that way. Decide whether the deposit is a separate advance or the first installment of the project price, so you do not count it twice on the final invoice.
Can I use two stages?
Yes. Set the unused third stage to 0%. The remaining percentages still need to total 100%. A rounding excess is taken from stage 2 rather than producing a negative final amount.
How to use it
1
Enter the project subtotal before tax in one currency.
2
Allocate 100% across three stages; use 0% for an unused stage.
3
Attach each amount to an agreed completion or approval trigger before invoicing.
Why it helps
Keep staged invoice amounts equal to the project subtotal.
Compare a deposit-heavy plan with an even milestone split.
Separate the payment amount from the evidence needed to bill it.
Next step
From free tool to live invoice workflow.
Use the result when creating your invoice in InvoiceAgent. Planner setup links carry the settings they describe into a draft. Review your dates, amounts, PDF, and reminder settings before scheduling.
Related workflows
Move from the quick answer into the rest of the invoice system.
Milestone invoice template
Milestone invoice template
Document the billed stage and the remaining project amount.
Approve changes before billing
Approve changes before billing
Keep extra work separate from the original milestone price.
Invoice templates
Invoice templates
Use the result inside invoice formats that are ready for clients and easier to automate.
Knowledge base
Knowledge base
Review the billing concepts behind the numbers before they go onto a live invoice.
Profession pages
Profession pages
See how freelancers, consultants, and agencies apply the same calculator output in different workflows.