Ettix guides · Construction bookkeeping

How to compare two construction pay applications before submitting

Use the last approved pay application as your baseline. Compare it with the new draft before sending the package to your general contractor.

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1. Use the approved revision

Confirm the project, subcontract and billing periods on both files. Pick the latest approved version for the previous period, including any revisions that were accepted after the original submission.

2. Match stable line IDs

Use the schedule-of-values line number or another stable identifier. Check duplicates and lines that disappeared before comparing dollars. Keep approved change orders traceable to the records that authorize them.

3. Compare the same amounts

Decide whether the source column represents earned work, stored materials, or the cumulative total that includes both. Compare amounts on the same basis. If materials moved from storage to installed work, reconcile that movement separately before treating a difference as an error.

4. Review the carry-forward

Suppose the approved cumulative amount for line ELEC-01 was $12,000, but the current draft carries forward $10,000 on the same basis. That $2,000 difference is a prompt to review the source rows. Confirm which figure belongs in the current application before editing it.

5. Save the evidence for your review

Record the line ID, the two cell references, what changed, and whether the difference was expected. Compare the supporting change orders and your general contractor’s checklist. Retainage, waivers, and project-specific approval requirements are separate review steps.

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