Freelance Retainer Overage & Scope Modeler

Included hours, overage billing & scope changes — what should this client be charged?
Model OFF
Utilization OFF
Overage OFF
Scope OFF
Bank OFF
Invoice OFF

Retainer Setup

Included Block
h
Hours the fixed retainer fee already covers each month.
h
Unused hours rolled over from previous months, if your agreement allows it.
Roll unused hours forward (cap below)
h
Maximum banked hours allowed to accumulate. Blank = unlimited.
Rates
$ /hr
The rate that defines the retainer baseline and your effective-rate target.
Time above the included block is billed at this rate.
h
Max overage hours billed at the overage rate. Excess is billed at the out-of-scope rate — or renegotiate.
$ /hr
Rate for work that is clearly outside the engagement. Defaults to the overage rate.
Monthly Fee
$
Auto-price at included × hourly rate

This Month's Usage

h
Recurring support, maintenance and meetings. Log scope requests separately below — their hours are added automatically.
Scope-Change Ledger
Description Scope hold Hours Est. billing

Billing Estimate

Total invoice
—
fee + overage + out-of-scope
Retainer fee
—
fixed monthly
Overage due
—
 
Out-of-scope
—
billed separately
Utilization
—
 
Effective rate
—
 

Where the month's hours land

Covered by fee From bank Overage Out-of-scope Unused

Utilization vs. included + bank

0% 100% = included cap
Model: total charge = retainer fee + overage hours × overage rate + out-of-scope hours × out-of-scope rate. Overage is triggered once total hours exceed included + bank. Excess over the bandwidth cap is billed at the out-of-scope rate.

Model detail

Freelance Retainer Overage & Scope Modeler · retainer → usage → overage → scope → invoice · local only, nothing leaves this page