Projects run, hours get logged, work gets delivered. But not every delivered service is a paid service — because between the moment work is performed and the moment an invoice reaches a client, a great deal of time can pass. The Billed KPI makes this gap visible: it shows precisely how much of the earned revenue has already been invoiced, and what is still outstanding.
What Is the Billed KPI?
Billed shows the total amount that has been invoiced to the client so far. Not every project service is billed immediately — many projects operate on monthly billing cycles, milestone invoices, or agreed payment schedules. Billed tells you whether invoices are being issued promptly, or whether a growing gap is forming between delivered work and billing.
This KPI is central to a company’s cash flow management. Work that has been delivered but not yet invoiced ties up capital: salary costs, infrastructure, and overhead are already incurred — but payment from the client has not yet arrived.
How Is Billed Calculated?
The formula is:
Billed = Σ Revenue of all time entries with "Billed = Yes"
Where:
- Revenue per time entry = hours × billing rate of the team member (what you charge the client — not the internal cost rate)
- Billed = Yes: this time entry has been included in an outgoing invoice
Additionally, the billing rate percentage is shown:
Billing Rate % = Billed ÷ Actual Revenue × 100
Example from the Dashboard
A project shows the following figures:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Actual Revenue (delivered work) | €7,740 |
| Already invoiced (Billed) | €3,870 |
| Billing Rate | 50.0% |
Of €7,740 in delivered work, €3,870 has already been invoiced — exactly half. This means €3,870 has been economically earned but not yet billed to the client.
A billing rate of 50% is a clear signal that the invoicing process needs attention.
What Does This Mean in Practice?
Interpreting the Billed KPI follows a straightforward logic:
- Billed ≈ Actual Revenue (billing rate close to 100%): Almost all delivered work has been invoiced. Cash flow is healthy — performance and billing are synchronized.
- Billing Rate 50–80%: A significant portion of delivered work is still awaiting an invoice. Depending on payment terms, substantial amounts may already be at risk of late payment.
- Billing Rate < 50%: More than half of delivered work has not yet been invoiced. This is a clear cash flow risk — invoices need to go out immediately.
In the example, a billing rate of 50% signals that the next invoicing run is overdue. With a 30-day payment term, that means: if the invoice is not sent today, the payment will arrive at the earliest one month from now.
Three Perspectives on the Billed KPI
What the Project Manager Sees
The PM sees at a glance whether invoicing is keeping pace with project progress. If the project is 44% complete and 50% of revenue so far has been billed, invoicing is on schedule. But if 80% of work is done and only 30% has been billed, immediate action is needed.
What C-Level Sees
Executives see Billed as a cash flow indicator. A high unbilled amount across multiple projects ties up working capital and can create liquidity constraints — even when the projects themselves are profitable. A portfolio overview of all Billed and Unbilled values is a standard tool of financial controlling.
What the Team Lead Sees
For the team lead, Billed provides feedback on the team’s own working habits: Are services being logged promptly and approved on time? Only validated, approved time entries can be invoiced. Delays in time logging or the approval process directly push back the invoicing date.
Common Mistakes and Pitfalls
The classic mistake: invoices are accumulated and sent only at month-end or at project completion. This makes process sense — but it is expensive from a liquidity perspective. Collecting weeks or months of unbilled work before invoicing effectively means financing the client.
A second mistake: time entries are not regularly marked as “billed.” If invoices are created outside the project system (for example, in a separate accounting tool), the Billed KPI loses its informational value.
A third pitfall: work is performed but not correctly recorded in the system. Without complete time tracking, there is no reliable data foundation for billing — and no trustworthy Billed signal.
How zistemo Delivers the Billed KPI
1. One-Click Invoicing from the Timesheet
zistemo enables direct invoice creation from the timesheet. All approved time entries with the status “not invoiced” are displayed and can be transferred to an invoice with a single click. Once the invoice is created, the corresponding time entries are automatically marked as “billed” — the Billed KPI updates immediately.
2. Real-Time Dashboard with Billing Rate
The zistemo Project Cockpit shows Billed, Actual Revenue, and Billing Rate at a glance — live, not once a month. Project managers and executives can see at any time how large the gap between delivered work and invoicing has become, and act proactively.
3. Recurring Invoices and Automation
For projects with regular billing cycles (monthly flat fees, retainers, framework agreements), zistemo supports recurring invoices. The invoicing process runs automatically — without manual effort, without forgotten billing runs.
zistemo USPs: Why Billed Works Seamlessly Here
All-in-One: Time Tracking and Invoicing in One Platform
The core of the Billed KPI is the connection between time entry and invoice. In zistemo, this connection is native — no exports, no imports, no manual assignment. Every invoiced time entry is immediately marked as “Billed” in the system.
More Clarity — Immediately Visible Who Has Not Been Billed
zistemo not only shows the aggregated Billed value but also enables deeper analysis: Which time entries are still open? Which team members have uninvoiced work? This creates transparency down to line level.
GDPR-Compliant, EU-Hosted
All invoicing data in zistemo is stored on EU servers, fully compliant with GDPR. For German and European companies, this eliminates a compliance risk that often comes with using non-EU invoicing tools.
Related KPIs
- Unbilled (€) — the complementary KPI showing what still needs to be invoiced
- Actual Margin — turning billed revenue into profit
Conclusion
The Billed KPI is the bridge between project performance and company finance. It shows how consistently delivered work is being converted into revenue — and when it is time to initiate the next invoicing run.
A billing rate of 50% as in the example is not an emergency — but it is a clear signal. And the advantage of a clear signal is that you can act before it becomes a problem.
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Complete invoice management, one-click billing from the timesheet, and real-time controlling — all in one platform.
FAQ
What is the difference between Billed and Unbilled?
Billed is the portion of earned revenue that has already been invoiced. Unbilled (A.8) is the complementary KPI — it shows what has not yet been invoiced. Together, Billed + Unbilled always equal Actual Revenue.
How does creating an invoice affect the Billed KPI?
As soon as an invoice is created in zistemo, all included time entries are automatically marked as “billed.” The Billed value increases accordingly, and the Unbilled value decreases by the same amount. The update happens in real time.
Can I see Billed at portfolio level — across multiple projects?
Yes. zistemo provides both project-specific and portfolio-wide reporting. Custom Reports and Custom SQL Queries enable an aggregated view across all projects, sorted by billing rate, volume, or due date.
