Set up your first project (choosing a billing type)

Every project in Handl starts with two choices: is it billable to a client or internal, and if it's billable, how do you want to charge for it? Getting this right up front saves you from re-configuring billing later.

From your dashboard, select New Project.
Choose the project type: Client project (billable work linked to a client) or Internal project (your own work — no client, no invoicing).
Give the project a name, link it to a client if applicable, and add any category tags or reference documents.
If it's a client project, move to the Billing step and choose a billing type:
- Fixed Price — break the project into milestones with fixed amounts. Best when the scope is clearly defined.
- Time & Materials — bill based on hours logged. Suited to ongoing or evolving work.
- Retainer — recurring billing with a set amount of included hours each cycle. Suited to ongoing engagements.
Fill in the fields that appear for your chosen type — for example, total value and payment terms for Fixed Price, or billing frequency and rate for Time & Materials and Retainer — and set the project currency.
On the Features step, choose which parts of Handl this project will use (see "Choosing which features are enabled per project").
Save the project to finish.

Good to know

Internal projects skip the Billing step entirely — milestones, time tracking, and budgets still work, but nothing gets invoiced.
You can adjust most billing settings later from the project's settings, but it's worth choosing the right billing type at the start.
Currency is set per project, so an agency working with clients in multiple countries can bill each project in the right currency.

FAQs

Can I switch a project from Fixed Price to Retainer later?
Billing details can be adjusted in project settings, but changing the fundamental billing type after milestones or invoices exist isn't recommended — it's best to choose deliberately at set-up.

What if my project doesn't fit neatly into one billing type?
Choose whichever is the closest match, then use quotes and milestones to fine-tune. Most agency work fits Fixed Price, Time & Materials, or Retainer.

Do internal projects show up anywhere billing-related?
No — they're excluded from invoicing and cash-flow forecasts, though they're still visible in your projects list with an "Internal" badge.