Developed and maintained by ProWorkstack · Development and review process
Compare staged writing-project payments received with cumulative labor and outside costs at a selected milestone.
Your results
Enter your inputs and select Calculate.
How this calculator works
Milestone payments received = total project fee × collected fee fraction. Cumulative cost including the value of staff time = labor hours × hourly labor cost + outside costs. Coverage = payments received − cost including the value of staff time. Fee percentage needed = cost including the value of staff time ÷ positive total fee × 100.Worked example
A 6,000 project with 40% collected produces 2,400 payments received. Sixty hours at 45 plus 400 outside costs gives 3,100 cost including the value of staff time. Coverage is negative 700; covering that cost requires 51.67% of the project fee.Assumptions
Defaults are illustrative. Replace them with your own measured quantities and documented assumptions. Use matching periods and a consistent currency wherever monetary amounts are entered.Interpreting your results
This is a selected-milestone comparison, not a full dated cash-flow schedule. Owner labor value can differ from actual cash paid. Payment rights and delivery obligations must come from the contract; no contract is created.Calculation formulas
- receipts
fee*paid/100- cost
hours*rate+outside- Payments received minus work costs so far
receipts-cost- Payments received by this milestone
receipts- Work costs so far
cost- Project fee percentage needed to cover costs
SAFE_DIV(cost,fee,0)*100
Frequently asked questions
What should I check before using the result?
Use payments received collected and work performed through the same point in the project. An invoice sent is not collected cash. Keep later work and later payments received outside the selected milestone.
Does this tool connect to my records?
No. This is a local calculation from the figures you enter. It does not scan accounts, import private records or verify legal, regulatory or exam requirements.
Maintained by ProWorkstack · Last reviewed: 2026-10-04 · Development and review process