Tracking Deliverables

Deliverables are the concrete outputs you produce within a project -- the specific things you've agreed to create, deliver, or provide for your client. A blog post, a logo design, a set of social media graphics, an audit report -- each one is a deliverable with its own name, status, and due date.

Tracking deliverables gives you a clear checklist of what's been promised, what's in progress, and what's been delivered. No more guessing about whether you've finished everything in the scope.

Scoped vs Extra Deliverables

Every deliverable falls into one of two categories:

Scoped Deliverables

These are the deliverables included in the original project scope -- the work you agreed to when the project was created. They represent the core commitments of the engagement.

Examples:

• 4 blog posts per month (retainer)
• 1 logo design with 3 revisions (one-off)
• 10 social media graphics (one-off)
• 2 email newsletter templates (one-off)

Extra Deliverables

These are additional deliverables that fall outside the original scope. They arise when a client requests more work mid-project -- an additional blog post, an extra set of graphics, or an unplanned revision round.

Marking a deliverable as "extra" keeps your scope tracking honest. You can see exactly what was originally agreed upon versus what was added later. This distinction is invaluable when it's time to invoice, because extra work often warrants additional charges.

Pro Tip: Always mark scope-creep deliverables as "extra" rather than adding them to the scoped list. This creates a clear record that protects both you and your client -- you can show what was in scope and what was added, making billing conversations much smoother.

Creating a Deliverable

To add a deliverable to a project:

1. Open the project from the Projects page.
2. Navigate to the deliverables section.
3. Click Add Deliverable.
4. Fill out the deliverable form.

Name

Give the deliverable a clear, specific name that describes what you're producing. Be specific enough that both you and your client would recognize it instantly.

Good names:

• "Homepage Hero Banner Design"
• "January Blog Post - SEO Guide"
• "Product Photography - 20 shots"
• "Quarterly Performance Report"

Avoid vague names like:

• "Design work"
• "Content"
• "Task 1"

Description

Add details about what this deliverable includes, any specifications, or notes that help clarify expectations. This is optional but recommended for complex deliverables where the name alone isn't enough.

For example, a deliverable named "Homepage Hero Banner" might have a description like: "1440x600px, desktop and mobile versions, two color variations, delivered as PNG and Figma file."

Quantity

Set the number of units for this deliverable. For most deliverables, this is 1. But for batch work -- like "10 social media graphics" or "4 blog posts" -- set the quantity to reflect the total count.

Quantities help you track progress on bulk deliverables without creating separate entries for each item.

Due Date

Set the date by which this deliverable should be completed. Due dates help you prioritize your work and give clients visibility into when they can expect each piece.

For one-off projects, due dates typically fall within the project's start and end date range. For retainer projects, deliverables are usually due within their billing cycle period.

Scoped or Extra

Choose whether this deliverable is part of the original scope or an extra addition. New deliverables default to "scoped" -- switch to "extra" when the work falls outside the original agreement.

Deliverable Statuses

Each deliverable has a status that tracks its progress:

Planned

The deliverable has been defined but work hasn't started yet. This is the default status for new deliverables. Use it for upcoming work that's in the queue.

In Progress

You're actively working on this deliverable. Move a deliverable to "in progress" when you begin the work so you have a clear picture of what's currently on your plate.

Delivered

The deliverable has been completed and handed off to the client. Mark deliverables as "delivered" once the client has received the final output. This is your record that the work is done.

Pro Tip: Update deliverable statuses as you go rather than in bulk at the end of the week. Real-time status tracking gives you an accurate snapshot of your workload at any moment and helps you spot if you're falling behind on deadlines.

Reordering Deliverables

You can drag and drop deliverables to reorder them within a project. This lets you arrange them by priority, due date, or any order that makes sense for your workflow.

Reordering is purely visual and organizational -- it doesn't affect due dates or statuses. Use it to put urgent deliverables at the top of the list or group related items together.

Using Resources

Resources are URL bookmarks you can attach to a deliverable for reference materials. They're links to external content that's relevant to the work -- a client's brand guidelines, a shared Google Drive folder, a competitor's website for inspiration, or a brief document.

Adding a Resource

1. Open a deliverable.
2. In the resources section, click Add Resource.
3. Enter a name and URL for the resource.

Resources keep all your reference materials organized alongside the work they relate to, so you're not hunting through emails or bookmarks when you need them.

Common uses for resources:

• Client brand guidelines or style guides
• Shared folders (Google Drive, Dropbox) with project assets
• Brief documents or project specifications
• Competitor examples or inspiration links
• Relevant research or reference articles

Pro Tip: Add resources as soon as you receive them from the client -- during the kick-off call, in an email, or in a brief. Attaching them to the relevant deliverable immediately means you'll never lose track of that important link the client shared three weeks ago.

Deliverables in Retainer Projects

For retainer projects, deliverables are organized within time periods -- the billing cycles that automatically generate based on your retainer schedule. Each period has its own set of deliverables, so you can track what was promised and delivered in each cycle independently.

This means you might have "4 Blog Posts" as a deliverable in the January period, and a fresh "4 Blog Posts" deliverable in the February period -- each with its own status tracking.

See Retainer Billing Cycles for a full explanation of how time periods work and how deliverables fit into them.

Best Practices

• Be specific -- A deliverable named "Website Mockup - Desktop Homepage" is much more useful than "Design."
• Use quantities for batch work -- Instead of creating 10 separate deliverables for 10 social media graphics, create one with a quantity of 10.
• Track extras diligently -- Marking out-of-scope work as "extra" builds a clear record that supports your invoicing.
• Attach resources early -- Add all relevant links and references when the deliverable is created, not when you're scrambling to find them mid-project.
• Update statuses regularly -- Keep statuses current so your project view always reflects reality.