Does paying an invoice mean the client approved the work?
For clear project tracking, record payment and delivery acceptance separately. Payment records collection; an explicit review decision records whether the client accepted a particular deliverable.
Give each status one meaning
An invoice may be paid before delivery, such as with an agreed deposit. A delivered project may still have an outstanding invoice. Combining the two statuses makes it harder to see what actually needs attention. What payment means legally depends on the agreement and applicable law; this guide describes a recordkeeping approach, not a legal conclusion.
Track three questions
Use independent records even if they appear in one project view.
- Scope: what work and price have both parties accepted?
- Delivery: which published version has the client reviewed?
- Money: which successful payments have reduced the issued balance?
Check a simple example
A fictional project has 10 of 14 approved hours completed. That is about 71% delivery progress. Collecting its $1,250 original invoice clears that invoice’s balance; it does not complete the remaining four hours or settle a separate invoice for extra work.
See the separation in Moolamochi
Moolamochi keeps payment verification, commercial consent and delivery review independent. The example project demonstrates the distinction without requiring an account; new signups remain waitlist-only.