Section 5.2: Invoicing and Payouts

This guide covers the lifecycle of generating invoices, managing producer checkout authorizations, approving Purchase Orders (POs), and tracking payouts in the ABRAM Network.

1. The Invoicing Lifecycle

In the current Management Phase, ABRAM supports two distinct billing scenarios:

2. Generating Professional Invoices (Freelancers)

Freelancers can generate invoices linked to projects or select ad-hoc producer entities:

Step 1: Access the Invoice Builder

1. Go to Financials -> Invoices tab.
2. Click Create Invoice to open the builder.

Step 2: Configure Invoice Details

• Title & Subtitle: Provide a descriptive title (e.g., "Post-Production Services — Season 1") and subtitle describing the scope.
• Bill To: Search and select the producer organization or individual. If you link a project, the builder automatically pre-populates this with the project's producer org.
• Link Project: Optional. Allows you to link the invoice to an active project. If your project has a contract rate (proposed rate in the platform invitation), the builder pre-populates the default line item with that rate.
• Import Expenses: If you have unbilled project expenses submitted and approved on ABRAM, they will appear in a sidebar. Check them to instantly append them as line items.

Step 3: Add Line Items

• Enter the Description, Quantity, and Unit Price for each item.
• The system calculates the row totals and subtotal automatically.

Step 4: Fees and Taxes Preview

ABRAM calculates fees in real time:

• Platform Fee: A flat 5% Payment Processing Fee is calculated on the subtotal.

Step 5: Save or Send

• Save Draft: Saves the invoice locally. You can edit or delete drafts at any time.
• Send Invoice: Changes the status to Sent (Awaiting Payment) and updates the billing details on Stripe. The producer receives an email notification with a secure payment link.

3. Producer Purchase Orders & Checkout Sessions

Producers can proactively initiate payments by creating a Purchase Order (PO) from their dashboard.

Step 1: Create a PO

1. In the Financials tab, click Create Purchase Order.
2. Select the freelancer or freelancer organization to pay, input the title, and add the line items.

Step 2: Authorize Payment (Stripe Checkout)

1. Click Authorize Payment.
2. You will be redirected to a Stripe Checkout Session to provide card or bank details.
3. The platform places a 7-day authorization hold on your payment method.
4. Once authorized, you are redirected back to ABRAM. The invoice status transitions to Pending Freelancer Approval.

4. Freelancer PO Approval Flow

When a producer authorizes a Purchase Order, the freelancer must accept it before funds are captured.

Step 1: Locate the Actionable PO

1. In your Financials tab, go to Invoices.
2. Search for items marked with the Action Required badge (Pending Freelancer Approval status).
3. Click the row to open the inline details.

Step 2: Accept or Reject

• Accept Purchase Order:
  • Triggers the payment fulfillment.
  • ABRAM securely processes the transaction to complete the payment.
  • The authorized funds are captured and transferred to your account.
  • The invoice status transitions to Paid, and audit logs are recorded.
• Reject:
  • The authorization hold is released immediately.
  • The invoice status changes to Cancelled/Rejected.

5. Generating and Downloading PDFs

At any stage of the lifecycle:

1. Click on any invoice in your history to open the Inline Detail View.
2. Click the Download PDF icon in the header.
3. The system generates a print-ready, professional document containing your logo, producer address, line items, and a summary breakdown (Subtotal, 5% processing fee, and Total).

6. Tracking Payouts

Freelancers and Organizations can track their earnings on the Payouts tab of the Financial Command Center:

Metric Cards

• Total Earnings: The total value of all paid invoices since account creation.
• Total Payouts: Funds successfully transferred to your bank/debit card.
• Pending: Funds currently held by Stripe or in transit to your bank.
• Available: Cleared funds ready for manual transfer.

Requesting a Payout

If you have a positive Available Balance:

1. Click Request Payout.
2. Enter the amount to transfer (minimum $10.00).
3. Click Confirm. Stripe Express will schedule the transfer. You can trace its progress and estimated arrival date under Payout History.

Payout Routing & Onboarding Safety Net

When payouts are executed, the system automatically routes them using the following rules:

• Routing Priority: Payouts are routed to the contractor's primary organization Stripe account. If the contractor belongs to multiple organizations, the platform routes the payout to the most appropriate business account based on their organizational roles.
• Onboarding Safety Net: If you have not completed Stripe onboarding, clients can still pay your invoices. The platform temporarily holds the payment securely on the platform account. Once you complete your Stripe setup, the platform automatically releases and transfers the held funds to your connected bank account.