The head contractor features are switched on for an organization by paymentclaims.ai, usually with you on a call. They are not self-service, so the account starts the way every account does, and the head contractor setup picks up once the features are on.
Before the features are on
Sign up and create your organization and its first company, the trading entity that lets subcontracts. The getting started steps cover this; you can stop before adding a contract.
Choosing the contracting mode
Once the features are on, the company's empty Overview says so and links to Settings → Contracting mode. Set it to Head contractor, or to Both if the same company also claims on contracts of its own. The mode changes what the company opens on and what the navigation shows. It switches nothing off: the company can still claim on its own head contract whichever mode it is in.
The setup list
A head contractor company opens on its Overview, and until it has a project with a subcontract on it, a Set up list sits at the top. Each step links to the screen that does it, and is ticked from what you have actually entered, so there is nothing to mark off by hand. The list goes away once a project has a subcontract on it. A company in Both opens on its subcontractor side, so switch the sidebar to Head contractor to find the list.
- Create your first project. The job, its principal and its defaults: jurisdiction, currency and site address. Each contract on the project starts from these. If the principal is not in your counterparties yet, choose New principal on the form to add them without leaving it.
- Add the head contract (optional). The contract you claim under from the principal. Upload it and it is read for you, with your company as the claimant.
- Add a subcontract. A contract you let on the project. Upload it and it is read the other way round, with the subcontractor as the claimant and your company as the respondent. Add the rest of your subcontracts from the project page the same way.
- Connect Xero for bills (optional). Only if you want the schedules you issue recorded as bills in Xero. Connect the company under Settings, then choose the purchases account, the retention creditors account and the purchase tax codes under Xero setup → Bills for payment schedules you issue. The step is ticked once all of them are set. Sending the bill to Xero has the detail.
Schedules you sent before you joined
Claims your subcontractors served before you started using the platform still need recording, so their history and the retention you hold are right. Record each claim, then on the claim choose Already sent it? Record a schedule issued outside the platform and enter the schedule as you served it. Nothing is sent, and the claim leaves your schedule queue. Recording a schedule you served yourself has the detail. Schedules are recorded one claim at a time.
What next
Claims your subcontractors serve from now on are recorded as they arrive, and the schedule queue tracks the payment schedule you owe on each.