Payment claims: submit an interim application for payment
6 min read · Updated 22 Jun 2026
What a payment claim is
A ClaimPack is an interim application for payment: a snapshot of the work certified for a period (from date → to date), the retention withheld on it, and any financial adjustments needed before arriving at the net payable. Each project auto-numbers claims (PC-001, PC-002 …) so the sequence is always in order. Claims are separate from variation orders — VOs capture scope change; claims capture the payment application for that (and other) work.
Create and edit a claim
Click New claim. WBSync sets the claim period (from / to), the issue date, and the CCA-2013 payment claim date for you — adjust them if needed.
Enter the retention rate for this claim (0 % is valid — omit it only if it genuinely isn't applicable; never leave it blank expecting a default). Retention is withheld on the work value only: financial adjustments (retention release, advance recoup, contra charge) sit outside the retention base.
WBSync populates lines from the certified WBS activity values — contract value, % complete to date, value to date, value previously certified, and value this claim. Each line is editable on a draft claim. The QS can also override individual certified values at the Certified stage.
Use adjustments for items outside the main work value: a retention release from an earlier claim, an advance recovery, a contra charge, a material credit, or any other amount. Each adjustment needs a label, a signed amount (negative to deduct), and a brief comment. Adjustment kinds:
- Retention release — releasing previously withheld retention
- Advance recoup — recovering a mobilisation or materials advance
- Contra charge — deducting a back-charge from the client
- Material credit — crediting materials supplied by the client
- Other — any other adjustment
How totals are calculated
The claim total works in layers:
- Gross value — sum of all WBS line values this claim
- Retention-bearing adjustments — any adjustments whose kind counts toward the retention base (general + material_credit)
- Retention withheld —
(gross + retention-bearing adjustments) × retention % - Post-retention adjustments — retention_release / advance_recoup / contra_charge apply after the retention deduction, not before
- Net claim amount — the figure the contractor is claiming for payment
Submit and freeze
When you're happy, click Submit. WBSync:
- Snapshots every line value and adjustment at their current state — they become immutable
- Renders the PDF and stamps it with the claim number, issue date and CCA-2013 payment claim date
- Locks the claim total — no further edits to the figures, only status transitions from here
Certification and payment
The QS certifies by setting the certified amount and a certificate reference. They can reduce individual line values via line overrides — the delta carries forward to the next claim automatically so nothing is lost. Partial payments are supported: mark a claim paid incrementally, and the running total accumulates until the full certified amount is received.
Portfolio view
The Claims portfolio page shows all claims across the company — number, project, period, status, claim amount, certified amount and balance outstanding — so the commercial manager can see the full pipeline at once.
What next?
For the scope changes that drive your claims: Variation orders →
Frequently asked
How is the claim total computed?
Gross value (WBS lines this claim) + retention-bearing adjustments, then retention withheld on that base, then post-retention adjustments (retention release, advance recoup, contra charge) applied after the retention deduction. The result is the net claim amount. A 0% retention rate is valid.
Can I edit a claim after submitting?
No. Submission freezes all line values and totals — they become immutable snapshots. If figures need to change, raise a superseding claim from the submitted one.
What is the CCA-2013 payment claim date?
The date the claim is formally served under the Construction Contracts Act 2013 (Ireland). WBSync sets it from the issue date by default; adjust it if your contract specifies a different service date. It appears on the printed claim PDF.
Can the QS reduce individual certified values?
Yes. At the Certified stage the QS can enter line overrides to reduce any line below the claimed value. The under-certified delta carries forward to the next claim automatically.
Are partial payments supported?
Yes. You can mark a claim paid multiple times, and WBSync accumulates the running total until the full certified amount is received.
How is a claim different from a variation order?
Variation orders capture scope change — the BOQ lines and cost of new or changed work. A payment claim (ClaimPack) is the formal interim application for payment, drawing on both the original contract work and any approved VOs. They are separate workflows.