Designed change
A WIP review organised around billing readiness, unresolved questions and authorised decisions rather than a balance alone.
Illustrative scenario combining common practice needs. Software shown is a suggested stack.
Explain what is holding the work
A balance alone cannot explain whether work is ready to bill, awaiting an agreed milestone or missing a decision. This design would pair the financial view with a small set of reviewed reasons. Each exception would identify who needs to act and what information they need, without treating the dashboard as authority to issue a bill.
Close the review with an action
The billing discussion would produce an owner and a next action for each selected item. Any write-off or adjustment would follow the practice's approval process in its accounting records. Report totals would be reconciled to the nominated source and period, and any extraction or connection to the dashboard would be tested before use.
The practical lesson
Ask what must happen before the work can be billed. A WIP number is the start of that conversation.