Milestone evidence and approvals

How a milestone moves from "complete" to paid.

Steps

1. Mark the milestone complete on the Beams platform. The customer is notified.
2. Upload evidence. Photos from multiple angles. Required certificates (electrical, gas, building control as applicable). Anything that documents the work.
3. Beams reviews the evidence. We check what you've uploaded against what the milestone covers. If photos or certificates are missing, or the documentation is unclear, we'll come back to you before the customer decides. Good evidence first time is the quickest route to payment.
4. Customer reviews. Within a 7-day objection window, the customer either approves, asks a question, or raises a snag. They can also ask us to inspect the work in person before they decide, in which case we'll contact you to arrange access. If the window passes without action, the platform auto-releases.
5. Payment processing. Once the customer approves the milestone, we send your payment to your Stripe account the same day. Stripe then pays it into your bank automatically, which can take up to 3 days.

What you should receive

• A confirmation email when the milestone is approved.
• A payment reminder the day before funds are released.
• A remittance notice confirming the amount and reference once payment is made.

What can stop a payment

• Insufficient evidence. If photos are missing, certificates are missing, or the documentation is unclear, we'll flag it on review, and the customer may raise it too.
• The customer raising a snag. A snag pauses the payment until it's sorted. The article Disputed milestones covers it.
• An invoice mismatch. If the invoice value doesn't match the milestone value in the schedule, the system flags it.