--- title: "Close Out & Hand Over Projects" slug: "close-out-hand-over-projects" updated: 2026-05-11T19:16:13Z published: 2026-05-11T19:16:13Z --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.servicetitan.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Close Out & Hand Over Projects
SERVICETITAN · PROJECTS
Close Out & Hand Over Projects

Wrap up every project cleanly. Resolve punch list items, release retainage, close out the project, and confirm profitability before handoff.

Jump to:
Close Out Your Project
Resolve all punch list items

a. Open the project and go to the Task Management section. Create a "Punch List" task group if one doesn't exist. Click Create Task to add deficiency items.

b. For each item, enter the description, assign it to the responsible technician or crew, set the priority, and add any relevant photos or notes. For commercial projects, collect final conditional or unconditional lien waivers from subcontractors before releasing retainage. Upload waivers to the Documents section as part of the closeout package.

c. As items are completed in the field, update each task to Complete. Verify all tasks in the punch list group show completed status before proceeding to closeout.

Release final retainage

⚠︎ Only release retainage after all work is accepted and punch list items are resolved. Releasing early limits your leverage if issues arise.

a. Open the project and go to the Continuation Sheet in the billing section. Review the retainage balance to confirm the amount held.

b. Use the Collect Retainage feature. Choose whether to release the full retainage amount or a partial amount.

c. Collecting retainage moves the balance from "Retainage Receivable" (Asset) to "Current Due" and generates the final invoice. Until released, retainage does NOT age in standard AR.

d. Send the final invoice to the customer or general contractor.

Reconcile WIP before closing

⚠︎ The Controller must reconcile Work In Progress before finalizing a project. Skipping this step can mask overbilling (a liability) or underbilling (a cash flow drain).

⚠︎ Job Costing must be enabled and the Project Start Date must be populated on the project record. Projects missing a Start Date may be excluded from the WIP report entirely.

a. Run the WIP (Work in Progress) Report for the project. Compare "Earned Revenue" (based on % complete or cost-to-cost) against "Billed Revenue."

b. If Billed > Earned, the project has been overbilled — this cash is a liability that must be recognized. If Earned > Billed, you are financing the client and need to issue a final pay application.

c. Resolve any material variances. Journal off imbalances before closing the accounting period for this project.

Assemble the turnover package

a. Open the project and go to the Documents section. Upload the as-built documentation package: O&M manuals, warranty certificates, as-built drawings, and any required compliance records.

b. Verify all serialized equipment has been scanned and recorded. Serial numbers initialize the warranty clock and can populate a Service Agreement for future maintenance revenue.

c. The Documents section serves as the single source of truth for the contractual turnover package, eliminating the need for external file shares.

Close out the project

a. Open the project and verify all prerequisites are met: punch list tasks resolved, retainage released, WIP reconciled, and all invoices sent.

b. Change the Project Status to Completed (or your tenant's equivalent close status). Project statuses are tenant-configurable — check your account's status names at Settings > Project Statuses.

c. Once the status is set to Completed, the Lock Transactions on Completed Projects setting (if enabled) prevents further edits, invoices, or cost entries from being added. This protects the final financial record.

Review & Follow Up
Run a project profitability report

a. Go to Reports > All Reports and run a project report. Filter by the closed project to see its financial summary.

b. Review total revenue, costs, and profit margin. Compare actual costs against the original estimate to identify variances.

c. Use the breakdown by cost category — labor, materials, subcontractor, and equipment — to pinpoint where the project came in over or under budget.

d. Export the report for your project file or share it with stakeholders for post-project review.

Book a warranty job after project closeout

a. When a customer reports a warranty issue on a closed project, go to the project record and click Actions > Book New Job. Create a job for the customer location.

b. Set the Job Type to your warranty job type. The job is linked to the original project so costs and history stay connected.

c. Assign the job to a technician and schedule the appointment. Add notes referencing the original project scope and the reported issue.

Troubleshoot Project Closeout Issues
Troubleshoot: Can't close a project due to open items

a. Open the project and check the Task Management section. Verify all punch list tasks are marked as Complete — any open or in-progress tasks will block closeout.

b. Go to the Financials section and confirm there are no unreleased retainage amounts or pending invoices.

c. Check for open purchase orders or uncommitted costs. Cancel or complete any remaining POs tied to the project.

d. If the project still cannot be closed, review the status prerequisites at Settings > Project Statuses to understand what conditions must be met for the "Completed" status.

⚠︎ If "Lock Transactions on Completed Projects" is enabled, you may need to temporarily reopen or create a new linked project for warranty work. Check your project settings before attempting to book a warranty job against a fully closed project.

Measure the impact
Profitability
Project profit margin
Run a Project report. Compare actual margin to the original estimate to identify cost overruns early on future projects.
Reports > All Reports > search "Project" ↗
Completion
Punch list resolution time
Track how quickly punch list tasks are resolved. Delays push back final billing and tie up crew availability.
Open a project > Task Management ↗
Cash Flow
Retainage released vs. held
Monitor retainage balances across projects. Unreleased retainage on closed work means cash sitting on the table.
Open a project > Financials > Budget vs Actual section ↗
Warranty
Warranty callback rate
Track warranty jobs linked to closed projects. A rising rate may indicate quality issues during the original project work.
Reports > All Reports > search "Job" (filter by warranty job type) ↗