Cash flow management for construction companies
Track project draw schedules, subcontractor payments, material costs, and retainage across job sites. RunwayCal connects project-level commitments to company-wide cash position so business owners see gaps before they become crises.
- Draw schedule tracking
- Retainage visibility
- Subcontractor commitments
- Per-job-site dashboards
The challenge
Draw schedules and subcontractor payments create cash gaps
You bill monthly on a draw schedule but subcontractors expect payment in 15 days. The gap between when you invoice and when you get paid creates constant cash pressure. A $180K draw delayed by three weeks can cascade into missed subcontractor payments and damaged relationships on active job sites.
Retainage silently reduces available cash
Retainage of 5 to 10% held back until project completion means your revenue is always less than your invoices. A $2M project might have $150K in retainage that will not convert to cash for six months after substantial completion. Bank balances reflect invoiced amounts, not cash you can deploy.
Each job site is its own cost center
Each job site has its own materials, labor, and subcontractor payments. Getting a company-wide financial picture requires consolidating eight active projects manually. The CFO spends every Friday building a cash projection that is outdated by Monday.
How RunwayCal helps
Milestone-based deal tracking matching draw schedules
Each project is a deal with draw milestones, invoiced amounts, and collection status. Track which draws are submitted, approved, and collected. RunwayCal shows committed project revenue separately from cash received so your runway reflects payment timing, not contract value.
Cash commitment tracking for subcontractor obligations
Subcontractor payment schedules appear as committed outflows with due dates. When a draw payment is delayed, you see the cash impact on subcontractor obligations immediately and can renegotiate payment terms before relationships suffer.
Multi-location dashboards per job site
Each active project tracks its own materials, labor, and subcontractor costs. The company dashboard consolidates treasury, burn, and runway across all job sites. Project managers see their site numbers. Leadership sees the portfolio view.
Retainage tracking as deferred revenue
Retainage amounts appear as deferred collections with expected release dates. True Cash Position excludes retainage from available cash so you never plan around money held by the general contractor until release terms are met.
Features that matter for construction firms
Draw schedule cash mapping
Map each draw milestone to expected collection dates and subcontractor payment obligations. See the cash gap between invoicing and collection for every active project.
Material purchase commitments
Large material orders scheduled for upcoming phases appear as cash commitments months before delivery and payment.
Project-level margin tracking
Compare contract value, costs incurred, and retainage held per project. Identify which jobs generate cash and which consume it.
Portfolio runway view
See company-wide runway across all active projects with per-site breakdown. Know when the portfolio needs a draw acceleration or credit line draw.
From Friday spreadsheet rituals to five-minute checks
A commercial construction firm with $4M in active projects was tracking job costs in project management software and company finances in accounting software. The two systems never talked to each other. The CFO spent every Friday building a cash projection in spreadsheets that was outdated by Monday.
RunwayCal connected accounting data and tracked project-level commitments separately. The Friday ritual became a five-minute dashboard check. When a general contractor delayed a $180K draw payment by three weeks, the CFO saw the cash impact immediately and renegotiated subcontractor payment terms before it became a crisis. Retainage tracking showed $150K in held funds that were excluded from True Cash Position for the first time.
Metrics construction firms actually track
Draw Collection Lag
Average days from draw submission to payment received
Retainage Outstanding
Total retainage held across active projects
Subcontractor Exposure
Committed subcontractor payments due before next draw
Project Cash Gap
Days between subcontractor payment and draw collection
Portfolio Burn Rate
Combined monthly spend across all job sites
True Cash Position
Available cash after retainage and committed obligations
See draw delays before they threaten subcontractor payments
Free to start. No credit card required.