Invoice vetting checklistEasyStagecraft Module 5 · run on every supplier invoice > A$1,000 BEFORE you sign it for payment · 12 line-by-line questions · the discipline that catches the silent A$200-800 leakage per show

Why this exists. The contractor BS-detector lives on the quote (Module 1). This is the equivalent on the invoice — the document the school is about to pay. Schools routinely overpay by A$200-800 per supplier per show because nobody walks the invoice line-by-line. Five minutes per invoice catches 80% of issues. Apply to every invoice over A$1,000; for the big ones (lighting hire, sound hire, set), apply line-by-line.

Production	____________________
Supplier	____________________
Invoice # + date	____________________
Invoice total (ex-GST + GST + total)	____________________
Reviewed by	____________________
Date reviewed	____________________

The 12 questions

1 · ABN check — supplier ABN listed and active on the ABN Lookup? If no ABN: 47% withholding may apply (ATO ruling). If ABN inactive: invoice is invalid — won't reconcile in school accounts. Verify at abr.business.gov.au · 30 seconds.
2 · Supplier name on invoice = supplier name on PO / quote = supplier name on CoC? All three must match. Common scam (or innocent error): invoice billed in the trading name not the registered entity, or vice versa. Mismatch = pause + clarify before paying.
3 · GST applied correctly? If supplier is GST-registered (most are): 10% GST itemised. If not GST-registered: no GST charged — verify ABN status. Schools often invoice with GST then have it "corrected" upward in a credit-note dance; catch it on the first invoice.
4 · Every line item appears on the original quote / PO? Run the invoice next to the quote, line by line. Any new line = unauthorised scope creep. Flag for clarification: "Item X was not on the agreed scope — what was the trigger to add this?"
5 · Quantities + rates match the quote? "5-day hire @ A$120/day" on the quote → invoice should show 5 × 120, not 6 × 120 because they rolled bump-out into a 6th billable day. Common variance: hire periods rounded up. Push back where unjustified.
6 · Deposit / pre-payment credited correctly? If you paid a deposit (usually 30%), it should appear as a CREDIT on the final invoice. Easy line to "forget". Worth A$200-2,000 of double-payment if missed.
7 · Penalty / after-hours rates only for hours that were after-hours? Contractor rates include penalty loadings (Sat +50%, Sun +100%, public holiday +150%). They should ONLY apply to crew genuinely on site at those hours. Cross-check against the schedule.
8 · "Consumables" line itemised — or vague? A line "Consumables — A$400" with no breakdown is a red flag. Push for: "Consumables: gaffer tape × 4 rolls A$80, cable ties × 200 A$45, batteries A$140, tape A$80, sundries A$55 = A$400." If they can't itemise, reduce or remove.
9 · "Travel" / "call-out fee" charged on top of day rate? If the day rate already includes travel/transport (most contractor day rates do for within-metro), a separate "call-out fee" or "travel" line is double-charging. Check the quote's small print.
10 · Hire vs purchase clarity? An invoice can disguise a "purchase" of something the school doesn't actually own at the end. E.g. "Custom-cut gel kit A$280" — is that ours to keep, or are we paying for a hire that gets reused? If purchase: it should be in the equipment register at the end.
11 · Dates of service match the agreed scope window? A line "On-site labour 8-13 October @ A$95/hr" — did the contractor really work the 8th? If your bump-in started 10th, dates 8th+9th are suspect. Cross-check with the SM's sign-on register.
12 · Maths check — line sub-totals and grand total reconcile? Pull out a calculator. Add the column. The number of times invoice grand totals are A$50-200 off the sum of lines is significant. Once you flag two of these to a contractor, you'll never get another one.

Decision matrix

Outcome	What to do
All 12 pass	Sign for payment. Note "vetted by [you] on [date] — clean" in the school's finance system.
1-2 minor variances (< A$200)	Email contractor with a short list of clarifications. Hold payment until clarified. Most resolve in 24 hours.
3+ variances, or any variance > A$500	Request a revised invoice from the contractor with itemised corrections. Don't pay the disputed invoice; pay the revised one.
Variance involves unauthorised scope (Q4) or vague "consumables" (Q8)	Decline the line items. Pay what's defensible. Contractor must justify or revise.
Variance suggests deliberate over-billing (multiple lines, pattern)	Escalate to PM + Business Manager + Principal. Document the pattern. Consider not engaging the contractor in future production.

Template — clarification email to contractor

Subject: Invoice #_____ — clarifications before payment

Hi [Contractor first name],

Thanks for the invoice. Before I release it for payment, I have a few line clarifications:

1. Line [X] — [specific question, e.g. "10 hours billed on 7 Oct — bump-in started 10 Oct, was the 7 Oct date a planning visit? If so, was that in scope?"]
2. Line [Y] — [specific question]
3. Line [Z] — [specific question]

Once we've squared these I'll process payment the same day.

Best,
[PM name]

What this discipline prevents

Silent over-billing. Most discrepancies are honest invoice-team errors; some are not. Either way, finding them is the school's job.
Audit findings. "School paid invoices that did not match POs" is a routine audit finding — the discipline above eliminates it.
Year-on-year drift. Once a contractor knows the school doesn't check, the next year's invoice creeps higher. The discipline holds the line.