Guide
Bill client ad spend without hurting your books
If you buy ads for clients, that spend can quietly wreck your numbers. Here's how to keep it clean.
Keep it separate from your income
Ad spend you pass on to a client isn't your revenue. Treat it as a cost you're passing through, not money you earned. Otherwise your revenue looks bigger than it is and your profit looks worse.
Add a clear mark-up
Decide your mark-up per client, say 10% or 15%, and apply it every time. This is real margin, so don't leave it off.
Rebill quickly
The longer you wait to bill spend back, the more of your own cash is tied up. Bill it as it happens, not at month-end.
Watch what you've fronted
Always know how much client spend you've paid for but not yet billed back. That's your money on the line.
The quick version
- Ad spend passed on is a cost, not income. Keep it separate.
- Set a mark-up per client and always apply it.
- Rebill fast to protect your cash.
- Track what you've fronted.
Punctual keeps ad spend separate, adds your mark-up, and shows what you've fronted.