Start with a decision summary
Ask for one page that states the period, requested payment, relevant certification, exceptions, and decision required. Keep the full supporting package available behind it. Confirm whether the request is for contract payment, a change approval, a funding authorization, or several separate decisions. Each should have a named authorized approver.
Review change exposure alongside the request
Our recommended summary separates the original contract, approved changes, current contract value, pending changes, and forecast exposure. Approved changes tell you what has been committed; pending items tell you what may still move. Avoid a dashboard that combines them into one unexplained budget number.
Resolve exceptions with specific actions
For each open issue, identify the line, amount, reason, responsible person, and next step. Ask whether the issue affects the entire request or an identifiable portion, then follow the agreement’s review and payment process. Do not create a new withholding rule through an informal checklist or ignore the project’s required response timing.
Check authority and handoffs
Confirm that the person approving a change has the required authority and that architect, CM, owner, and lender actions are being recorded distinctly. Owner approval does not itself demonstrate that lender conditions are met or that money was transferred. After the decision, retain the exact approved version and communicate any remaining conditions to the party responsible for them.
Keep a useful monthly record
A compact review log should show requested, certified where applicable, approved, and paid amounts; approved changes; unresolved exposure; and responsible next actions. Compare it with last month’s log to spot issues that keep returning. Use the same structure each cycle so a new owner representative can understand the record without reconstructing an email chain.
Keep this handy
Review checklist
- Decision and authorized approver identified
- Approved commitments and pending exposure separated
- Exceptions have an amount and next action
- Approved version and subsequent payment preserved
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Sources & scope
These references inform the document and workflow context. Checklists and examples are BuildProof’s editorial recommendations. The executed agreement, applicable law, and authorized project decisions control.
AIA and its document names are trademarks of The American Institute of Architects. This independent guide is not an AIA form or an endorsement. Obtain licensed documents when required. Educational guidance only; it does not replace project-specific legal, financial, or professional advice.
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