How Payments Work on QSME
QSME helps you agree work, track it, and keep a clean record of what's paid — without ever holding your money. Payments are made directly between you and the other party. QSME keeps the paperwork tidy so everyone knows where things stand.
In short: QSME never touches your money. You and your client settle directly, and QSME records the contract, the milestones and the invoices so there's a clear trail.
The simple version
- Work is agreed. When a tender is awarded (or a quote accepted), QSME creates a payment contract between the two parties.
- The job is broken into milestones. For example: a deposit to start, a stage payment along the way, and a final payment on completion. You decide what suits the job.
- Work happens and is marked off. The party doing the work updates progress; the party paying marks each milestone as paid once they've settled it directly.
- Both sides confirm. Each milestone is confirmed by both parties, building a clear, shared payment history for the project.
That's it. No middle-man holding funds, no waiting on anyone else's cash flow.
Getting paid directly
If you're a tradie, subcontractor or professional, QSME works as your record-keeper and CRM:
- Manage your clients and the jobs you're quoting on.
- Issue quotes and proper GST invoices for the work you win.
- Get paid directly by your client — your payment doesn't depend on anyone else in the chain.
- Keep a record of every milestone and invoice, so nothing slips through the cracks.
Because each agreement on QSME is between two parties, your payment is your own. One client's situation doesn't affect what you're owed by another.
For people running a project
If you're a client or main contractor, QSME gives you one place to see the money side of the whole build:
- Estimated vs actual — your Bill of Quantities total against the contracts you've awarded.
- Milestones across every contract — what's due, what's been paid, and what's outstanding.
- A complete activity trail — who agreed what, and when.
You can hire trades directly and keep every agreement, milestone and document in one organised place.
What QSME is — and isn't
✅ QSME is a place to agree work, track milestones, issue invoices and keep records.
❌ QSME is not a bank, an escrow agent, or a party to your payments. Money moves directly between you and the other party, by whatever method you both agree (bank transfer, etc.).
Two ways to settle a payment
Every job has a payment step, and there are only two answers to it:
- Pay through QSME — one tap, your bank opens, and the money lands in the other party's own account. QSME never holds it, so nothing to release and nothing to chase: the bank payment is the proof. (Rolling out as we switch bank payments on.)
- Paid outside QSME — pay however you like, record the reference, attach the invoice or receipt, and mark it paid. The other party then confirms the money reached them, because without a bank record your word is the only evidence.
The platform success fee is charged separately on completed work. It is never taken out of what you send — the other party receives the full agreed amount.
QSME does not hold your money in escrow, and never has.
Need help?
- Browse the Knowledge Hub for more guides.
- Contact support at support@qsme.co.nz.