Creating payables & automatically generating lien waivers

Payables are the foundation for your project’s financial activity in Built. Every payable connects your project, vendor, and payment – and automatically generates its corresponding lien waiver.

This ensures every payment is tracked, protected, and ready for digital signature or release in exchange for payment through Built Payments.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:

• Create individual payables manually or in bulk using CSV import.
• Understand how each payable automatically generates a lien waiver.
• Configure conditional and unconditional lien waiver settings per payable.
• Tie payables to projects, vendors, and payments efficiently.

1. Navigate to the Payables menu item in the top navigation bar.
2. Click the blue Add Payable button.
3. Click + Add Manually.
4. Click the Vendor box and choose an existing organization (or create one using the Quick Add Vendor flow). (Required)
5. Click the Project box and select your project (or create one using the Quick Add Project flow). (Required)
6. Enter payable details:
   • Payable App Number (required)
   • Job Number (optional)
   • Invoice Date (required)
   • Due Date (required)
   • Payment Amount (required)
7. Toggle the Final Lien Waiver switch if this is the final waiver for the project.
8. Configure lien waiver settings:
   • Conditional Lien Waiver – choose a template, select the exchange method (Manual or In Exchange for Payment), and choose delivery type (E-Sign or Require Notarization).
   • Unconditional Lien Waiver – same configuration options if required.
   • If both fields are left blank, the payable will still be created but treated as a standard bill pay item without lien waiver creation or management.
9. Click Save to create your payable and automatically generate its associated lien waiver(s).

Exchange Method Definitions:

On Demand – Not tied to payment. Vendors receive an request for their lien waiver, but payment is handled separately outside of Built Payments.

In Exchange for Payment – Integrated with Built Payments. Vendors sign their lien waiver, and payment is automatically released through Built Payments once the waiver is complete.

📌 Best Practices:

1. Use the In Exchange for Payment method when possible — it ensures lien waivers are released only after payment is complete, protecting both you and your vendors.
2. Verify your vendor and project selections before saving to maintain accurate reporting.
3. Leave both lien waiver fields blank if you want a standard bill pay item without lien waiver tracking.

1. Navigate to the Payables tab in the top navigation bar.
2. Click the blue Add Payable button.
3. Click Import CSV.
4. Step 1: Download the Template
   • Download the Payable CSV Template.
   • Fill out the required fields in Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers:
     • Project name
     • Invoice number
     • Invoice date
     • Due Date
     • Vendor
     • Amount
     • Job Number
     • Is Final (Yes / No)
   • (Optional) Download the Projects and Vendors CSV to easily reference existing data before import.
5. Step 2: Import Your Payables
   • Return to Built and upload your completed CSV file (drag-and-drop or click to upload).
   • Click Review Uploaded Payables.
   • Review for accuracy, fix validation errors, or make inline edits.
   • Click Import Payables to create your payables and automatically generate lien waivers for each entry.
   • If needed, click Re-upload .CSV to upload a new version.

📌 Best Practices:

1. Use bulk import to save time when adding multiple payables at once.
2. Always validate vendor and project names in your CSV before uploading to prevent errors.
3. Download the Projects and Vendors CSV before import to ensure your references are accurate.

1. Every payable created in Built automatically generates its lien waiver(s).
2. Always verify the project and vendor selections before saving.
3. Use In Exchange for Payment to tie waiver release to payment completion.
4. Bulk imports save time and reduce entry errors for large projects.