Keep scope and delivery in the same conversation
Record the client's objectives, key contacts and decision process before preparing a proposal. When the engagement is agreed, carry the scope, assumptions and approval points into the project. Assign responsibility for milestones and capture changes where the team can find them. Time records should explain the work performed and support the review process, whether the commercial arrangement is fixed-fee, time-based or recurring.
Make the next engagement easier to understand
Keep useful account history beyond the latest invoice: completed work, unresolved questions, upcoming reviews and the people responsible for the relationship. Decide which project updates and documents belong in the customer portal. For retainers, agree the review cycle and how additional work is approved before it reaches billing. Reporting can then distinguish delivery progress, time awaiting review and outstanding commercial actions without requiring the account manager to reconstruct everything from email.