Recurring work is different from a one-off. A project ends; a retainer keeps
going. dpaperwork models the two differently: a one-time engagement is a
project, and a recurring one is a cycle — a period that renews itself,
recreating the month's tasks and carrying over anything unfinished. Chat knows
the difference and won't let you set one up as the other by accident.
Add the client and log the retainer as a deal
Same as any client — a sentence creates the company and the contact, then the
deal.
In Chat
New client: Kettle & Co, a specialty coffee brand in Pune. Arjun Menon is the founder there, arjun@kettleandco.in.
Kettle & Co
lead
Industry
Specialty coffee brand
All set! Here's what's been created in your Workspace: Kettle & Co — Specialty coffee brand, Pune; Arjun Menon (Founder) — arjun@kettleandco.in, linked to Kettle & Co. Want to open a deal or kick off a project for them?
In Chat
They want a ₹1,50,000 a month design retainer. Log it as a deal worth ₹18,00,000 for the year, stage Negotiation.
Kettle & Co Design Retainer
Negotiation
Value
₹18,00,000
Done! Here's what's logged: Kettle & Co Design Retainer — ₹18,00,000 (₹1,50,000/month), Stage: Negotiation, linked to Kettle & Co. Once this closes, want me to set it up as a monthly cycle so tasks auto-recur each billing period?
Watch it catch the project-vs-cycle distinction
Ask for a "retainer project" and Chat won't just do it — it recognises a
recurring engagement is a cycle and asks for the details a cycle needs.
In Chat
Set up the retainer for them starting 1 August.
A couple of quick questions before I set this up: When does the first billing period end? (e.g. 31 August, or do you run it monthly through the end of each month?) Quoted hours per cycle? Or is this a flat retainer with no hour cap?
Answer, and the cycle goes live
Give it the missing pieces and the recurring engagement is created — set to renew
on its own.
In Chat
It's open-ended, and the retainer is 40 hours a month. Go ahead and set up the cycle.
Kettle & Co Design Retainer
Done! Here's what's live: Kettle & Co Design Retainer — Cycle starting 1 Aug, 40 hrs/month, auto-renewing each period. Each month when the period ends, a new cycle kicks off automatically and any unfinished tasks carry over. Want to add the first batch of tasks for August, or move the deal to Closed Won?
DeliveryKettle & Co Design Retainer
Open the cycle to add this month's tasks. When the period rolls over, the next
cycle starts automatically — the recurring tasks come back, and anything you
didn't finish is flagged as carried over so nothing quietly disappears.