Off-Duty Detail Billing: Keep the Process Flexible

Scheduling the detail is only half the job. Once officers have worked it, someone needs to approve hours, prepare an accurate invoice, track what the client owes, and answer questions about officer pay. When those steps live in separate spreadsheets and inboxes, the coordinator becomes the bridge between all of them.

A better workflow starts with the approved timesheet. The actual hours should flow into the invoice, along with any approved department, vehicle, equipment, or coordination charges. The client should know the payment terms, and the agency should be able to see the status without asking someone to search through emails.

Departments also need a choice about who handles payment. Some want to send invoices and collect funds through their own accounting office. Others would rather have Off Duty Blue onboard the client, manage invoices and accounts receivable, reconcile payments, and handle the officer payment schedule. Those choices do not have to be all or nothing. Off Duty Blue can administer payments for one client or detail while the department handles another. Both can still be scheduled and tracked in the same application.

For departments intending to use payment administration for more than half of their details, we waive the monthly user fees. For departments using the software without that level of payment administration, the subscription is $3 per active user per month. Administrative and payment-term fees for administered transactions are reviewed with the agency.

There is no need to change every client relationship at once to improve billing. Start by mapping the current process: who submits hours, who approves them, who sends the invoice, who follows up on unpaid balances, and who manages officer pay. Then choose the clients or details where taking that work off the department's plate would make the biggest difference.