Every shift in Careswitch creates a billing line item behind the scenes, even before it's worked. As the shift is completed, billed, and paid, its line item moves through a series of statuses. Use them to see what's ready to bill, what's been paid, and what's stuck.
This applies whether the client is billed by invoice (private pay) or by claim (insurance).
Line item status vs. invoice status: a line item's status describes one charge; an invoice's status (Open, Reviewed, Sent, and so on) describes the whole bill.
For the invoice side, see Creating, reviewing, and sending invoices.
The journey of a line item
Upcoming — the shift is scheduled but not yet worked. This is projected revenue, not billable yet.
Billable — the shift is completed and ready to bill. This is the only status where a line item can be added to or removed from a bill, edited, or marked unbillable.
Billed — the line item has been sent to the payer but not yet paid. It's now locked.
Paid — payment has been received. Also locked.
Two more statuses mean a line item won't be billed:
Missed — the shift was incomplete (no clock-in/out), so there's nothing to bill. On an invoice's missing-shifts check, these show as never worked.
Unbillable — someone manually marked it not billable (a reason is required). It won't be added to any bill.
What turns a shift billable
When a shift is completed, its line items become Billable automatically. Canceled and incomplete shifts don't.
The AI Shift Review hold. If a completed shift has an unresolved blocking AI Shift Review exception (like missing care documentation or signatures), it's kept out of the automatic add-to-invoice flow. That's the point of a blocking rule: it pauses billing so you can check the shift before it reaches a payer. On an invoice's missing-shifts check, these shifts show as need review. To release the hold, either:
fix the shift and refresh to clear the exception, or
if you've reviewed it and it's correct, add it to the invoice manually.
When you can edit a line item
You can only change a line item while it's Billable — and, if it's already on an invoice, only while that invoice is still being prepared:
Billable, invoice Open or Paused — editable; you can also move it to another invoice.
Billable, invoice Reviewed — locked. Marking an invoice Reviewed locks its line items against edits.
Billed or Paid — locked. To start over on a sent invoice, void it.
Kinds of line items
A shift can produce a few kinds of line items:
Shift hours — the care time worked.
Travel time and mileage — if you bill for them.
Expenses — miscellaneous charges you add.
Insurance claims can only bill shift hours. Travel time, mileage, and expenses are for private-pay invoices only. See Expenses, mileage, and rate modifiers on a bill and Add to Invoice vs. Add to Claim: which button shows, and why.
FAQ
Why isn't my shift getting billed?
Usually one of two reasons:
It isn't completed yet — only completed shifts become Billable.
It has an unresolved blocking AI Shift Review exception keeping it out of automatic invoicing. Fix the shift and refresh, or, if it's correct, add it to the invoice manually.
Can I edit a line item after it's on an invoice?
Only while it's Billable and the invoice hasn't been marked Reviewed or sent. Once it's Billed or Paid, it's locked.
What does "unbillable" mean?
Someone manually flagged the line item as not billable, with a reason. It won't be added to any invoice or claim.
Next: to put billable line items on an invoice, review it, and send it, see Creating, reviewing, and sending invoices.