Retention Track works out a contract's maximum retention allowed — the most retention that can be withheld over the life of the contract — from a retention method you choose. You never have to type or maintain a maximum figure yourself.

Important: All monetary fields are entered and shown exclusive of sales tax (GST/VAT).

There are three retention methods. Each one produces a single maximum retention allowed for the contract.

A flat maximum that you enter. The maximum stays the same no matter how the contract value changes.

Example: you set a fixed maximum of $50,000. Retention Track will never record more than $50,000 of retention on the contract, even if the contract value goes up later.

The maximum is a percentage of the contract value. Because the contract value already includes variations, the maximum updates automatically as variations change the value.

Example: 5% of a $1,000,000 contract gives a maximum of $50,000. If approved variations later raise the contract value to $1,100,000 (and variations are included in retention), the maximum becomes $55,000 on its own.

Different rates apply to different dollar bands of the contract value, and Retention Track adds them up into a single maximum — much like income-tax brackets. Each rate applies only to the part of the value that falls inside its band. Use this when retention is withheld at one rate up to a set dollar amount and a different rate beyond it. The last band is open-ended (“and above”), so it covers everything past the final threshold.

Example: 10% up to $500,000, then 5% above that. On a $1,000,000 contract that is $50,000 on the first $500,000 plus $25,000 on the remaining $500,000 — a maximum of $75,000. On a smaller $400,000 contract only the first band is reached, giving a maximum of $40,000.

Whichever method you choose, Retention Track calculates the maximum retention allowed for you and shows it on the contract — you will never need to work it out by hand, and Retention Track will never claim more than this amount. You can hover the total to see how it is built up from the base value and each variation.

When you set the retention method you also choose how contract variations contribute to the maximum:

Each individual variation can also be excluded using its Include in retention toggle. For how to add and manage variations, see Contract Variations.

The retention method and the variations-retention choice are set in the Financials section when you create or edit a contract.

Does adding a variation change my maximum retention allowed? It depends on the variations-retention choice above. With Combined or Separate (and a percentage or tiered method) the maximum moves with the contract value; with a Fixed amount or No retention it does not.

Can I change the retention method later? Yes. Edit the contract and choose a different method in the Financials section; the maximum retention allowed is recalculated straight away.