Research billing touches the protocol, the coverage analysis, the budget, the consent form, the study calendar, the EMR, and the revenue cycle, and most billing errors happen where those pieces connect. This foundational session maps the full lifecycle from protocol receipt through claim submission and reconciliation, showing who does what and where handoffs break down. We will define core terminology, explain the roles of research, finance, compliance, and revenue cycle staff, and illustrate how a single upstream decision ripples through the entire process. No prior billing experience is required. Attendees will leave with a mental model they can use to place their own work in the larger picture.