This guide provides instructions on setting billing rates in MinuteDock, including how to customise rates for Contacts, Projects, Tasks, Users and Roles.
š”Tip: MinuteDock always uses the most specific rate it can find. The full order is in How MinuteDock picks a rate below.
How MinuteDock picks a rate
Every Time Entry gets one rate. MinuteDock works down this list and uses the first one it finds.
# | Rate | Level |
1 | Task-specific rate on the Project | Task-on-Project |
2 | Task-specific rate on the Contact | Task-on-Contact |
3 | User-specific Task rate | Task |
4 | Role-specific Task rate | Task |
5 | Task rate | Task |
6 | User-specific Project rate | Project |
7 | Role-specific Project rate | Project |
8 | Project rate | Project |
9 | User-specific Contact rate | Contact |
10 | Role-specific Contact rate | Contact |
11 | Contact rate | Contact |
12 | User default rate | Fallback |
13 | Role default rate | Fallback |
14 | Account default rate | Fallback |
The pattern is easier to remember than the list: Task-specific rates come first, then MinuteDock walks down Task ā Project ā Contact, checking each level for a User rate, then a Role rate, then that level's standard rate. Defaults come last.
ā ļø Important: A User rate only wins at its own level. A User rate on a Contact (9) loses to a plain Task rate (5).
ā¹ļø Note: If two Tasks on one entry have rates at the same level, $0.00 wins.
Setting billing rates for Contacts
Customise the billing rate for each of your Contacts to override default User rates on a per-client basis.
Access Contacts: Navigate to Contacts in the main menu and find or add the Contact.
Edit Contact settings: Hover over the relevant Contact and click the edit button to open settings.
Enable billing: Tick Contact is billable. (Note: Contacts must be billable to be invoiced.)
Specify rate: Choose Set a standard rate for this contact and enter the hourly rate.
Default rate option: Alternatively, select Use user rates to apply the User's configured rate.
Select currency: Choose the currency for billing the Contact.
Click Update Contact to save.
Setting billing rates for projects
Customise billing rates for Projects to handle different client rates per job.
Access Projects: Navigate to Projects in the main menu and find or add the Project.
Edit Project settings: Hover over the relevant Project and click the edit button to open settings.
Enable billing: Tick Project is billable. (Note: Projects must be billable to be invoiced.)
Specify rate: Choose Set a standard rate for this project and enter the hourly rate.
Default rate option: Alternatively, select Use contact rates to apply the Contact's billing settings.
Click Update Project to save.
ā¹ļø Note: A Project rate beats the Contact rate and the defaults. It loses to anything at the Task level, and to a User or Role rate set on the Project itself.
Setting billing rates for Tasks
Assign a specific rate for each Task. A Task rate beats Project rates, Contact rates and the defaults.
Access Tasks: Navigate to Projects in the main menu, then click the Tasks sub-tab, and find or add the Task.
Edit Task settings: Hover over the relevant Task and click the edit button to open settings.
Enable billing: Tick the billable option. (Note: Tasks must be billable to be invoiced.)
Specify rate: Choose to set a standard rate for the Task and enter the hourly rate.
Default rate option: Alternatively, choose to inherit the Project or Contact's rate.
Click Update Task to save.
ā ļø Important: Three things beat a Task rate ā a Task-specific rate for it on the Project or Contact, or a User or Role rate on the Task itself. See Override a Task's rate for one Contact or Project below.
Override a Task's rate for one Contact or Project
A Task rate applies everywhere that Task is used. If one client is charged differently for that kind of work, you can override the Task's rate on that Contact ā or on a single Project ā without creating a duplicate Task.
Open the settings: Navigate to Contacts (or Projects) in the main menu, hover over the item and click the edit button.
Check billing is on: The billable option needs to be ticked.
Add the rate: Click + Add a task rate.
Choose the Task: Select the Task from the dropdown.
Enter the rate: Type the hourly rate that should apply when this Task is used with this Contact or Project.
Add more if you need them: Click + Add a task rate again to override another Task, then save.
For example, if your #advisory Task is set to $180/hr but one client is on $220/hr for advisory work, set a Task-specific rate of $220 on that Contact. Every other client keeps the $180 Task rate.
ā ļø Important: A Task-specific rate set here beats every other rate, including a rate you've set for a specific User. If a Time Entry uses two Tasks that both have a Task-specific rate on this Contact and one of them is $0.00, the $0.00 rate applies.
Setting these rates needs Manage Contacts or Manage Projects & Tasks, depending on which item you're editing. See Managing Users and Permissions
Setting billing rates for Users
Configure default User rates or specify rates for Contacts, Projects, or Tasks.
Access Account Settings: Click Account at the top right of the page, then navigate to Team.
Manage User Settings: Open the User's settings to edit them.
Set hourly rate: In the hourly rate section, click Manually set and enter the User's rate.
Default rate: This will be the default rate unless overridden by specific Contact, Project, or Task rates.
Click Update to save.
š”Tip: User default rates serve as the baseline rate when no specific Contact, Project, or Task rates are set.
User-specific rate overrides
You can set a custom rate for a specific User on a Contact, Project, or Task. This only applies when that User logs time to that Contact, Project, or Task.
A rate set for a specific User overrides the standard rate on the same item ā so a User rate on a Task beats that Task's own rate. This works level by level. A User rate on a Contact beats that Contact's rate ā but not a Task or Project rate, which sit higher.
Set User's rate: When editing a Contact, Project, or Task, click + Add a user rate in the rate settings.
Select User: Choose the User from the dropdown menu.
Enter rate: Input the hourly rate for the User.
ā¹ļø Note: You can add multiple User rates to the same Contact, Project or Task. Role rates work identically and sit just below User rates at each level ā Roles appear in the same dropdown, surrounded by square brackets. A Task-specific rate on the Contact or Project beats both.
Video Guide ā How billing rates can be set/applied
This video covers where each rate is set and how MinuteDock decides which one to apply.
ā¹ļø Note: This video predates two changes ā Task-specific rates on a Contact or Project, and Role-specific rates. It still shows where each rate is set; use How MinuteDock picks a rate for the current order.