Rates explained

Rates overview

There are nine types of rates available in Synergy. The rates control the charge-out values for staff time, and markup values for expenses.

Rates are maintained to control the standard set of values that work on project invoices is charged out at or marked up to be on an invoice.

Variations allow you to apply special pricing (e.g. discounts or surcharges) to selected contacts or projects. Variations are also used to update the standard charge-out rate pricing when you update the pricing for a new financial year or calendar year.

Learn more about adding rates.

Rate types explained

Synergy has 9 types of rates which can be used

1. Staff rates - Create a staff rate for each job role or position to control how the time is charged out on project invoices. Define the charge-out value for that rate to set your recommended price for that type of work. Each staff member is assigned the rates they are allowed to use, and they select from those staff rates when they are entering timesheets. 
   
   
2. Travel expense items - Staff fixed cost expense items are created as travel expense rates. These are items that staff want to be reimbursed for such as 'mileage' for car travel or road tolls. Used by staff when entering their cash expense claims. Setup the 'cost' to be the amount the staff member will be reimbursed for the expense, and the 'value' is the markup value applied to expense when it is on-charged to the client on a project invoice.
   
   
3. Cash expense markup - Setup the markup % applied to staff expenses which have a variable expense value. This rate is used by staff when entering cash expenses, when they are claiming for items they want to be reimbursed for like flights, hotels, taxi's, courier fees etc. The markup % is applied when the expense is billed to the client on a project invoice.
   
   
4. Inspection rates* - Setup a charge out fee for each site inspection. The defined value is a flat rate per site visit like a charge out rate for a 1 day or 1/2 day site visit. These rates are used in staff timesheets. The staff member still enters the exact hours for this site visit in their timesheets, but the client is charged a flat fee for the visit using the site inspection rate.
   *This feature is available with the Synergy Business or Enterprise products.*
   
   
5. Office items - Track the cost of internal office tasks and on-charge these costs to your clients on project invoices. Setup office item rates for things like printing plans, colour printing, binding, photocopying etc. These rates are used by staff in the office expenses feature.
   
   
6. Sub contractor markups - Sub contractors expenses are for services that form part of the project fee that were carried out by an external party, that you need to on-bill to your client. Define the markup % that will be applied to the sub contractor invoice when the bill is disbursed to a Synergy project and on-charged to your client. Sub contractor markup rates are used in the bills (supplier expenses) feature.
   
   
7. Supplier markups - Supplier invoices are received for goods that your purchased to complete the project work like equipment hire, airfares, accommodation, courier fees etc. Define the markup % that will be applied to the supplier invoice when the bill is disbursed to a Synergy project and on-charged to your client.  Supplier markup rates are used in the bills (supplier expenses) feature.
   
   
8. Supplier items - Setup frequently purchased items that need to be on-charged to clients on project invoices like equipment is hired for site work on a regular basis. Use supplier items to setup the default 'cost' and 'charge out' values. The charge-out value entered would include the markup value for the project invoice. Supplier item rates are used in the bills (supplier expenses) feature.
   
   
9. Overtime rates* - Track the reason your staff have work extra hours using overtime rates, and surcharge the overtime hours to your clients using the charge factor. Overtime rates are used by staff as they enter their timesheets.
   *This feature is available with the Synergy Business or Enterprise products.*

Learn more about setting up rates, or adding overtime rates.