How to Bill Clients Accurately with Custom Rates and Calculations

Getting paid what you're worth starts with tracking what you're owed. Timesheet's billing features go far beyond simple hourly rate calculations—you can set different rates for different clients, apply multipliers for overtime or special work, and track exactly what's been billed and paid.

This guide shows you how to configure rates and calculations so your invoices are always accurate.

#Setting Project-Level Hourly Rates

Every project can have its own hourly rate, which is essential when you work with multiple clients at different price points.

#Basic Rate Setup

1. Open the project you want to configure
2. Go to project settings
3. Find the Hourly Rate field
4. Enter your rate
5. Save

From now on, every task in this project automatically calculates earnings based on this rate.

#Why Per-Project Rates Matter

Consider this scenario:

• Client A pays €100/hour for consulting
• Client B pays €75/hour for development
• Internal projects are tracked but not billed

With per-project rates, you don't need to remember which rate applies where. The math happens automatically.

#Viewing Calculated Earnings

Once rates are set, you'll see earnings throughout the app:

• In task details
• On daily/weekly summaries
• In statistics and reports
• On exports

The calculation is simple: Hours × Hourly Rate = Earnings

But Timesheet can do much more complex calculations when needed.

#Using Factor for Rate Multipliers

The Factor feature lets you apply multipliers to specific tasks. This is perfect for:

• Overtime work (1.5x, 2x)
• Weekend or holiday rates
• Rush jobs with premium pricing
• Reduced rates for certain work types

#How Factor Works

Factor is a multiplier applied to the base hourly rate:

#Setting Factor on a Task

1. Open the task
2. Find the Factor field (in billing or rate section)
3. Enter the multiplier (e.g., 1.5 for time-and-a-half)
4. Save

The earnings for that task are now calculated as: Hours × Hourly Rate × Factor = Earnings

#Common Factor Use Cases

Overtime billing:

• Standard hours: Factor 1.0
• Overtime (after 8 hours): Factor 1.5
• Double time (weekends): Factor 2.0

Client agreements:

• Standard rate: Factor 1.0
• Discounted work: Factor 0.8
• Premium/rush work: Factor 1.25

Work type differentiation:

• Design work: Factor 1.0
• Development: Factor 1.2
• Emergency support: Factor 2.0

#Using Extra/h for Fixed Adjustments

Sometimes you need to add a fixed amount per hour rather than a percentage. That's what Extra/h (extra per hour) is for.

#How Extra/h Works

Extra/h adds a fixed amount to your hourly rate:

#Setting Extra/h on a Task

1. Open the task
2. Find the Extra/h field
3. Enter the additional amount per hour
4. Save

The earnings are calculated as: Hours × (Hourly Rate + Extra/h) = Earnings

#When to Use Extra/h vs. Factor

#Combining Factor and Extra/h

You can use both on the same task for complex calculations:

Earnings = Hours × (Hourly Rate × Factor + Extra/h)

Example:

• Base rate: €100/hour
• Factor: 1.5 (overtime)
• Extra/h: €20 (tool fee)
• Calculation: Hours × (€100 × 1.5 + €20) = Hours × €170

#Billable vs. Non-Billable Time

Not all tracked time should appear on client invoices. Timesheet lets you mark work as billable or non-billable.

#Setting Billable Status

Each task can be marked as:

• Billable: Included in earnings calculations and invoices
• Non-billable: Tracked for your records but not billed

#Default Billable Status

You can set a default per project:

1. Open project settings
2. Find Default Billable setting
3. Choose Yes or No
4. New tasks in this project inherit this setting

#Common Non-Billable Work

• Internal meetings
• Learning and training
• Administrative tasks
• Pro bono work
• Travel time (if not billed separately)
• Unbillable rework

Tracking non-billable time is valuable—it shows where your time goes even when you can't charge for it.

#Tracking Billed and Paid Status

Beyond billable/non-billable, Timesheet tracks whether work has been invoiced and paid.

#Status Progression

Tasks move through these statuses:

1. Billable - Ready to invoice
2. Billed - Included on an invoice sent to client
3. Paid - Payment received

#Marking Tasks as Billed

After sending an invoice:

1. Select the tasks that were included
2. Mark them as Billed
3. Optionally add the invoice number or date

#Marking Tasks as Paid

When payment arrives:

1. Find the billed tasks
2. Mark them as Paid
3. Your receivables are now reconciled

#Filtering by Status

Use status filters to quickly find:

• All billable work ready for the next invoice
• All billed work awaiting payment
• Payment history

#Practical Billing Workflows

#Weekly Client Billing

1. Filter tasks by project and date range
2. Review for accuracy
3. Mark all as billable (if not already)
4. Export or generate invoice
5. Mark included tasks as billed

#Monthly Invoice Reconciliation

1. Filter by "Billed" status
2. Match against invoice records
3. When payment arrives, mark as "Paid"
4. Identify any unpaid invoices

#End-of-Project Billing

1. Filter all tasks for the project
2. Review billable vs. non-billable
3. Calculate total earnings
4. Generate final invoice
5. Archive the project

#Pro Tips for Accurate Billing

#Set Rates Before You Start

Configure project rates as soon as you create projects. Retroactively adding rates works, but it's easy to forget.

#Use Factor Consistently

Create personal guidelines for when Factor applies. Document these so you apply rates consistently.

#Review Before Invoicing

Always review time entries before billing. Catch any missing rate configurations or incorrect statuses.

#Track Everything

Even if you won't bill for something, track it. Understanding your total time investment is valuable for future quoting.

#Communicate Rate Changes

When rates change, create a new project or clearly mark the transition. This prevents confusion during invoicing.

#Summary

Accurate billing in Timesheet requires:

• Project rates: Set hourly rates per project
• Factor: Multiply rates for overtime or special work
• Extra/h: Add fixed amounts per hour
• Billable status: Distinguish client work from internal time
• Billed/Paid tracking: Know what's invoiced and collected

Configure these correctly, and your earnings calculations will always be accurate.

#What's Next?

With rates configured, explore:

• PDF Invoices: Generate professional invoices from your tracked time
• Export Reports: Create detailed billing reports for clients
• Statistics: Analyze earnings by project, client, or time period