Set Up Advanced Billing Rates

Advanced Billing Rates let you start with a simple default (by Task or by Person) and then create exceptions for specific Projects, Clients, or People. This is ideal when most work follows standard pricing but some combinations need special rates.

Where to find it: Company > Preferences > Billing Rates (choose an Advanced model), then:

• Company > Tasks > Task Details (Task-based defaults)
• Company > People > Person Details (Person-based defaults or exceptions)
• Company > Projects > Project Details (Project exceptions)
• Company > Clients > Client Details (Client exceptions)

Jump to a section:

• How Advanced Billing Rates work
• Advanced models you can choose
• Task with exceptions for Projects
• Task with exceptions for People
• Person with exceptions for Clients
• Person with exceptions for Projects
• Which rate “wins” (precedence)
• Applying changes to existing time entries
• Troubleshooting

How Advanced Billing Rates work

Advanced models follow the same pattern:

1. You choose a base level for rates (Task or Person) in Company Preferences.
2. You define default rates on each Task or Person.
3. You create exceptions on specific Projects, Clients, or People when the standard rate should not apply.
4. For each time entry, ClickTime evaluates the default rate and any matching exception to determine one final Billing Rate.

The same building blocks appear on each details page:

• Default – Use the standard rate (for example, the Task or Person rate).
• Custom – Enter a different rate for specific combinations (for example, a particular Project or Person).
• Flat – Bill everything for a particular Project or Client at one single rate, regardless of which Task or Person is involved.

Advanced models you can choose

In Company > Preferences > Billing Rates, you can select one of these Advanced options:

• Task, with exceptions for Projects – Start with a Task rate, optionally override per Project.
• Task, with exceptions for People – Start with a Task rate, optionally override per Person and Project.
• Person, with exceptions for Clients – Start with a Person rate, optionally override per Person/Client combination.
• Person, with exceptions for Projects – Start with a Person rate, optionally override per Person/Project combination.

The sections below walk through each model in more detail.

Task with exceptions for Projects

In this model, you define a standard rate per Task, then override it for specific Projects when needed.

Step 1 – Set default Task rates

• Go to Company > Tasks and open a Task Details page.
• In the Billing Rate section, set a rate for the task (either the global Default or a Custom rate).
• Repeat for each task you use for billable work.

If no exceptions are defined, every time entry that uses this task will be billed at the task’s rate.

Step 2 – Configure project exceptions

• Go to Company > Projects and open a Project Details page.
• Find the Billing Rates section.
  

For each task on that project, choose one of:

• Default – Use the task’s standard rate for this project.
• Custom – Enter a different rate per task for this project only.
• Flat – Use one flat hourly rate for all tasks on this project.

This lets you charge a higher or lower rate for certain tasks on specific projects, or apply a flat project rate regardless of the underlying task.

Task with exceptions for People

In this model, you define a standard rate per Task, then override it for specific People (and in some cases, by project) when needed.

Step 1 – Set default Task rates

• Go to Company > Tasks and open a Task Details page.
• Set the task’s Billing Rate (Default or Custom).

These become the base rates for each task.

Step 2 – Configure person exceptions

• Go to Company > People and open the relevant Person Details page.
• Find the Billing Rates section.
  

For each person, you can:

• Default – Use each task’s standard rate for that person.
• Custom – Use a different rate for certain task/project combinations this person works on.
• Flat – Use one rate for all time this person logs (where allowed by the model), regardless of task.

This is helpful when most people use the same task pricing, but a few senior staff or specific roles use different rates for some work.

Person with exceptions for Clients

In this model, you define a standard rate per Person, then override it for specific Clients where that person’s rate is different.

Step 1 – Set default Person rates

• Go to Company > People and open a Person Details page.
• In the Billing Rates section, set each person’s default rate (Default or Custom).

If no client exceptions are defined, all billable time logged by that person will use their default rate.

Step 2 – Configure client exceptions

• Go to Company > Clients and open a Client Details page.
• Find the Billing Rates section.
  

For each person who works on this client, choose:

• Default – Use the person’s standard rate for all time logged to this client.
• Custom – Set a custom rate for a specific person when they work for this client.
• Flat – Use a single flat rate for all work for this client, regardless of who does it.

This is useful when certain clients have negotiated rates for specific team members or when a client is always billed at a flat rate.

Person with exceptions for Projects

In this model, you define a standard rate per Person, then override it for specific Projects where that person’s rate should be different.

Step 1 – Set default Person rates

• Go to Company > People and open a Person Details page.
• Set their standard Billing Rate (Default or Custom).

If you don’t define project-specific exceptions, all of this person’s billable hours use their default rate.

Step 2 – Configure project exceptions

• Go to Company > Projects and open a Project Details page.
• Find the Billing Rates section.
  

For each person working on this project, choose:

• Default – Use the person’s standard rate when they work on this project.
• Custom – Set a custom rate when this person works on this project.
• Flat – Use one rate for all time on this project, regardless of who performs the work.

This is helpful when specific projects have special pricing for certain team members.

Which rate “wins” (precedence)

For each Advanced model, ClickTime looks at the default rate first, then checks for a matching exception.

• Task with exceptions for Projects:
  Start with the Task rate → if the Project uses Default, keep the Task rate; if it uses Custom, use the per-task custom rate; if it uses Flat, use the flat project rate for all tasks.
• Task with exceptions for People:
  Start with the Task rate → if the Person/Project table has a matching Custom rate, use that; if the row is Flat, use the flat rate for that person; otherwise, use the Task rate.
• Person with exceptions for Clients:
  Start with the Person rate → if the Client table lists that person as Custom, use the custom rate; if Flat, use the flat client rate for all people; otherwise, use the person’s rate.
• Person with exceptions for Projects:
  Start with the Person rate → if the Project table lists that person as Custom, use the custom rate; if Flat, use the flat project rate for all people; otherwise, use the person’s rate.

Applying changes to existing time entries

When you edit Billing Rates on a Task, Person, Project, or Client in an Advanced model, ClickTime can apply the new rates to existing time entries.

• Scope: Choose whether to update unlocked entries only, or both locked and unlocked (subject to your role, Security settings, and Company Lock Date).
• Date range: Specify how far back to apply the change (for example, all entries on or after a particular date).
• Progress: After you confirm, a status icon will appear while ClickTime updates the affected entries. Avoid submitting another bulk rate change until the first one completes.

Troubleshooting

• “My exception rate isn't being used.” Confirm that the correct Advanced model is selected in Company > Preferences > Billing Rates and that you configured the exception on the right Details page (Project, Client, or Person). Check whether the row is set to Default, Custom, or Flat.
• “A flat rate is overriding my custom rates.” In Advanced models, a Flat rate on a Project or Client applies to all relevant time entries, regardless of individual Task or Person rates. Change the row back to Default or Custom if you do not want the flat rate.
• “I don't see options to apply changes to existing entries.” Your Security or Audit Log settings may not allow historical changes, or you may not have permission to change locked entries. Contact your local ClickTime Administrator.
• “Reports still show the old rates.” Confirm that you applied the changes to existing entries for the correct date range and that your report filters (dates, projects, people) include those entries.
• “Advanced is too complex for our needs.” If you don’t need per-client or per-project exceptions, consider switching back to a Basic model and using a single rate per Person, Project, or Task.