How to Configure Special Rate Types in Rate Cards

In a competitive staffing market, "one size fits all" pricing rarely works.

You may need to charge differently based on a worker’s specific skills (e.g., NVQ Level 2 vs. Level 3) or offer special premiums for difficult shifts like Friday nights.

The Rate Card Management tool gives you the flexibility to build pricing models that reflect these realities, covering everything from standard daytime shifts to bank holidays and weekend nights.

This guide walks you through creating and managing rate cards, including how to configure special rates, understand the priority hierarchy, and set up your cancellation policy.

Understanding the New Rate Types and Priority Hierarchy

The system supports eight rate types, each designed for a specific shift scenario. All rates are calculated by multiplying the final hourly charge rate by a configured multiplier.

To ensure a rate is always applied, the system uses a Fallback Hierarchy. If a specific rate isn't set, it automatically moves down the list to the next available option:

Special Holiday Rate: For shifts worked on a special holiday. A higher rate applies, using a multiplier set against the standard hourly charge rate.
Bank Holiday Rate: For shifts worked on a bank holiday. Calculated the same way as the Special Holiday Rate, using its own multiplier.
Day Rate – Weekday: For shifts between 08:00 am and 07:59 pm, Monday to Friday.
Friday Night Rate: For shifts between 08:00 pm and 11:59 pm on Fridays, covering the transition into the weekend.

Night Rate – Weekday: For shifts between 08:00 pm and 11:59 pm, Monday to Thursday.
Day Rate – Weekend: For shifts between 08:00 am and 07:59 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Night Rate – Weekend: For shifts between 08:00 pm and 11:59 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Weekend Rate: A general higher rate for any shift starting on a Saturday or Sunday, used when no specific day or night weekend rate has been set.
Night Rate: A general night rate covering any hour worked between 06:00 pm and 11:59 pm, used when no specific weekday or weekend night rate applies.

Note: Night shifts that fall on a weekend are always treated as weekend shifts, regardless of the weekday night rate configuration.

Rate Priority Hierarchy

When multiple rates could apply to a shift, the system uses a Fallback Hierarchy to determine which rate takes effect. If a specific rate hasn't been configured, it automatically moves down the list to the next applicable option, eventually reaching the standard Day Rate as a baseline.

To maximise your agency's revenue, it's best practice to configure specific rates for nights, weekends, and holidays wherever a client has agreed to them — rather than relying on the fallback.

Bank Holiday / Special Holiday — Takes precedence over all other rates.
Friday Night Rate — Applies to Friday evening shifts.
Weekend Night Rate — For night shifts on Saturdays and Sundays.
Night Rate – Weekday — Standard night rate for Monday to Thursday.
Weekend Rate (General) — Fallback for weekend hours with no specific day or night rate set.
Night Rate (General) — Fallback for night hours with no specific weekday or weekend rate set.
Day Rate — The base rate. Applied when no other rate matches.

Note: To maximise revenue, configure all relevant rates rather than relying on fallbacks. A missing Friday Night rate, for example, will fall back to the Day Rate — potentially undercharging for that shift.

Creating a Rate Card

Navigate to the selected Client Profile > Rate and select Add New. The Rate Card Builder guides you through three steps to define your rate breakdown.

Step 1: Overview

Set the context for this rate card, which branch, and site/s these rates will be applicable for.

Branch: Choose which client branch you want to set up a rate card for.
Client Site: One or more sites can be selected here. Sites with VAT-inclusive pricing display a VAT Included badge to verify this matches your client's billing expectations.

Note: Versioning: If a rate card already exists for this site and worker group, changing the Effective Date creates a new version. The previous version is archived automatically, keeping your billing history intact.

Step 2: Adding Rates & Calculating Margins

Configure your pricing for each applicable rate type.

Worker Type: Select the type of worker this rate card applies to (e.g. Support Worker, Healthcare Assistant).
Rate Category: Choose the category that best describes the rate structure for this group, either General Rate or Sleep-in Rate
Rate Type: Select either Hourly Rate for shift-based billing, or Fixed Rate for set arrangements such as sleep-ins.
Worker Skills: Select one or more skills to filter which workers this card applies to (e.g. NVQ L2, NVQ L3)

Note: You do not need to fill in every rate type. Any rate left blank will fall back to the next in the Priority Hierarchy. That said, filling in agreed premium rates wherever possible ensures the most accurate billing.

Step 3: Cancellation Policy

The Cancellation Policy defines how your agency handles shift cancellations — specifically, how much notice is required and what fee applies if that window is missed.

Each policy entry consists of two things:

Cancellation Hours — the notice window before the shift starts (e.g. Before 12 Hours). If a client cancels within this window, the fee applies.
Cancellation Fee Percentage — the percentage of the shift charge the client is liable to pay if they cancel within the defined window (e.g. 10%).

Each entry is automatically assigned a Resource ID for reference and tracking purposes.

You can define multiple entries to create an escalating structure — for example, a lower fee for cancellations within 24 hours and a higher fee for cancellations within 4 hours.

Note: Keep this section up to date. Clear cancellation terms help manage client expectations and reduce the risk of billing disputes.

Editing a Rate Card

Navigate to Client Profile > Rates and select the card you want to update. In edit mode, certain fields are locked to protect active billing structures.

What You Can Edit:

Structural changes — updating the effective date, worker type, or rate mode will prompt the system to create a new version, archiving the current card from that date forward.
Minor adjustments — margins, cancellation percentages, and non-structural details can be updated without creating a new version.

How Versioning Works

When you change the Effective Date, the system displays a warning to let you know a new version is being created. Here is what happens:

The latest rates and policies are copied into the new version, starting from the date you set.
Older versions are not deleted — they continue to price any past-dated jobs accurately.
If the new date overlaps with an existing version, that version is set to Inactive, and the new version becomes Current.

Note: If a field is greyed out in edit mode, it is a versioning boundary. Changes to those fields must be made by starting a new version with a new effective date.

Tips for Agency Admins

Check skill filters carefully. A rate card set for NVQ L2 will not apply to a worker with NVQ L3. Verify filters match the exact group you intend to price.
Use VAT badges as a sanity check. Confirm VAT settings on a site before finalising your charge rates.
Don't rely solely on fallbacks. Where a client has agreed to specific premium rates, configure them explicitly rather than letting the system fall back to the Day Rate.
Archive, don't overwrite. Always create a new version rather than editing over an existing active card. This keeps a clean audit trail for billing disputes.

Configuring Custom Time Windows and Special Rates