Staff Rates & Pricing
Understand how AtomicSam picks the right rate for every hour — and why that protects your margin
Ensuring every hour of work is billed correctly shouldn't feel like a math problem. AtomicSam’s pricing engine automates your billing logic, ensuring that whether you’re charging a "friends and family" discount or a weekend overtime premium, the right rate is applied every time.
1. How AtomicSam Chooses the "Right" Rate
When a team member logs time, AtomicSam looks through your settings to find the most specific rate possible. This "Cascade" ensures you can set global defaults but still have the flexibility for unique deals.
The Priority Order (Highest to Lowest):- The Specific Assignment: You’ve set a unique rate for this person on this specific task.
- The Task Specialist: The staff member has a standard rate for this type of work (e.g., Senior Design vs. Junior Admin).
- The Job Default: A flat rate applied to every hour on a particular project.
- The Client Profile: A negotiated rate or discount specifically for this client.
- Global Default: Your company’s "standard" rack rate.
2. Defining Your Margins
We track three distinct rate types so you can see your true profitability:
- Cost Rate: What the staff member costs you per hour (internal only).
- Sell Rate: What you charge the client.
- Overtime Rate: Multipliers (e.g., 1.5x) that kick in automatically for after-hours or weekend sprints.
3. Client Billing Profiles: Set it and Forget it
Stop trying to remember which client gets the "Gold Partner" discount. Create Billing Profiles to automate:
- Automatic Adjustments: Apply a % markup or discount across an entire client account.
- Smart Rounding: Keep your invoices clean by automatically rounding to the nearest dollar or $5 increment.
- Localization: Define specific currencies, tax rates, and payment terms (e.g., Net 30) so invoices are "client-ready" the moment they're generated.
4. Bulletproof Financial Records
Two features protect your agency from billing disputes and audit headaches:
Immutable Snapshots
The Benefit: No more "accidental" invoice changes.When you send a quote or invoice, the rates are "locked in." If you increase your staff rates next month, your historical invoices and active quotes stay exactly as they were. Your past data remains a source of truth.
Effective-Dated History
The Benefit: See the "Why" behind the "What."Every rate change is timestamped. If a client questions a bill from six months ago, you can see exactly what the authorized rate was on that specific day, making dispute resolution fast and professional.
Pro-Tip
> Need to raise your prices? Update your Organization Default Rate. It will apply to all new work immediately without breaking any of your existing, high-priority project rates.