Creating Rate Rules
Step-by-step instructions for creating a new rate rule, including setting scope fields, pay and charge rates, date ranges, and testing your rule.
Before You Start
What you need to create a rate rule.
Before you start
- Access to the TempClock manage portal (/manage)
- Admin-level permissions (only admins can manage rate rules)
- The pay rate and charge rate you want to set
- Details of which client, location, role, or cost code this rule applies to
If you have not read the Understanding Rate Rules guide yet, start there first. It explains the priority system, wildcards, and fallback logic that you will need to understand before creating rules.
Open the manage portal
Log in to your TempClock manage portal. You will land on the dashboard.
Click "Rate Rules" in the sidebar
In the left-hand sidebar, find and click Rate Rules (this may be listed under a Payroll or Settings section depending on your layout). This opens the rate rules list showing all your current rules.
Click "Add Rule"
Open the new rule form.
Click the "Add Rule" button
At the top-right of the Rate Rules page, click the orange + Add Rule button. This opens a form where you can configure your new rule.
Fill In the Rule Form
Walk through every field on the form.
Rule Name
Give your rule a descriptive name so you can find it easily later. Choose something that describes what the rule covers.
Good examples: “Default warehouse rate”, “Acme Corp — forklift drivers”, “Night shift premium”
Client (scope)
Select the client this rule applies to from the dropdown. Leave blank if the rule should apply to all clients (wildcard).
Location (scope)
Select the location this rule applies to. The dropdown will only show locations belonging to the client you selected. Leave blank for all locations.
Job Role (scope)
Select the job role this rule applies to (e.g. Forklift Driver, Warehouse Operative). Leave blank for all roles.
Cost Code (scope)
Optionally enter a cost code. This is useful if your client uses cost centres for billing. Leave blank if not applicable.
Pay Rate
Enter the pay rate in pounds per hour. This is what you pay the worker. Enter the number without the £ sign (e.g. 14.00).
Charge Rate
Enter the charge rate in pounds per hour. This is what you bill the client. Enter the number without the £ sign (e.g. 19.00).
Margin Preview
See your margin as you type.
As you enter the pay rate and charge rate, TempClock automatically shows you the margin — the difference between what you charge and what you pay. This updates in real time as you type.
Keep an eye on the margin percentage. A healthy margin for temp agencies is typically between 15% and 30%. If the margin looks too low (or negative!), double-check your rates before saving.
Setting Date Ranges
Control when the rule is active.
Valid From (optional)
If this rule should only apply from a certain date, enter the start date in the Valid From field. Shifts before this date will not use this rule.
Leave blank if the rule should apply to all past and future shifts.
Valid To (optional)
If this rule should expire on a certain date, enter the end date in the Valid To field. Shifts after this date will not use this rule.
Leave blank if the rule should run indefinitely.
Active toggle
The Active toggle lets you enable or disable a rule without deleting it. Toggle it off to temporarily pause a rule — you can turn it back on later.
Setting up a future-dated rule is a great way to prepare for agreed rate changes. Create the new rule now with the future start date, and TempClock will switch to it automatically when the time comes.
Saving and Testing Your Rule
Make sure the rule works as expected.
Click "Save Rule"
Once you have filled in all the fields, click the orange Save Rule button at the bottom of the form. The rule will be created and appear in the rate rules list.
Check the priority
In the rate rules list, you will see the priority of each rule (calculated from the number of scope fields). Make sure your new rule has the priority you expected.
Test with an existing shift
Go to Timesheets, find a shift that should match your new rule, and open the detail panel. Check the Rate Rule field to confirm the correct rule was applied. If it shows a different rule or the fallback rate, review your scope fields.
If your new rule is not being applied to shifts you expected, the most common cause is a more specific rule taking priority. Check the rate rules list for any higher-priority rules that might be matching instead.
Example Rate Rules
Some common setups to get you started.
Here are some typical rate rules that agencies set up:
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