Understanding Rate Rules
How TempClock picks one rate rule for each shift: the scope fields, what the shift brings to the match, the most-specific-wins rule, dates and the fallback to the worker's own rate.
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What a Rule Is
Pay and charge, for a set of shifts.
Before you start
- Agency console: anyone who can open Time & Pay > Rate rules. The Payroll preset can read rules; changing them needs Change pay and charge rates (Admin or super admin).
- Client dashboard: a Manager or an Admin, on Time & Pay > Rate rules, for your own sites.
A rate rule says: for shifts that match this scope, pay this rate and charge this rate, with these premiums. The margin is the charge minus the pay. One pricing engine uses the rules for payroll, the Sage and Xero files, the charge schedule and the margin report.
Scope Fields
Four fields decide which shifts a rule covers.
| Field | Matches |
|---|---|
| Client | Shifts at that client's sites. |
| Location | Shifts at that site. |
| Job Role | Shifts priced on that role (see below). |
| Cost Code | Shifts with that cost code. |
A blank field matches anything. A rule with every field blank matches every shift: a catch-all default. Only rules marked Active are used.
What the Shift Brings
The details TempClock matches against.
Which Rule Wins
The most specific rule.
Each scope field that is filled in adds one to a rule's priority, from 0 (all blank) to 4 (all four filled). Of the rules that match the shift and are valid on its date, the one with the highest priority wins. If two have the same priority, the one with the later Valid From wins, and then the newer rule.
| Rule | Scope | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| A | Client only | 1 |
| B | Client and Location | 2 |
| C | Client, Location and Job Role | 3 |
A forklift driver at that client's site gets rule C. A picker at the same site gets rule B, because rule C names a different role. Anyone at another site of the same client gets rule A.
Start with broad rules for your defaults, then add specific rules for the exceptions. Avoid two rules with the same scope and overlapping dates: the later Valid From silently wins.
Dates
Change rates without touching past weeks.
No Rule Matches
The worker's own rate.
If no active rule matches, TempClock uses the pay rate and charge rate on the worker's own record. If those are blank too, the shift is paid or charged at £0.00 and flagged as No pay rate or No charge rate on payroll, Close week and the charge schedule. A catch-all rule with every scope field blank prevents this.
A rule that matches but has no Charge Rate charges £0.00. The worker's own charge rate is not used.
What happens to a shift with no charge rate is set in the agency console under Setup > Settings > Payroll Policies, Shifts with no charge rate. The default charges £0.00 and shows the No charge rate warning. Charge at the pay rate (zero margin) bills the pay rate instead, and Charge £0.00 with no warning hides the warning on payroll, Close week and the charge schedule.
Once a worker has 12 qualifying weeks on AWR Tracking, the winning rule's Pay after 12 weeks (£/hr) replaces its pay rate, if the rule has one.
Checking a Shift
See the result, not the theory.
Run Time & Pay > Payroll for a week that includes the shift and check the worker's base rate, pay and charge. The box above the figures warns about shifts with no pay or charge rate and about booked roles with no rule of their own.
Know who turned up, and pay every hour right.
Face-verified clock-ins, live geofencing and payroll-ready timesheets in one system. Tell us how your shifts run and we will show you how it fits.
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