How to Setup Time Entry Rates

Time Entry Rates define how technicians log their time and how that time appears in the backend and (optionally) on invoices and service reports. These rates must be set up before technicians can track time in the mobile app.

This article walks through creating new time entry rates and the details of the rates.

⏱️ Before You Set Up Time Entry Rates

Before creating your Time Entry Rates, it’s important to understand how time tracking works in Inspect Point, and how it fits into your billing or labor-tracking workflows.

Here’s what to consider before setting up your rates:

1. How You Bill for Time - Different customers use Time Entries in different ways:

   • Billing for actual time: In this workflow, time entries appear on work orders and invoices, and the billing rate determines the charge to the customer.

   • Billing in fixed increments: Some customers bill service work using flat-rate or fixed-price service items (e.g., ½ day, full day). In this case, Time Entries are used for productivity analysis, efficiency/labor tracking, payroll considerations

   • If you do not bill customers using time entries, you may want to exclude time entries from service reports and invoices to avoid double billing. This setting is found in Settings → Service Settings.

2. How Time Tracking Works in Inspect Point - All time tracked within Inspect Point is tied to:

   • A Time Entry Rate

   • An Activity Type (Work or Travel)

   • An associated job: Inspection, Work Order, or Other

     • “Other” time entries are not tied to a job and must be added manually by the tech (in the Technician Portal) or by office staff.

3.  Where Time Entries Can Be Viewed - You can view tracked time:

   • On each Inspection detail screen

   • On each Work Order detail screen

   • In the Time Entries tab

   • Each entry displays the Activity Type, Rate, and all associated details.

➕ How to Setup New Time Entry Rates

Backend → Settings > Company > Time Entry Rates

Here you’ll see a list of any rates already configured for your account.

To create a new rate:

1. Click + New Time Entry Rate
2. Complete the Time Entry fields
3. Click Save
4. Have technicians log out → log back in to sync the new rates to the app

📝 Time Entry Rate Fields Explained

• Name - The name the technician will see when selecting a rate. This also appears in the backend under the Time Entry screen as well as the job detail screens (inspections and work orders).
  • Examples - Weekend, Emergency Service, After Hours
• Cost Code (Optional) - Associate the rate with an internal cost code for payroll, ERP, or accounting alignment.
• Activity Type (Required) - Select the activity being tracked for Work or Travel
• Available For (Required) - Choose where this rate can be used - Inspections, Work Orders, or Other (not tied to a job)
  • Important:
    • This affects where the rate appears in the field. If a rate is added for Inspections, technicians will not see that rate as an option when logging time on a Work Order.
    • If a rate should be used on both Inspections and Work Orders, you must create two separate rates.
    • Other time entries are not associated with a job and can only be added in the Technician Portal, or by the backend office via the Time Entries page.
• Billing Rate
  • The hourly rate used to calculate billable totals. These are not visible to technicians in the field.
  • Used on invoices/service reports only if your Service Settings allow time entries to print
  • If you track time for internal or payroll use only, you can set this value to $0

🔄 Syncing Rates to Technicians

After you add or update a rate, technicians must log out of the mobile app then back. 

👀 How Technicians See Rates in the Field

Technicians only see rates that match both:

• The Activity Type they selected (Work or Travel)
• The Available For location (Inspection, Work Order, or Other)

Example 

• Rate = General Inspection Rate
• Activity Type = Work
• Available For = Inspections

Technicians will see this rate only when logging work on an inspection. It will not appear on Work Orders or under Travel.

Need help? Contact our Support Team at support@inspectpoint.com or submit a support ticket via the web widget on the bottom-left on your screen - Click here for more information