Rates are one of the most effective and flexible methods of charging for work used in the construction industry. On Onetrace, our users benefit from being able to automatically calculate project costs based on rates they define - helping to maintain financial control over their projects.

But we’re always looking for improvements, and after listening to feedback from our users, we wanted to make the rate-setting process quick and easier to manage.

So, we’re happy to share this update highlighting several enhancements to rate features on Onetrace.

Multiple rate sets - making material management and rate setting simpler

With Onetrace, you can now create unlimited rate sets for any material. Instead of adding the same material multiple times to set different rates, simply add it once and add as many rates as you need.

For example, ablative batt could be used as part of the installation on a fire-stopping project. Previously, users would add several versions of the ablative batt to accommodate different rates depending on the project’s commercial requirements. 

To add to the complexity, fire-stopping installations frequently require more materials than ablative batt, which led to users creating multiple versions of many materials.

With the latest updates, the process is reversed to a certain extent, where only one ablative batt material (for example) needs to be added to Onetrace through the Materials Manager. Then, an unlimited number of different rate sets can applied. This means materials managed on Onetrace are less cluttered and easier to manage.

Import and export - make changes to rates more quickly

Onetrace users can now upload rates in bulk and export any rates and materials stored on the system to edit them using our CSV templates.

The spreadsheet format makes data entry more straightforward when users need to input a large number of rates instead of jumping between multiple screens when manually updating on Onetrace.

Once rates have been set and uploaded, they are stored on Onetrace for easy export and editing whenever required. For instance, if prices were to be increased for the following year, the new rates could be swiftly exported, edited and re-uploaded to Onetrace.

Set project defaults - easily apply the correct rates to your projects

With rates configured and loaded to your requirements, you can apply them directly to your projects, so you can have confidence that installation teams are working with the correct rates from the get-go.

Default rates of your choosing can be set at a global, account-wide level, and if custom rate sets need to be applied for a project, these can be added in one click using the project setup menu.

Additionally, you will get comprehensive cost information across rate groups as soon as an installation begins. As operatives record their work and material use, the cost build-up will be automatically calculated and displayed with every job undertaken on a project.

For example, if your rate groups are materials (i.e. just materials costs), labour (materials + labour) and charge (materials + labour + markup), and within those groups, you apply your current year rate sets - those costs will be calculated and can be viewed on the Jobs screen.

Final thoughts

These rate enhancements make materials easier to manage, rate sets quicker to update, and rates to be applied more accurately to projects. This will improve your ability to track and understand project costs on Onetrace.

If you're a Onetrace subscriber, this guide will help you use the new rates functionality.

And if you don't yet subscribe, you can book a demo here to see how you can get the most out of managing rates on Onetrace.