Article Contents
Introduction
When setting up a task in a project's Work Schedule, selecting its Billing Type determines how time and fees are managed — both in tracking and invoicing.
Each Billing Type controls how budgets or estimates are applied, whether invoice limits exist, and how Hiro handles WIP (work in progress) calculations. Once a Billing Type is selected, all subtasks under that task follow the same rules.
Hiro offers four billing types to suit different project and fee structures:
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Fixed Fee: For tasks with a defined fee cap.
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Agreed Units: For work billed per unit (e.g. lots, dwellings, or hours).
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Time Charge: For time-based billing, with estimates that can be exceeded.
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No Charge: For internal or pro bono tasks that won’t be invoiced.
Each of these billing types is explained in detail below to help you determine the best fit for your tasks.
Fixed Fee
Subtasks under a Fixed Fee task require:
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Subtask Name
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Fee Fap
The fee cap is a hard limit for invoicing. Once your invoice claims reach the cap, no further amounts can be invoiced — the subtask is considered fully invoiced.
However, if you need to invoice more than originally planned, you can return and increase the fee cap at any time. The only restriction is that you cannot reduce the fee cap to an amount lower than what has already been invoiced on that subtask.
This provides flexibility if the scope of work changes and you need to update the agreed fee.
Alternatively, consider using Hiro’s Out of Scope system to manage variations, scope changes, or other additional invoicing needs outside the original agreement. This lets you keep your original cap intact while clearly documenting and invoicing for extra work.
Timesheet Behaviour
By default, timesheets can still be recorded beyond the cap. The cap only limits what can be invoiced.
To additionally prevent time entries from exceeding the cap, enable the system setting:
“Prevent timesheets exceeding their fixed fee subtask budget caps”
(Off by default)
This setting ensures time can’t be logged against a subtask once its cap has been reached — a useful safeguard for fixed-price work.
Example:
Fee cap = $10,000
Timesheets logged = $12,000
Invoicing allowed = $10,000 max (unless the optional setting is turned on)
Agreed Units
Subtasks under an Agreed Units task require:
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Subtask name
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Quantity of units
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Unit dollar amount
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Type of unit (e.g. lots, hours, drawings)
This billing type is suited to work that’s billed per unit, rather than a single lump sum. For example, you might charge per lot surveyed or per hour spent on a specific activity.
Hiro lets you optionally show the number of units claimed on invoices and provides multiple ways to calculate your claim amount:
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Percentage of total units
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Number of units claimed
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Manual dollar amount
Controlling Time Entry Limits
By default, users can continue recording timesheets against an Agreed Units subtask even after the budget is exceeded.
To enforce limits more strictly, enable the system setting:
“Prevent timesheets exceeding their agreed units subtask budget caps”
(Off by default)
When enabled, you can also choose the Timesheet budget trigger:
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Amount Charged (default): Timesheet values are tallied based on the charge amount.
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Units Used: Useful if the unit type is hours, but different people have different hourly charge rates. This ensures budget limits are enforced based on hours worked, not varying dollar values.
Example
You’ve agreed on 100 hours at $180/hour. One staff member charges $180/hr, another $150/hr. With “Units Used” selected, both contribute to the same 100-hour cap.
Time Charge
Subtasks under a Time Charge task require:
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Subtask Name
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Rate Invoiced Per Hour
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Total Estimate (optional)
This billing type is used when invoicing based on actual hours worked, with flexibility around how those hours are priced and whether you want to define an expected budget.
Rate Invoiced Per Hour
Each subtask has a setting titled Rate Invoiced Per Hour, which determines how time entries are priced for invoicing:
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Person’s Rate (default): Invoices use each staff member’s configured hourly rate.
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Fixed Rate: A dollar amount is entered on the subtask. All time is invoiced at this fixed rate, regardless of who logged the hours.
This only affects invoicing — timesheets themselves remain unchanged. It’s useful when you’ve quoted clients a standard rate, but your team has varying internal rates.
Example:
You quote $186/hour for post-lodgement work. Some team members usually invoice at $210/hr, others at $170/hr — but the client is always invoiced $186/hr under this subtask.
Total Estimate
The Total Estimate field is optional. If provided, it acts as a budgeting tool to help monitor progress — but it’s not a cap. You can invoice beyond the estimate if needed.
If you're simply invoicing time as it's worked, with no budget in place, you can leave this blank.
No Charge
Subtasks attached to a No Charge task are useful where you need to record internal only or pro-bono work. You can accrue timesheets to these subtasks, however no invoices can be raised to these subtasks. You only need to enter a name for these subtasks.