Rate Tables allow couriers to set up pricing structures for their delivery services. This document will guide you through configuring and managing rate tables.
Rate Tables Overview
Accessing the Rate Tables Page
Rate Table Detail View
Rate Tables Overview
A Rate Table defines how delivery costs are estimated based on factors like distance, weight, item count, and other criteria. Using Rate Tables, you can create flexible pricing structures tailored to different services and clients.
Each Rate Table consists of a Base Rate, which serves as the primary cost for each order, and Additional Modifiers, which add charges based on specific conditions. The Estimated Price is the sum of the base rate and all applicable modifiers.
Key Components of a Rate Table:
- Base Rate: The primary charge for an order, which can be set based on distance, weight, piece count, or as a flat rate. This rate establishes the core pricing for each service.
- Additional Modifiers: Optional charges added to the base rate based on specific factors. For instance, additional charges can be applied to orders that exceed certain distances, weights, or quantities.
- Minimum and Maximum Price: Optional pricing limits to ensure predictable costs for clients. The minimum sets a base cost for every order, while the maximum caps the total cost of an order, even if modifiers would otherwise exceed this maximum.
Service and Rate Table Assignment:
On the Client Page, you can assign a Service and Rate Table pair to each client, ensuring each client’s delivery options are paired with the correct pricing structure. There are a few key rules for these assignments:
- One Rate Table per Service per Client: For a given client, each delivery service is associated with one rate table.
- Flexible Combinations: The same rate table can be paired with any number of services.
By assigning Service and Rate Table pairs to each client, you ensure that clients only see the delivery options and rates that apply to them.
In Summary: Rate Tables provide you with control over your pricing strategy, combining all applicable base rates and modifiers to offer accurate cost estimates to each client.
Accessing the Rate Tables Page
The Rate Tables page is accessible from the side navigation menu. If you don’t see the “Courier” page as an option, please contact sales to let them know you are a courier.
Rate Table Detail View
General Settings
Rating Methods
Pricing Methods
Additional Modifiers
Optional Settings
Deleting a Rate Table
The Detail View provides options for setting up a Rate Table’s base rate and additional modifiers.
When you create a Rate Table, you’ll see options to:
- Create New: Start with a blank rate table and configure settings from scratch.
- Copy from Existing: Select an existing rate table to duplicate its settings. This can be useful if you want to reuse pricing methods and modifiers from a similar rate table.
Once you select an option, proceed with configuring the rate table settings as outlined below.
General Settings
In the General Settings section, set up the essential details for the rate table:
- Rate Table Name: An internal name for the rate table, visible only to account owners and admins in the Onfleet courier dashboard.
- Description: A short, optional description used internally to help distinguish the rate table.
- Currency: The currency for all rates within this table.
Rating Methods
In the Rating Methods section, you define how rates are calculated for each order. This includes setting the Base Rate and Additional Modifiers. Below is an explanation of each component:
The Base Rate serves as the primary charge applied to each order. You can configure it based on factors such as distance, weight, pieces, or set it as a flat rate. This is the starting point for calculating the cost of an order.
- Example: You might set a base rate based on the distance of a delivery, charging per mile or as a flat rate within a specific distance range.
Additional Modifiers are optional charges that are added to the base rate based on specific criteria. Each modifier can use the same pricing methods as the base rate (e.g., distance, weight, or pieces) and allows you to refine pricing by adding incremental charges or flat amounts.
- Example: Configure an additional weight-based modifier to charge extra for orders that exceed a certain weight, or a distance-based modifier to increase the cost of deliveries over a certain distance.
Note: The final rate for an order is the sum of the Base Rate and any Additional Modifiers applied.
Pricing Methods
Both the Base Rate and Additional Modifiers support the following pricing methods:
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Distance-Based: Set rates based on the estimated distance between pickup and drop-off locations. The units (miles or kilometers) are determined by your organization’s settings (imperial or metric). For each range, choose between:
- Incremental: Charge a specific amount per mile or kilometer.
- Total: Charge a flat amount for the entire distance range.
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The upper bound of each range is inclusive (e.g., “up to 5 miles” includes 5 miles). Each new range builds on the previous one, with the lower bound of a new range automatically set to the upper bound of the prior range. For example:
- Up to 5 miles, charge $10 (total)
- Above 5 miles up to 10 miles, charge and additional $1 (per mile)
- Flat Rate: Apply a single, fixed price.
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Piece-Based: Set rates based on the number of items (pieces) in the order. For each range, select either:
- Incremental: Charge per piece within the range.
- Total: Charge a flat rate for the entire range.
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Similar to distance-based rates, ranges are inclusive and build on each other to avoid gaps. For example:
- Up to 3 pieces, charge $5 (total)
- 4 to 10 pieces, charge an additional $1 (per piece)
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Weight-Based: Set rates based on the total weight of the order, with units in pounds or kilograms based on your organization’s settings. Each range offers:
- Incremental: Charge per unit of weight within the range.
- Total: Charge a flat amount for the entire range.
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Weight ranges also build on each other, with each upper bound being inclusive. For example:
- Up to 5 lbs, charge $10 (total)
- Above 5 lbs up to 10 lbs, charge an additional $1 (per lb)
Additional Modifiers
- Add one or more modifiers to the Base Rate for further customization.
- Each modifier functions identically to the base rate, allowing you to apply additional charges based on distance, pieces, or weight.
- Use the trashcan icon to remove a modifier (except the first range in each set, which cannot be deleted).
Optional Settings
The Optional Settings section allows you to set minimum and maximum prices for each rate table. These limits ensure that pricing stays within specified boundaries, regardless of other calculations.
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Min Price: Sets the minimum charge for an order, ensuring that the final rate will not fall below this amount, even when modifiers or base rates might otherwise result in a lower price.
- Example: If you set a Min Price of $20, no order will be less than $20, even if the calculated rate is lower.
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Max Price: Sets the maximum charge for an order, ensuring that the final rate will not exceed this amount.
- Example: If you set a Max Price of $100, no order will be more than $100, even if the calculated rate is higher.
Note: Min and Max Price settings apply after all base rates and additional modifiers have been calculated, providing a final cap on the price.
Deleting a Rate Table
You can delete rate tables that are no longer needed, but certain conditions must be met to ensure client configurations are not disrupted. Deleting a rate table does not impact any historical information about past orders. All order data associated with the deleted rate tables will remain accessible.
Deletion Rules:
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Rate Tables Not Assigned to Clients:
- Rate tables not assigned to any clients can be deleted directly.
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Rate tables Assigned to Clients:
- Rate tables currently assigned to clients cannot be deleted immediately.
- You must first remove the service/rate pair from all listed clients before it can be deleted.