In this article, you will learn how to create a rate table and the details that are included in a rate table.
A Rate Table defines how delivery costs are estimated based on factors such as distance, weight, item count, and other criteria. Using Rate Tables, you can create flexible pricing structures tailored to different services and clients.
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.
This article will cover:
- Create a Rate Table and General Settings
- Rating Methods
- Pricing Methods
- Additional Modifiers
- Accessorial Charges
- Optional Settings
- Deleting a Rate Table
Create a Rate Table and General Settings
To create a rate table, select the drop down view on the Courier section of your dashboard and select "Rate Tables."
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.
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. For 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. For 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 Base Rates and Additional Modifiers can be configured using distance-based pricing. This means charges are calculated based on the estimated distance between the pickup and drop-off locations.
Distance units (miles or kilometers) follow your organization’s settings (imperial or metric).
Pricing is defined in distance ranges, and each range can use one of two methods:
Pricing methods
Total: Charge a flat amount for the entire distance range.
Incremental: Charge a specific amount per mile or kilometer within that range.
How ranges work
The upper limit of each range is inclusive (for example, “up to 5 miles” includes exactly 5 miles).
Ranges are cumulative. Each new range starts where the previous one ends, and the lower bound is set automatically.
Example
Up to 5 miles → Charge $10 total
Above 5 miles and up to 10 miles → Charge an additional $1 per mile
In this example, a 7-mile delivery would cost $12:
$10 for the first 5 miles
$2 for the additional 2 miles at $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.
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.
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).
Accessorial Charges
Accessorial Charges are supplemental fees that can be configured independently and then applied to one or more rate tables. They cover costs beyond the standard base rate and modifiers, such as fuel surcharges, wait time fees, and taxes. Accessorial Charges are managed from their own tab on the Rates and Fees page. Each charge is created and configured separately, then selected within a rate table to be applied to orders using that table.
Accessorial charges applied to an order are visible in the View Order modal under the Cost tab. From this view, you can see and edit the accessorial charges that were applied, but you cannot remove them from the order.
To create a new accessorial charge, navigate to the "Accessorial Charges" tab and select "Create New." Configure the following fields:
- Name: An internal name for the accessorial charge.
- Description: An optional description to help distinguish this charge from others.
- Type: Select the type of charge: Fuel Surcharge, Wait Time, or Tax. Each type has its own configuration options, described below.
Note: Accessorial charges do not have their own currency field. They inherit the currency from the rate table they are applied to.
Here are the types of Accessorial Charges and how to set them up:
Fuel Surcharge
A Fuel Surcharge allows couriers to automatically apply a surcharge to cover fuel costs. When creating a fuel surcharge, select one of two calculation methods:
Percentage-Based
Charge a percentage of the order cost as a fuel surcharge. When configuring a percentage-based fuel surcharge, you can choose what the percentage applies to:
- Base Rate only: The fuel surcharge percentage is calculated on the base rate portion of the order cost.
- All Modifiers: The fuel surcharge percentage is calculated on the total cost including the base rate and all additional modifiers.
Example: A 9% fuel surcharge applied to all modifiers on a $50 order would add $4.50, bringing the total to $54.50.
Distance-Based
Charge a fuel surcharge based on the delivery distance. This uses the estimated distance for the order in the calculation.
Example: Charge $0.50 per mile.
Wait Time
A Wait Time charge allows couriers to bill for time spent waiting at a pickup or drop-off location beyond a defined threshold. This is useful for situations where drivers are delayed at a stop.
Configuration
When creating a wait time accessorial charge, configure the following:
- Applies to: Select whether the wait time charge applies to the pickup, the drop-off, or both.
- Base Threshold: Define the number of free minutes before the wait time charge begins. Time under this threshold is not charged.
- Per-Minute Rate: Set the dollar amount charged per minute once the threshold is exceeded.
Example: A wait time charge configured with a 10-minute threshold and $1.00/min rate would charge $5.00 if a driver waits 15 minutes at a drop-off location.
How Wait Time Is Calculated
The system calculates wait time automatically using task timestamps:
- The system records the last arrived time on the task.
- The system subtracts the task completion time from the last arrival time to determine total wait time.
- If the total wait time exceeds the configured threshold, the per-minute charge is applied for each minute over the threshold.
Tax
A Tax accessorial charge allows couriers to apply a tax percentage to orders. When configured, the tax is calculated on the entire order cost (base rate, modifiers, and other applicable accessorial charges). The tax total is displayed on the invoice.
- Tax Percentage: Enter the tax rate as a percentage (e.g., 8.5 for 8.5% tax).
Example: An 8.5% tax on a $100 order would add $8.50, bringing the total to $108.50.
Applying Accessorial Charges to a Rate Table
Once accessorial charges have been created, they can be applied to rate tables. In the Rate Table form, a new Accessorial Charges section appears below the price modifiers. From this section, you can:
- Select one or more accessorial charges to apply to the rate table.
- Preview the selected accessorial charges and their configurations, including the type, percentage or rate, and what the charge applies to.
Any accessorial charges applied to a rate table will automatically be included in the cost calculation for orders using that rate table.
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.