Get markup from [in-depth guide] – Workamajig

This guide is designed to show you how to set up & use the 'get markup from' setting to streamline your billing process. This can be applied at multiple tiers in the system, such as transaction preferences, project setup & client setup. Depending on your workflow, you can have it so markups apply from a specific area, such as per client.

The most versatile & recommended ways of handling markups are to use the setup for each base expense item, or to create item rate sheets. For definitions of other ways you can get markups, please refer to the Billing rates & markup overview [in-depth guide].

Defaults

By default, the system, templates & clients have their 'get rate from' set to 'item'. What this means is that when an expense is entered, the current markup of the item will be applied.

Transaction preferences

This determines what to pull from the markup for any new client & new project when you DO NOT copy from another template or project.

Project setup

This is KEY and trumps transaction preferences, as this determines if you will use a system markup, or the client's markup.

Client setup

This ONLY applies If your project or template has their 'get markup from' set to 'client'.

Typical scenarios

Same markups apply for all clients/projects

WORKFLOW: Establish your base expense items (purchase, expense report, insertions, broadcast) > Applies to all new projects.

If you bill all clients the same markups for your base Items, then simply leave the 'get rate from' defaults in place, where all 'get markups from' options are set to 'item'. Make sure you keep in mind that if you adjust the markup of individual items, then all new expense entries will use those markups.

Same markups apply to all clients/projects based on the year or specified timeframe

WORKFLOW: Create an item rate sheet per year > Apply/reapply to all project templates per year > Applies to all new projects.

Think of this as a way to dictate markups based on timing factors. For example, let's say all projects (regardless of client) created in the current year will use an item rate sheet that defines that year's markups. Then, next year you have a new set of markups that apply to all projects (regardless of client) created after the new year.

To do this, we first want to create an item rate sheet for each year. Then, on the first of each year, we open every project template and apply the new year's item rate sheet.

The benefit here is projects started in the previous year will continue to use the markups previously set. Only new projects will use the new markups.

Different markups for each client

WORKFLOW: Create an item rate sheet per client > Apply item rate sheet to each client's setup > Set all project templates to 'get markup from client' > Applies to all new projects.

This scenario can get tricky as it requires you to have all your ducks in a row for things to flow smoothly. This is a great way to have a streamlined process.

We recommend using item rate sheets for this purpose. You can create an item rate sheet for each client to establish unique markups. Or an item rate sheet for different levels of markups that apply to multiple clients.

First, plan out the necessary markups. For example, if you are going to create an item rate sheet per client, get to work on this right away as you have more set up to do afterward.

Next, go through each client record and change the 'get markup from' to 'item rate sheet'. Then, in the dropdown list below that, choose the pre-created item rate sheet.

Last but not least, go through each project template, and set the 'get markup from' to 'clients'.

From here on out, ALWAYS copy from a project template to ensure that the client's markups will be applied to the new project.

NOTE: If you're copying from an existing project, the client's markups will NOT be applied, as the new project process simply updates the 'get markup from' on the project to whatever the setting was on the client record at that time. For example, if you open a project after the fact, it will no longer show 'get markup from client', instead it will show the settings used on the previous project.

Different rates based on the type of project

WORKFLOW: Create an item rate sheet for each project > Set each project template to 'get markup from' their 'item rate sheet' > Applies to all new projects.

Similar to establishing markups per client, you can also dictate the markups used per project template. The benefit of this is to establish how much a markup should be based on the type of project & work being done. This can sometimes help alleviate the need to create multiple of the same items, simply because it needs to be billed at different markups based on the project.

Create the item rate sheets based on your needs.

Go through each project template, choose 'get rate from' and set it to 'item rate sheet', then choose the pre-created item rate sheet.

Now, whenever you create a new project from that project template, the markups will carry over based on the template setup.

When updating markups

Regardless of how you use markups, keep in mind that if you update your items, rate sheets, Etc, it will affect any project & new expense entry that is associated with those items/rate sheets.

For example:

If your projects have 'get markup from' set to 'item', and you change the markups for your base items (purchase, expense report, insertion, broadcast), then any expense entered after that time will use the new current markup of your base Items.

If your projects have 'get markup from' set to 'item rate sheet', then if you change the markup in that rate sheet and it's in use, any new expense entry for that project will use the new current markups on that rate sheet.

To ensure markups don't change on a project, it's best to use an item sheet that doesn't need to be updated once it's been created. Also, in this situation, it's best to create a new item rate sheet when things change and would be applied to new projects, but not existing ones.

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