Getting Started with Flat Rate Software

This flat rate system allows you to create installations, repairs, and maintenance tasks for any industry. Whether you are in the HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing, electrical, or other field service business, our free flat rate pricing system will help you build fantastic flat rate pricing books easily.

Download the Flat Rate Plus Online User Manual Here

What is Flat Rate Pricing?

Flat rate pricing is a presentation method. It is simply giving the customer a firm up-front price before any work is done. This price includes parts, labor and sales tax. Most companies that we are familiar with use flat rate pricing for demand service repairs and maintenance.

The alternative to flat rate pricing is "time and materials" pricing, they tell the customer what the repair will cost after the work is complete.

Flat Rate Pricing Basics

A flat rate book consists of tasks. These tasks can be repairs, installations, replacements, or maintenance. Tasks are created by selecting labor items, parts, and equipment. A task does not have to have parts (it usually does) but it must have at least one labor item. The price of a task is a result of adding up the retail price of the labor and items.

Flat Rate Books are organized by Task Categories. A task category might be "Motors and Fans" or "Gas Valves and Burners".

You build your tasks from a list of labor items, parts, and equipment. Our system allows you to create and maintain a large list of labor items, parts, and equipment. They can be used in any flat rate book and may appear in more than one book.

When an item is updated, all tasks that include that item are updated. When a task is updated, all Flat Rate Books with that Task are updated.

You can print your flat rate pricing books on paper, but most companies don't. You can export the data and import into your favorite software. You can use this website to look up tasks and quote pricing. You can accept credit cards or use your PayPal account. With PayPal, the Check Out button takes you straight into your PayPal account where you can produce an invoice, email that invoice, and integrate with QuickBooks or other software that they support.

How to Create a Flat Rate Pricing Book

Use the simple to use Flat Rate Pricing Book Wizard or follow the steps below.

  1. Create an empty flat rate book and give that book a title. Go here and click the Add New Book button. You may also wish to use our Flat Rate Book Wizard here.
  2. For each book, decide how many different price levels you need and how they will be calculated. That is done by clicking the Book Settings button.
  3. In Preferences and Settings, you have the option of creating a list of Vendors and Manufactures to associate your tasks and items with. You may also create inventory and labor item markups.
  4. Add tasks to that book. Tasks may include HTML formatting and pictures. Get started by clicking the Book Title hyperlink to open that book. You can enter prices directly into the Price Level fields or actual pricing can come from task items.
  5. Add inventory and labor items to your tasks. This step is optional but might be helpful. You can add items that already exist or add new items on the fly. Click the Task Items button.

Once your book has been created, you may open that book in Presentation Mode and show it to your clients. Tapping on any task opens that task in a Detailed View.

Use the “Add to Cart” feature to present multiple options or scenarios to your clients. You might use this feature to offer add-ons, accessories, “required” versus “optional”, or good/better/best.

Throughout the flat rate system, there are (!) icons. You can hover over these for additional information.

Flat Rate Pricing Features at a Glance

  1. Build flat rate pricing tasks and books with pictures.
  2. Share and receive tasks from other members of the website.
  3. Import Flat Rate Plus® software data.
  4. Create and present good, better, best flat rate options.
  5. Calculate service and installation pricing with our calculators.
  6. Purchase ready-made HVAC, plumbing, and electrical flat rate books.
  7. Share policy manuals, templates, job descriptions, and other files.
  8. Earn participation points and climb the ranks from white belt to black belt. It’s fun!