Help · Pricing
Actual costs and actual margin
How to compare the quote with what you really spent after the shoot, and see what is left on the job.
The Actual costs tab is for settling a job after the shoot. It is in beta, so if something is missing or works differently than you expected, write to us.
Only you see actual costs. They never go into the client PDF and do not change the quoted amounts.
Enter what came out different
Every item with an amount has a second set of fields next to the quoted values, for quantity, days and rate. Correct only the ones that came out different, such as an extra shoot day or a higher rental rate. A field you leave alone counts as quoted and follows the quote if you change it.
The actual amount uses the same formula as the quote, quantity times days times rate. Each item shows the variance, and Restore quoted values undoes your corrections.
Costs that were not in the quote
Add an unexpected expense with + Cost outside the quote in its category. Pick an item from the list or type your own name. It is marked not quoted and counts on the actual side only.
Summary and margin
The Quote vs actual panel shows category totals on both sides, the net job value and two margins.
- Planned margin is the net job value minus the quoted production costs and insurance.
- Actual margin is the same value minus actual costs and insurance.
The net job value is the net total from the quote, after markups and discount, before tax. Below the margins the panel lists the items that went furthest over the quote.
The counter at the top of the tab shows how many quoted items you changed and how many costs came from outside the quote.
Your own work
If you shoot, edit or grade yourself, your day rate sits in the costs like any other, so the actual margin comes out lower than what you really earn. Click the person icon next to that line. The mark applies to this quote only, because on one job you shoot yourself and on the next you send someone.
Once something is marked, the panel shows how much of the production costs is your own work, and below the margin the amount You keep: the margin plus your work. The margin and the quote amounts stay the same.
You usually don't need to mark the producer's fee. If you charge it as a production fee or a markup, it is already in the margin.