PROJECTS - More flexibility with task and pricing

PROJECTS - More flexibility with task and pricing

Hi Everyone,
I would like to use PROJECTS in my Zoho Booking app but it does not fit into my business.
For example: I charge per sessions fixed price. My session usually are 2 hours  and I bill the customer on the end of the month. My session can have different time length and different fee. Generally, I charge per session and if someone booked the session and did not come I still charge for it. I cannot set it up with current properties of the PROJECT options. It can be done but it is too much clicking and the report or invoice could be misleading as there is only option per hour as a billing rate.
Let's analyse how the PROJECTS can be improved  based on car mechanics business:

Billing Method:
1)  Fixed cost per project -  this option is fine, mechanic can agree with customer that the car will be repaired for the fixed fee no matter of how long it takes. But if mechanic would like to do teaching session charging £100 for 2 hour session , this will not fit into this option. Mechanic would need to create for each session new project - not good option - better to invoice each time.

2) Based on project hours -  this option has a fixed rate per hour.  Project can be split into different tasks like changing  tyres in the car or changing the brake pads etc . But ... still not perfect when it comes to teaching and charging per session. It can be that for each session there is new task, but too much clicking and misleading hourly rate instead sessions. Imagine that you have 5 students for each teaching session you have to spend a bit of time to register it. 

3) Based on task hours -  this one is the most close almost perfect for those who charge clients per session. Each task can have separate rate but there is only option per hour. Perfect for mechanic who can say that changing the engine will cost more per hours as require more experienced mechanic where topping up the oil can be done by les experienced employee. 
Probably most of the business will be charging per hour as it is the most profitable approach, but when you are teaching , you know that 2 hours session is booked, it would be better just by one click record that student came for the session, instead two clicks like start the session and end of the session and adjusting the time when you finished session just 10 minutes late. Better to have just one click to record the attendance. 

in my opinion following option for the task would add much more flexibility for many businesses. Each task could be billed by:  
  1. hour - it is billed for every minute spend on this task - the only option which is currently available
  2. per session - it is billed fixed amount per each session, no matter if it take 5 minutes more or less
  3. simple  - billed just per task, each task with different rate and no time counting.

than our mechanic could for each student create project and for different teaching subject have different task. Theory of car design could be charged per session - each time when student come for lecture, it can be clicked the task button and it automatically register the date of the session. On the end of the billing period it list when and how many session were taken and listed on the invoice.  Practical teaching could be charged by hours, and like above it will later list when and how many hours were taken.  Exams and feedback could be billed as simple task.

In such situation this option should be called : "based on task " instead based on task hour

Also task could be listed as sale items, than the question is what is the difference to invoice client vs creating the project for client.
well, if the client come for session once out of blue moon, the invoice is the best option. But if we have regular client it is unpractical to send 20 invoices per month. It is better to create project with no fixed time and billing the client on regular basis like a month.  It could be said that just open a draft invoice and add manually item as a session to it. Well, project have timesheet with listed opened tasks , there is a list for projects what allow quickly access the particular project and client. There is dashboard space for quick access to projects. Do I need every time search the client and manually list time and date for the session in the invoice? Also projects have a budget expenses etc. In my opinion, above option for the task, would give many businesses more flexibilities to monitor regular clients. Each business is different, but one common denominator for all of us it time. We do not want to spend hours fiddling  with the invoices and monitoring revenue from clients. Projects option is great idea in accounting app. But probably there is a question where to draw the line how complex it should be in the accounting app as there is separate Project app? 

4) based on staff hour -  this is self explanatory, I do not have a staff members so probably I cannot  have more detailed look into this option. 


let me know what you think about it
M
 

    • Recent Topics

    • Marketer’s Space - Get Holiday-Ready with Zoho Campaigns

      Hello marketers, Welcome back to another post in Marketer’s Space! Q4 is packed with opportunities to connect with your audience - from Halloween, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. In this post, we’ll look at how

    • Personalized demo

      can I know more about the personalized demo we are construction company and

    • User Filter not selecting All Items

      We are encountering 2 issues when using the user filter. When users are trying to search using the filter option, the OK button is grayed out. Users have to unselect or make a change before it filters properly. 2. When filtering and the OK button works,

    • Can I collect email addresses in a form??

      Can I add new subscribers to my email list (hosted in FloDesk) when they check a box and add their email address on a Zoho form?

    • Zoho CRM Android app updates: Kiosk and multiple file upload support for subforms

      Hello everyone, We've rolled out new enhancements to the Zoho CRM Android app to bring better mobile CRM experience and efficiency. Let's take a quick look at what's new: Kiosk Multiple file uploads for subforms Kiosk Kiosk is a no-code tool in Zoho CRM

    • Alerts for mentions in comments

      We are testing the use of Writer internally and found that when a user is mentioned in a comment, there is no email alert for the mention. Is this something that's configurable, and if so, where can we enable this option?

    • Subform Disabled Fields Should Remain Disabled on Edit/View

      Currently, when we disable a subform field using on user input or on add new row, it works perfectly during the initial data entry. However, when the record is saved and reopened for viewing or editing, these disabled fields become editable again. This

    • Is it really true that I can't set the default 'deposit to' account in 2025?

      I've been using Books for 7 years and the default account has never been a problem. I usually manually reconcile invoices and have never had a thought about which account. It has always been my account. However, I recently noticed that for the past 4

    • Standard Payment Term is not pulled from account to quotation

      Hey Team There seems to be something off. I do have "Net 30" as my default payment term in Zoho Books for my customers. If, from the customer overview or quote section, I create a new Quotation, the payment terms field stays blank and doesn't get the

    • OAuth integration issues

      I'm experiencing persistent OAuth errors when trying to connect Make with Zoho API. I've tried multiple approaches but keep encountering the following issues: First error: 'Invalid Redirect Uri - Redirect URI passed does not match with the one configured'

    • Zoho Mail Android app update: Manage folders

      Hello everyone! In the latest version(v2.9) of the Zoho Mail Android app update, we have brought in support for an option to manage folders. You can now create, edit, and delete folders from within the mobile app. You can also manage folders for the POP

    • Shortcut to fill a range of cells

      Good evening: I'm writing because I haven't been able to find a feature that allows you to select a range of cells, type in one of them, and then use a key combination to type in all of them. In Excel, the keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+Enter. I haven't found

    • Get Zoho Mail API working (including DRE Connector, Oauth Token, ZUID, ZOID & ACCOUNT_ID)

      Disclaimer: I’m not a professional coder! Do you need to use Zoho Mail API? Me too. It lets you do all sorts of things — like reading the complete header of an email, or forwarding an email with its attachments — which is what I wanted to do. But setting

    • Revenue Deferrals

      Does ZOHO books and subscriptions handle Revenue Deferrals?   

    • Can I make a website open inside Zoho whenever I log in?

      Hi Zoho Team, Every day, I check a few websites for updates, for example, Rojgar--result, where I see the latest government job results and notifications. I was wondering if there’s any option in Zoho to make a website like that open inside Zoho whenever

    • Zoho Analytics & SQL Server - Live connect

      Below are the steps I did Created a fresh database and table in my own virtual server Created a new data source connection with live connect I was able to select the tables and created the data source successfully I am getting the error when I try to

    • Kaizen #214 - Workflow APIs - Part 2

      Welcome back to another week of Kaizen! Last week, we discussed how Zylker Cloud Services used the Workflow APIs to discover and audit all the automations in their CRM, listing every workflow, checking triggers, and understanding their automation limits.

    • Playback and Management Enhancements for Zoho Quartz Recordings

      Hello Zoho Team, We hope you're all doing well. We would like to submit a feature request related to Zoho Quartz, the tool used to record and share browser sessions with Zoho Support. 🎯 Current Functionality As of now, Zoho Quartz allows users to record

    • Zoho CRM Community Digest - September P1 | 2025

      Hello Everyone! September's Here! Before we jump into product updates, and community highlights, here's a quick spotlight! Zoho has launched a Professional Sales Rep Certification course on Coursera, tailored for sales professionals to strengthen their

    • Upload my theme.

      Hello. I would like to upload my own theme, this one: https://themeforest.net/item/panagea-travel-and-tours-listings-template/21957086 Is it compatible and where I upload it? If not I will hire a developer, what do I have to ask when I search for one?

    • Explore the Redesigned Quotes Module in Zoho Billing

      Dear users, We’re excited to introduce a refreshed look for the Quotes details page in Zoho Billing! This update brings you a more efficient user interface experience without changing your existing workflow. We've enhanced layouts with organized tabs,

    • Product Updates in Zoho Workplace applications | September 2025

      Hello Workplace Community, Let’s take a look at the new features and enhancements that went live across all Workplace applications this September. Zoho Mail Attach email as EML file in Compose Effortlessly attach emails as EML file in Compose by simply

    • 🤝 Rencontres, partage et inspiration au Zoho Community Meetup de novembre

      Chers utilisateurs, Bonne nouvelle 🎉 : notre Meetup Zoho Community approche, et nous serions ravis de vous y voir ! 📍 Toulouse : le 25 novembre 📍 Lyon : le 27 novembre (🎯 Il ne reste que quelques places !) Que vous soyez débutant ou utilisateur avancé,

    • Need Help Mapping GST Registration Number Field Between Zoho Books & Zoho CRM + Slow Sync Issues

      am facing an issue with field mapping between Zoho Books and Zoho CRM. I want to map the GST Registration Number field from the Customer module in Zoho Books to a custom GST field inside the Accounts module in Zoho CRM. However, I am getting a warning

    • Notification received when self-assigning tickets

      When I assign tickets in Zoho Desk the relevant agent gets a notification email. When assigning myself a ticket in Zoho Desk, I get a notification email. Now, as I am the person who assigned the ticket to myself, getting a notification in this regard

    • Nouveauté dans Zoho Writer - Création de documents et de modèles assistée par l'IA

      Zia, l’assistant IA de Zoho Writer, soutient les utilisateurs dans l’amélioration de leur écriture et la création de contenus : correction orthographique et grammaticale en temps réel, suggestions adaptées au contexte, détection du plagiat, révisions

    • Session Expired

      I constantly get "Session Expired" and need to relogin or close and open the application again. This gets really frustrating during the day. Is this something that can be solved? This really makes me want to leave the app as it is no go to need to reopen

    • Integrate your Outlook/ Office 365 inbox with Zoho CRM via Graph API

      Hello folks, In addition to the existing IMAP and POP options, you can now integrate your Outlook/Office 365 inbox with Zoho CRM via Graph API. Why did we add this option? Microsoft Graph API offers a single endpoint to access data from across Microsoft’s

    • Disable Buttons for Users with Profiles without permission

      Hey, I've noticed that users without permission of setting up things in the marketplace, can still see the icon: On a click, you see this: It would be way better, if they couldn't see this menu icon at all. (Aside from the fact that it completely misplaced

    • Mapping a new Ticket in Zoho Desk to an Account or Deal in Zoho CRM manually

      Is there any way for me to map an existing ticket in Zoho desk to an account or Deal within Zoho CRM? Sometimes people use different email to put in a ticket than the one that we have in the CRM, but it's still the same person. We would like to be able

    • Zoho製品と生成AIツールの活用について

      いつもありがとうございます。 弊社では、Zoho Oneを契約し、CRMを軸として、見込み客の管理から商談、その後の受注や請求の管理、サポート業務（Desk）、業務データのレポーティング（Analytics）などを行っております。 Zohoサービス自体には、Ziaというツールが搭載されているかと存じますが、それ以外の外部の生成AIツールと連携した活用などもできるのでしょうか？具体的には、CopilotなどがZohoに登録されているデータや情報を見て、対話型で必要なデータを提示してくれたり、商談や蓄積されたメモなどを分析してユーザが知見を得られるような活用ができないか、と考えております。

    • Zoho Analytics - Make text clickable in underlying data

      Hi Community, I have a simple sales report based on a Invoice query table. I have included a link on to each invoice on the table and sent the Invoice number URL to the link. This works find in the query table, but when I click underlying data on the

    • Credit Management: #5 Advanced Refund Policy

      You're subscribed to a well-known SaaS design tool. You've used it to manage your team's projects, create marketing visuals, brochures, and so on. But your needs change over time. Your company may switch to another tool or hire an in-house designer who

    • Exported Slide Image Lacks Portion of the Background Image

      This does not always happen, but when I export (or "download") the rendered image of a slide, it sometimes lacks a portion of the background image. I created a sample slide deck to demonstrate it and shared it with the admins. It is also publicly available

    • How to create a Zoho Mail extension similar to Outlook's OnSend add-in?

      Hi, I want to create a Zoho Mail extension similar to Outlook’s OnSend add-in. The extension should: Let the user select headers and footers from a taskpane while composing an email. When the user clicks Send, the extension should: Automatically insert

    • Effective Inbox Organization: Folders vs Tags in Zoho Mail?

      I'm exploring the best ways to organize a busy inbox, especially when managing multiple clients or project using Zoho Mail. I’d love to know what works best for others: 1. Do you prefer **folders** (possibly with sub-folders) for each client or project?

    • Piss poor service in Support in Domains and email

      Srijith Narayanan B contacted me today. Very pleasant fellow. Just didn't want to tell him how bad your support service is. You help the person, but you leave before we can finish the next stage. Which causes a lot of frustration. It's been 8 days now

    • Zoho Mail android app update: Block & reject future emails, Report phishing, Spam alerts, Suspicious URL detection

      Hello everyone! In the most recent Zoho Mail Android app update, we have brought in support for the following features: Block & reject future emails Report Phishing Spam alerts in the mail details screen. Suspicious URL detection. Block & reject future

    • Zohomail does not support additional fields in mailto links

      Hello, I set up Zohomail as default composer in Firefox according to manual here: https://www.zoho.com/mail/help/defaultcomposer.html#alink2 Later, I wanted to use this functionality to answer in a Linux mailing list thread using mailto link: mailto:xxxxx@kernel.org?In-Reply-To=%3C727o0521-q24p-s0qq-66n0-sn436rpqqr1p@example.com%3E&Cc=xxxxx%example.org&Subject=Re%3A%20%5BPATCH%20v2%28%29

    • Emails not being received from a particular domain

      Cannot receive any emails sent from atco.com Domain is in the spam whitelist so should be no reason for it not to be coming through. Have filed a ticket and besides a generic response of we are looking at it - it seems there is no actual support workers

    • Next Page