This guide explains how to think about job pricing, and the purpose of each stage in the pricing process.
It is designed to sit alongside the step‑by‑step guides, not replace them.
Why pricing is a two‑step process
Job pricing in GoDesta is intentionally split into two stages:
- Review – confirms the service performed and chargeable items are correct
- Finalise – confirms pricing, margin, and financial outcomes are acceptable
These stages serve different purposes and require a different mindset.
Separating them helps reduce errors, improve accountability, and protect both operational and financial integrity.
Where possible, best practice is for two different people to perform these steps:
- One person reviews the job
- A second person finalises the pricing
Stage 1: Review – “Did we charge for exactly what was performed?”
The Review stage is about confirming the service delivered and what is chargeable.
At this stage, users should focus on validating:
- That the correct service was performed
- Kilometres, travel time, and job duration are reasonable
- The correct service type, vehicle type, and equipment were used
- All applicable additional charges have been identified and added, such as:
- Tolls
- Labour or handling charges
- Wide load charges
- Preload or wait time charges
- Other service‑related surcharges
Key intent of this stage:
- Are we charging for everything that occurred?
- Are there any missing or incorrect chargeable components?
Important clarifications:
- This stage is not about margin
- It is about completeness and accuracy of the service and chargeable items
Once the service and all applicable charges are confirmed, the job can be marked as Reviewed.
Stage 2: Finalise – “Is this job financially acceptable?”
The Finalise stage is where users confirm the financial outcome of the job, on both sides of the equation.
At this point, users should review:
- Client‑side charges (base freight, additional charges, fuel levy, tolls)
- Driver or subcontractor costs
- The overall margin on the job
This is critical because pricing is not assessed in isolation — users are reviewing:
- What the client is being charged, and
- What the driver or subcontractor will be paid
Finalising a job confirms that:
- All charges are correct
- Costs are accurate
- The margin on the job is acceptable
- The job is ready for invoicing and downstream payment processes
How to think about Fuel Levy
Fuel levy is a common source of confusion, so it’s important to understand how it works.
Key principles:
- Fuel levy is a percentage surcharge
- It applies to all freight‑related charges, including:
- Base freight
- Freight‑related additional charges
- Outside‑metro or similar freight charges
- Fuel levy is calculated after freight charges are confirmed
- It is intentionally shown as a single line item, not broken down per charge
Because fuel levy is derived from the total of freight‑related charges, it is most appropriately reviewed during the Finalise stage, alongside margin checks.
Separation of responsibility (best practice)
While not mandatory, best practice is:
- Reviewer confirms service delivery and charge completeness
- Finaliser takes responsibility for pricing, margin, and financial impact
This separation:
- Reduces pricing errors
- Encourages accountability
- Makes pricing decisions easier to audit and explain later
For smaller teams, the same person may perform both steps — but the difference in intent between stages should still be respected.
In summary
- Review = service performed and chargeable items are correct
- Finalise = pricing, margin, and financial outcome are acceptable
- Fuel levy is a grouped, percentage‑based freight charge
- The two‑step process exists to protect both operations and margin
Following this approach leads to more consistent pricing outcomes and fewer downstream issues.