Three fields in the Basic step of the proposal builder do most of the work.
Hourly Rate
This is your rate for this booking, not the average on your profile. The builder starts from your profile figure, and you can change it.
Reasons to price above your average: a peak date, a long or awkward load-in, a demanding format, a client who's asked for a lot of preparation, or a late finish.
Reasons to price below: a quiet week, a venue you want to work with, or a client who might bring repeat business. Just know your profile average is what clients filter on, so pricing this booking low doesn't affect who finds you.
Deposit
If you've chosen the Deposit payment structure, set either a Deposit Amount or a Deposit Percentage. Use My Default fills in whatever you saved under Manage Defaults.
A deposit should cover what you'd actually lose if the client cancelled late — the held date, work you turned down, anything you hired in. 25–50% is common.
Remember the remainder falls due 7 days before the event, and if it isn't paid the event is canceled and the deposit forfeited. See Deposit vs Full Amount.
Travel Cost
A single figure covering getting yourself and your kit there and back. It shows on the proposal as Travel & Logistics.
Type it in, or turn on Use Travel Calculator to work out distance and drive time from a starting address. See Using the Travel Calculator.
What to build in beyond fuel:
- The hours. A two-hour round trip is a third of a working night
- Tolls and parking
- Whether you can get home, or whether it's an overnight
- Two trips if you're dropping kit in advance
A travel cost of zero on a distant venue reads as generous but costs you every time.
Showing the breakdown
All three appear as separate lines on the client's proposal. That's deliberate — a client who can see performance, travel, and each extra priced separately is much less likely to treat the total as a single negotiable number.
Saving defaults
If you find yourself typing the same deposit percentage every time, save it under Manage Defaults on the Bookings → Proposals page. See Saving Your Proposal Defaults.