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How Fixed and Variable Flat Rates Work in ZenMaid

Jorge Sardinha avatar
Written by Jorge Sardinha
Updated this week

Summary

  • ZenMaid gives you flexibility in how you pay your cleaners, whether it’s per job, per day, or per appointment. Understanding the difference between Fixed Flat Rate and Variable Flat Rate is key to setting up payroll correctly for your team.


Variable Flat Rate

  • A Variable Flat Rate means the cleaner’s pay can change from one appointment to the next. This method is useful if certain jobs pay more, such as deep cleans or move-in/move-out cleans.

  • The rate is set manually per appointment in Payroll.

  • Example:

    1. A cleaner earns $60 for a deep clean.

    2. The next day, they earn $40 for a standard clean.

    3. Each appointment has its own rate, which you assign individually.

  • You can also apply a daily rate with a variable flat rate system.

  • For example, if a cleaner is guaranteed $100 per day regardless of whether they do one job or three, you’ll divide that daily rate across the appointments worked that day.


Fixed Flat Rate

  • A Fixed Flat Rate means the cleaner is paid the same amount for every appointment they complete, no matter how big or small.

  • The set amount is automatically applied to each appointment in Payroll.

Example:

A cleaner is assigned a $40 Fixed Flat Rate. Every job they do is paid at $40, whether it’s a small home or a large office.


  • Although Fixed Flat Rates are automatic, you can still adjust them per appointment if needed.

Example:

Raise the rate to $45 for larger jobs, or offer a bonus for special appointments.

  • This makes Fixed Flat Rate a good option if your cleaners typically average the same pay per job, but you still want flexibility to edit rates occasionally.


Which Should You Use?

  • Use Variable Flat Rate if:

    1. Job types vary significantly in effort, time, or size.

    2. You need flexibility to set custom rates for specific jobs.

    3. You pay daily rates and split them across multiple appointments.


  • Use Fixed Flat Rate if:

    1. Your cleaners usually earn the same per appointment.

    2. You want payroll to calculate automatically.

    3. You only occasionally adjust rates.


  • Once you’ve set up your pay rates, you can run payroll to see totals for each cleaner. For details, see:


Keywords:

Fixed Flat Rate, Variable Flat Rate, Cleaner Pay, Payroll, ZenMaid Payroll, Appointment Rates, Daily Pay Rate, Job-Based Pay, Pay Per Appointment, Pay Per Day, Cleaning Staff Pay, Cleaner Compensation, Flat Rate Pay, Payroll Setup, Pay Structure, Cleaner Wage Tracking, Payroll Calculation.

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