Use this article when your shop needs a custom finishing or binding step that the built-in machine tabs do not cover — shrink wrap, drilling, hemming, grommets, an outwork tier, an artwork-check fee. After this you will have a price model row applied to setup that calculates the step's base cost on every quote that uses it.
Before you begin
The step does not match a built-in production machine on the Print, Cut, Fold, Bind, or Laminate tab. Built-in machines are configured on those tabs, not as price models.
You have decided whether the step lives under Finishing Machines or Binding Machines. That choice controls which section the record appears in.
If you do not know which of the six model formulas to pick, read How step price models work first.
1. Configure the price model
Open Estimate Setup → Finishing Machines (or Binding Machines), then open Custom (Price Model) and the model sub-menu that matches your formula. Choose + Add New to create a new row, or click an existing row to edit. Fill in the fields below.
Identification
Name — recommended format is the operation in customer-recognisable shop language, e.g.,
Shrink Wrap,4-Up Drilling,Banner Hemming. Estimators see this on quotes and in conditional-step lists.Machine Type — Finishing or Binding. Usually pre-set by the sub-menu you opened.
Step identifier — generated automatically from the name in kebab-case and shown beneath the name field. Treat as read-only. Estimator uses it internally to link this price model to conditional steps and to quote add-ons.
Tags — optional compatibility tags. Use the same pattern as substrates and machines: a tag here must match a tag on a product part or route for the step to qualify.
Cost formula fields
The fields available depend on which model sub-menu you opened.
Cost Basis — what the unit rate multiplies against. Options vary by model:
Per Copy,Per Job,Per Press Sheet(full sheet before cutting),Per Finished Sheet(each piece after cutting),Per Unit Added,Per Unit Length. Pick the one that matches how the operation actually scales. A flat per-job fee usesPer Job; a per-grommet count usesPer Unit Added.Setup Cost (Labor) / Setup Cost (Machine) — fixed setup labour and machine charges before the run begins, e.g., €20–€50 for a typical finishing setup.
Setup Time (Hours) — for time-based models (2, 3, 6), the hours the step holds the equipment before production starts. Example values: 0.25–2.0 h.
Running Speed — for time-based models, throughput in units per hour or a per-material-code speed table. Example values: 100–3,000 units per hour depending on the step.
Labor Rate (price per Hour) / Machine Rate (price per Hour) — for time-based models, the per-hour cost of the operator and the equipment. Example values: €25–€80/h labour, €20–€100/h machine.
Cost Per Unit (Labor) / (Machine) / (Material) — for Model 1, the per-unit charge against the chosen Cost Basis. Example values: €0.30–€2.00 per copy depending on operation.
Cost Per Unit Added — for Model 5 Per Unit Added, the price per counted item on the quote (e.g., €10 per grommet). The estimator enters the count per quote.
Cost Per Unit Length — for Model 5 Per Unit Length, the price per linear metre or inch of finished-piece perimeter. Example values: €1.00–€5.00 per metre.
Tier table (Min/Max Quantity, Fixed Cost, Rate per 1,000) — Model 4 only. Each row defines a quantity band with a fixed charge and a rate. Estimator picks the row whose range contains the quote quantity, or stays on the highest row when the quantity exceeds every range.
Wastage Percent — Model 3 only. The percentage uplift applied to the base material cost, e.g., 5–15%.
Cost
Minimum Charge — optional floor on the calculated total. If the formula produces less than this number, Estimator uses the minimum instead. Use for jobs whose true cost is below a level the shop is unwilling to invoice. Only set this if you are not already restricting via Cost Basis or quantity inputs that produce a sensible minimum themselves.
VA Bucket Override — optional. Routes the step's calculated cost to a specific markup bucket:
Substrate,Other Material,Labor,Machine,Outwork, orDelivery. Leave unset to use the model's default bucket (Labor and Machine for time-based; Other Material for material-based; Outwork for Tiered Rate). Use this to push an outsourced time-based step into the Outwork bucket so it marks up at the Outwork rate.
Outwork
Is Outwork — turn on when the step is performed by an external vendor. Routes the cost to the Outwork bucket by default and reveals the supplier field.
Outwork Supplier — required when Is Outwork is on. Picks the vendor from the procurement list. Leave Is Outwork off for any step performed in-house.
Save the change. The Pending Changes count increments by one in the sidebar.
2. Apply the change
Open Pending Changes, review the staged price model row, then choose Apply Changes. The Pending Changes count returns to zero and the price model is now live for quoting.
3. Connect the step to products
A saved price model defines how the step is costed but not where it appears. Continue in Assign price models with conditional steps to link the step to the product categories that should offer it.
4. Validate with a test quote
Create or reopen a test estimate on a product category linked in step 3. Confirm:
The step appears on the quote (or can be added from the optional finishing list).
The calculated cost matches your formula expectation before bucket markups.
The line lands in the bucket you expect — open See price breakdown on the quote and confirm the step row shows under Labor, Machine, Other Material, or Outwork as configured.
The Final price updates on the quote totals when the step is added or removed.
Things to know
Model type cannot be flipped by editing a row in a different sub-menu. If you picked the wrong formula, create a new price model in the correct sub-menu and remove or rename the old row.
Creating a price model can create or update a related conditional-step record. If a step with the same internal identifier already exists, resolve the conflict before applying changes — the conflict appears in Pending Changes with the older row flagged.
Built-in production steps — guillotine cut, folding, stitching on the dedicated machine tabs — are configured on those tabs, not as price models. A duplicate price model for built-in work prices the step twice on the quote.