Pricing variations (called Price Factor in the Lupa interface) let you apply a multiplier to a service's catalogue price at the point of sale, without creating duplicate services. A 2 am emergency call-out, an after-hours visit, an out-of-area home visit: each can carry its own price factor that staff pick from a dropdown when invoicing the service. The catalogue price stays clean, and the adjustment is recorded on the line item for audit.
💡 In short: Go to Settings → Price Factor to define multipliers like Standard (×1), After Hours (×1.5), and Emergency (×2). When staff add a service to an invoice, they pick which factor applies and the line price adjusts automatically.
Before You Begin
📍 Permissions required. Creating and editing price factor types needs the Edit Price Factor Types permission. Applying or changing a price factor on an invoice line needs the Update Invoice Item Price Factor permission. Permissions live under Settings → Permissions — ask your Practice Manager if you can't see the tab or the dropdown.
Price factors are a multi-store feature: types can be defined at company level (cascading to every store) or at store level (specific to one location).
How price factors work
A price factor is a named multiplier applied to a service's catalogue price. The multiplier is captured per type, and types are reusable across every service.
Layer | What it is | Where it lives |
Price factor types | Named pricing tiers with a multiplier: e.g. Standard ×1, After Hours ×1.5, Emergency ×2. | Settings → Price Factor |
Default | The type applied automatically when staff don't pick a specific one. Marked with the Default flag. | One type per company / store |
Invoice line factor | The factor selected on a specific invoice line which adjusts the price for that line only. | Set on the invoice line by the staff member adding the service |
Creating a price factor type
Click Settings in the top navigation, then select Price Factor in the sidebar (under the Billing group).
Click + New Price Factor in the top-right.
Fill in the form:
Field | What it does | Required |
Name | The label staff see in the dropdown when picking a factor at the invoice: e.g. Standard, After Hours, Emergency, Weekend / Bank Holiday. | Yes |
Description | Plain-English guidance on when to apply this factor, helping staff make the right call at the point of sale. | No |
Price Factor | The multiplier applied to the catalogue price. 1 means no change; 1.5 adds 50%; 2 doubles the price. | Yes |
Default | Marks this as the default factor applied when staff don't pick one. You can have at most one default per company / store. | No |
Click Create.
📸 Screenshot to add during sanity check: the Settings → Price Factor list with three or four configured types: Standard ×1 (Default), After Hours ×1.5, Emergency ×2, Weekend ×1.5, showing Name, Price Factor, Description, Default columns.
📸 Screenshot to add during sanity check: the New Price Factor dialog open with Name "Emergency", Description "Out-of-hours emergency call-outs", Price Factor 2, Default off.
Common configurations
Type | Typical multiplier | When to apply |
Standard | ×1 | Normal business-hours appointments — the default. |
After Hours | ×1.5 | Appointments outside standard opening hours. |
Emergency | ×2 | Emergency call-outs and urgent out-of-hours visits. |
Weekend / Bank Holiday | ×1.5 | Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday appointments. |
Home Visit | ×1.25 – ×1.5 | Service performed at the client's home rather than the clinic. |
Editing and deleting
Use the Actions menu on any row to edit or delete a price factor type.
⚠️ Deletion doesn't reflow into past invoices. Removing a price factor type doesn't change invoices that already used it, instead they keep their prices. But the type is no longer available for selection on new invoices.
Applying a price factor on an invoice
When staff add a service to an invoice, the line shows a price factor selector. The default factor is pre-selected; staff can switch to a different one. The price recalculates on the spot:
Invoice line price = catalogue price × price factor multiplier A £45 standard consultation invoiced as Emergency (×2) becomes £90 on the line. The factor name is recorded on the line so finance can audit the adjustment later.
🔒 Changing a line's factor needs the Update Invoice Item Price Factor permission. Without it, staff can add services but can't switch the factor — the default is locked in. This lets you control who can apply premium pricing.
Price factors apply to services only. Product prices are managed through selling variations, procurement cost, and markup. See .
Per-service overrides (advanced)
Some practices need a different multiplier for specific services. For example, your Emergency Consultation service might already include an emergency surcharge in its catalogue price, so a global ×2 Emergency factor would over-charge. Per-service overrides let a specific service use a custom multiplier for a specific factor type. Per-service overrides are gated by an opt-in feature on your practice and only show on the service edit form when enabled. Contact Lupa support if you need to use them.
Settings reference
Setting | Description | Default |
Price factor types | Named multipliers managed at Settings → Price Factor. | None - create your own |
Default factor | The factor applied automatically when no specific one is selected. | One type marked Default |
Edit Price Factor Types | Permission to create, edit, and delete price factor types. | Practice Manager / Admin |
Update Invoice Item Price Factor | Permission to change the factor on an invoice line. | Varies by role |
Per-service overrides | Custom multipliers defined per service for specific factor types. Feature-flagged. | Off. Contact Lupa support to enable |
Tips
✅ Best practices:
Keep the list short. Three to five factor types covers most practices: Standard, After Hours, Emergency, Weekend. More choices slow staff down at the desk.
Mark Standard as default. It applies automatically to every line so most invoices need no thought from staff.
Write meaningful descriptions. "Apply to consults and treatments performed between 18:00 and 08:00" beats "After-hours rate" — staff will pick the right factor more reliably.
Tell clients before treatment. "This is an after-hours consultation, so the standard fee carries a 50% surcharge" prevents disputes at billing time.
Review multipliers annually. Your out-of-hours and emergency rates should keep pace with cost increases.
Use per-service overrides sparingly. The whole point of price factors is one rule for all services. Override only when a specific service genuinely warrants a different multiplier.
Troubleshooting
Problem | Solution |
The Price Factor tab isn't visible in Settings | You need the Edit Price Factor Types permission, or Billing access to see the Billing sidebar group at all. Ask your Practice Manager to update your role under Settings → Permissions. |
Wrong price on an invoice line | Check which factor is applied. For example, it may be set to Emergency when it should be Standard. Click the factor selector on the line and pick the right one. If the dropdown is locked, you don't have the Update Invoice Item Price Factor permission. |
The default factor isn't being applied automatically | Make sure exactly one type has Default switched on. If none do, lines start without a factor and staff have to pick one each time. |
I can't apply price factors to products | Price factors apply to services only. Product pricing is managed through selling variations and markup. See . |
The factor I want doesn't exist | Create it at Settings → Price Factor → + New Price Factor. |
Changing a price factor type didn't update past invoices | That's by design. Existing invoices keep the price they were finalised at; changes only affect future uses. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do price factors apply to products as well as services?
Do price factors apply to products as well as services?
No - price factors apply to services only. Product pricing is set through the product's selling variations, procurement cost, and markup in the Inventory module. See .
Can different lines on the same invoice have different price factors?
Can different lines on the same invoice have different price factors?
Yes. Each line carries its own factor. An emergency consultation at ×2 and a standard dispensing fee at ×1 happily coexist on the same invoice.
Do price factor changes affect existing invoices?
Do price factor changes affect existing invoices?
No. Editing or deleting a factor type only affects future invoices. Existing invoices keep the price and factor they were finalised with.
What happens if no factor is selected on a line?
What happens if no factor is selected on a line?
The default factor is applied automatically. If no type is marked Default, the catalogue price is used as-is.
Can different stores in a multi-site group have different factors?
Can different stores in a multi-site group have different factors?
Yes. Factors can be configured at company level (cascade to every store) or at store level (specific to one location). Most groups standardise at company level for consistency.
Are factors visible to clients on their invoice?
Are factors visible to clients on their invoice?
The adjusted price always appears. Whether the factor name (e.g. "Emergency") shows on the printed invoice depends on your invoice template. The name is always stored for audit, regardless of what the client sees.