Repair labor is cleaner to bill in blocks than by the minute. ROUNDUP turns any started half-hour into a whole billable block, on top of the diagnostic fee.
An $89 diagnostic plus 40 minutes at $45 a block: 40/30 rounds up to 2 blocks — $179 total.
The example
Three repairs, each with a diagnostic fee, labor minutes, and a per-block rate.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Repair | Diagnostic | Labor min | $ / 30 min | Total |
| 2 | Dishwasher | $89 | 40 | $45 | $179.00 |
| 3 | Dryer belt | $89 | 75 | $45 | $224.00 |
| 4 | Quick fix | $89 | 20 | $45 | $134.00 |
The formula
ROUNDUP turns minutes into whole billable blocks:
How it works
Time becomes blocks, blocks become dollars:
C2/30converts labor minutes into half-hour blocks.ROUNDUP(…,0)bills any started block as a whole one — 40 minutes is 2 blocks.- Multiply by the block rate
D2and add the diagnostic feeB2.
A 20-minute fix still bills one full block — the minimum labor charge is built into the ROUNDUP.
Try it: interactive demo
Enter the diagnostic fee, labor minutes, and per-block rate.
Variations
Credit the diagnostic
Apply the diagnostic fee toward the labor when the customer proceeds.
Quarter-hour blocks
Bill in 15-minute blocks for finer granularity.
Pitfalls & errors
Use ROUNDUP, not ROUND — ROUND would bill a 10-minute repair as zero blocks and give the labor away.
Log start and stop times on the ticket while you work; reconstructed labor minutes get argued at the door.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
Why round up?
Can I credit the diagnostic fee?
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