Travel fees and meal buyouts appear as separate line items on invoices, receipts, and payment schedules so clients see a clear breakdown of charges.
Travel Fee
A travel fee covers your transportation costs to and from the venue — gas, tolls, mileage, or a flat rate for distance.
Setting a Travel Fee
- Per contract — Enter a dollar amount in the contract wizard under the Logistics step
- As a default — Set a default travel fee in Contract Defaults so it pre-fills for new contracts
- Per event type — Configure different travel fees for weddings vs. corporate gigs using event type defaults
Where It Appears
Travel fees are added to the balance (not the deposit) and appear on:
- Payment schedules
- Balance invoices
- Full receipts
- The total line on all financial documents
Meal Buyout
A meal buyout is a per-person cash amount the client pays instead of providing meals for performers. It is calculated as the buyout rate multiplied by the number of team members on the gig.
Setting Up Meal Buyout
- In the contract wizard, choose "Meal buyout" under meal provision
- Set the per-person buyout rate (e.g., $25/person)
- The total is automatically calculated based on team size
You can also set a default meal buyout rate in Contract Defaults under the Meals group.
How It Calculates
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Buyout rate | $25 per person |
| Team members | 4 performers |
| Total buyout | $100 |
The meal buyout total is added to the balance, just like the travel fee.
On Financial Documents
Both charges appear as clearly labeled line items:
- "Travel Fee" with the dollar amount
- "Meal Buyout" showing the per-person rate and team count
- The Total line includes a note indicating which extras are included
Common Questions
Do travel fees affect the deposit?
No. Travel fees and meal buyouts are added to the balance. The deposit is calculated from the base performance fee only.
Can I set different travel fees by event type?
Yes. Use Contract Defaults to configure per-event-type travel fees.
Where do I configure default rates?
Dashboard > Settings > Contract Defaults under the "Travel & Festival" and "Meals" groups.