Custom software for running-hours billing of rental machines
Appfront builds software for equipment rental companies that charge by operating hours. At issue and return, the hour meter reading is recorded with a photo, or taken from telematics. Each rental agreement states how many hours are included in the price and what an additional hour costs. The software calculates the additional hours, places them on the invoice with the evidence attached, and shows per machine how much it has run.
What is operating-hour billing software for rental machines?
Many machines are rented with a number of operating hours included in the price: for example, eight hours a day or forty a week. Anything beyond that is invoiced as additional hours. The machine's hour meter determines the difference. This sounds simple, but in practice it generates a great deal of work and dispute.
The driver notes the hour meter reading on a delivery slip at handover, or forgets to. On return, the machine sits in the yard and someone records the reading a day later. On long-term hire, it is checked only once a month. Administration works out the excess hours with a calculator, and the customer disputes the invoice because there is no proof. Meanwhile, nobody knows exactly how many hours a machine actually runs, even though its maintenance depends on it.
We build custom because rental companies have their own arrangements: how many hours are included in the price, per day, week or month, how weekends and public holidays count, and what an extra hour costs per machine type or customer. Which machines have telematics and which rental software you use determines how the readings come in. Where telematics is missing, the driver records the reading with a photo.
Readings with proof
The hour meter reading at handover and return, with a photo or from telematics, directly linked to the hire agreement.
Excess hours per contract
For each hire agreement, the included hours and the rate per excess hour, with a calculation that works the same way every time.
Usage per machine
Per machine, how many hours it runs, for maintenance, deployment and decisions on which machines to buy.
How we build your software for machine hire hour-based billing
We start with your agreements: how many hours are included in the price, how readings are currently recorded, which machines have telematics, and where disputes arise.
Your contract types, rates, machines, telematics and hire software.
Hour meter readings at handover, return and in between, with a photo or from telematics.
Calculation according to the contract, with invoice lines and evidence.
Track usage per machine for maintenance and deployment, integrations, and then ongoing management.
What machine hire hour-based billing software does in practice
The components below come up at almost every rental company. Which ones you need depends on your fleet.
Hour meter
Reading at handover and return, with a photo or from telematics.
Contracts
Included hours and rate per excess hour per agreement.
Calculation
Excess hours according to the contract, per period.
Invoice
Invoice lines with the readings and photos as proof.
Deviations
An alert for an illogical reading or many excess hours.
Use case
Operating hours per machine for maintenance and deployment.
Who we build machine hire hour-based billing software for
The software is intended for hire companies that bill on operating hours.
Plant hire
Excavators, shovels and dumpers. Excess hours are central.
Aerial work platform rental
Many short hires. The reading on return counts most.
Generator hire
Generators and compressors that run day and night. Telematics are essential.
Dealers with a fleet
Hire alongside sales. Usage per machine is central.
Test your idea first: a working prototype in 1 day
With OneDayBuild, we turn your idea into something tangible in one day for €1,150, so you can see whether further development is worth the investment. Decide to go ahead with the full build? Then we credit the full cost.
Explore OneDayBuild →Technology and integrations
This page covers billing operating hours for machine rental. For equipment rental, see our page on software for equipment and forklift rental, for demonstration machines our page on demo machine management, and for inspections our page on an app for inspecting rental equipment. You can read about how we work under building software.
If you want to invoice hire periods, transport and operators on one contract, see our software for hire administration of construction machines.
If you want to recharge damage to hire machines with proof, see our software for damage registration on hire machines.
Why choose Appfront for your machine hire hour-based billing software?
An excess hour without proof is an excess hour the customer will call about. That is what we build around: readings with photos or from telematics, a calculation according to the contract, and an invoice that adds up.
No disputes
Every invoice line comes with its readings and photos.
No missed hours
Every return has a reading, even when it's busy.
Timely maintenance
Operating hours per machine drive maintenance.
Security and privacy in operating-hours billing software for rental machines
The software holds data on customers, contracts, rates and machines. Access is set by role: the operator records readings, and administration issues the invoices.
The software runs in a European data centre, with encrypted storage and daily backups. Recording readings also works without signal on the building site.
Frequently asked questions about operating-hours billing software for rental machines
Questions rental companies ask before getting started with this.
It records the hour meter reading on delivery and return, either with a photo or from telematics, calculates the excess hours according to the contract, puts them on the invoice with the evidence attached, and shows how many hours each machine has run. That way, every excess hour can be justified.
From telematics, if the machine has it and the data is available. Otherwise, the operator photographs the hour meter in the app at delivery and collection, and the reading is recorded. For long-term hire, an interim reading can be requested.
Yes. Each rental agreement states how many hours are included in the price, per day, week or month, and what an excess hour costs. We also record agreements on weekends, public holidays or downtime, so the calculation is always the same.
A reading lower than the previous one, or an implausible number of hours in a short period, triggers an alert. The administration reviews it before it goes onto the invoice.
Yes, provided it has an interface. Rental agreements and machines come from the rental software, and overtime flows back as invoice lines. That way nobody has to type anything in.
Yes. Operating hours per machine show when maintenance is due, and which machines are heavily or lightly used. This also helps when deciding which machines to buy or sell.
Check that first. Some rental software calculates overtime, and that is enough if the meter readings come in correctly. Custom software makes sense when recording readings, evidence or the telematics integration is missing.
Excess hours with evidence, without a calculator?
Tell us how you agree operating hours with customers, how readings are currently noted, and which machines have telematics. We'll show you what recording, calculation and invoicing look like.