Payroll & Staff Cost calculator
Billable Utilisation Planner
Work out how non-billable time changes the cost recovery needed from an employee or delivery role.
Why use it
- Useful when you need to see whether a role is recoverable at the current charge-out model.
- Billable utilisation is usually lower than most owners first assume once admin, meetings, training, and rework are counted.
- This is a planning tool. It shows the minimum recovery pressure on the role before margin is added.
Calculator tool
Use the billable utilisation planner
Work out how non-billable time changes the cost recovery needed from an employee or delivery role.
Share this result
Email it to yourself, send it to a customer, or copy the figures into a quote — all without an account.
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Important note
BizTools.au is designed to make business numbers easier to check, but calculator outputs still need judgment and real-world context.
- Calculator results are general estimates only and depend on the figures entered.
- Examples and summaries are provided for general information, not legal, tax, accounting, payroll, or financial advice.
- Before relying on a result for a real decision, check your assumptions and get qualified advice where needed.
How it works
Understand the formula before you use the result
The calculator uses a simple working formula so you can sense-check the result quickly and explain it clearly inside your business.
Billable utilisation formula
Annual available hours = working hours per week × working weeks per year
Annual billable hours = annual available hours × billable utilisation %
Cost per billable hour = annual employment cost / annual billable hours
Monthly revenue needed = annual employment cost / 12
The result is not a final sell rate. It is the minimum cost recovery view before profit margin or overhead layering is added elsewhere.
Worked example
See the numbers in a realistic scenario
Use the example below as a sense check when you compare the calculator result to a real quote, sale, or pricing decision.
Worked example
Worked example: pressure-testing a service role
A role costs $96,680 per year, works 38 hours a week, is billable 70% of the time, and is available for 46 working weeks a year.
- Annual employment cost: $96,680
- Working hours per week: 38
- Billable utilisation: 70%
- Working weeks per year: 46
Calculation steps
- Annual available hours = 38 × 46 = 1,748 hours
- Annual billable hours = 1,748 × 70% = 1,223.6 hours
- Cost per billable hour = $96,680 / 1,223.6 = $79.01
- Monthly revenue needed = $96,680 / 12 = $8,056.67
Before margin is added, the role needs to recover about $79.01 per billable hour and roughly $8,056.67 per month.
FAQ
Common questions about the billable utilisation planner
These are the practical questions operators usually run into when they apply the result to a real business decision.
What counts as billable utilisation?
It is the share of total working time that can actually be billed or directly recovered through jobs, clients, or delivery work. Internal admin and support time usually reduce it sharply.
Why is the cost per billable hour important?
It shows the minimum recovery pressure on the role. If your charge-out rate sits too close to this number, there may be little room left for overheads, risk, or profit.
Should I use salary or full employment cost?
Use full employment cost wherever possible. Salary alone usually understates what the role really needs to recover for the business.
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