The Fuel/Mileage and Travel Time rates can be configured to automatically add an account charge and/or interpreter payment to any scheduled Onsite appointment that meets the minimum travel requirement.
Other types of expenses can't be configured to add to a rate automatically; however, you can still add them manually to an appointment:
- Parking/Tolls
- Public Transportation
- Taxi/Uber/Black Car
- Internet/Phone
- Meals/Food
- Hotel/Accommodations
- Airfare
- Other
How Distance Is Calculated
The distance figure shown in the interpreter list before an assignment is made is a straight-line (as-the-crow-flies) estimate. Once an interpreter is assigned to an appointment, Boostlingo calculates the driving distance from the interpreter's profile address to the appointment location using Google Maps. This driving distance is what drives any automatic mileage expense.
Because the two numbers use different methodologies, customers who compare the pre-assignment estimate against the post-assignment mileage expense — or against their own Google Maps lookup — will see discrepancies. This is expected behavior.
Route policy: Boostlingo uses the route Google Maps recommends by default, which is generally the fastest driving route. It does not avoid tolls or highways, does not account for live traffic, and does not select the shortest-mileage alternative.
Interpreter profile address is required
The interpreter's profile address is used as the origin for all mileage calculations. If that address is missing or cannot be geocoded, Boostlingo cannot calculate a driving distance, and no automatic mileage expense will be generated. If mileage expenses are not appearing as expected, verify that the interpreter has a valid, geocodable address on their profile.
Configuring Fuel/Mileage and Travel Time Rates
Navigate to Configuration > Billing > Expenses.
Fuel/Mileage Rates
Click the Edit button next to Fuel/Mileage to edit the Fuel/Mileage rate configuration.
This will generate a pop-up with the rate configuration options.
- Rate per Mile: Apply a universal rate for every mile travelled by the interpreter. The expense rate can also be customized on the appointment level.
- Based on Rate: Base the mileage cost on the account's or interpreter's respective rate for the appointment, using an "X miles = Y hours of the appointment rate" ratio. Note that travel duration derived from this setting reflects that calculated ratio — it is not pulled from estimated drive time.
Additional Options:
- Min Miles: The minimum number of miles the interpreter must travel for any mileage expense to be added. If the calculated distance falls below this threshold, no mileage expense is created at all — the minimum is a qualification threshold, not a starting point for the rate.
- Max Miles: The maximum number of miles for which the mileage rate will accrue. Any distance beyond this cap is not charged. When Round-trip is enabled, both Min Miles and Max Miles are compared against the round-trip (doubled) distance, not the one-way distance.
- Automatically add to appointments for Interpreters.
- Automatically add to appointments for Accounts.
- Round-trip: The expense amount covers the interpreter's travel both to and from the appointment (i.e., 2× the one-way driving distance). When this is enabled, the doubled distance is also what Min Miles and Max Miles are evaluated against.
Click Save Distance Rule once the configuration is complete.
Travel Time Rates
To edit the Travel Time rate, click the Edit button.
- Based on Interpreter/Account Rate: Every minute/hour of travel time will accrue the same rate as every minute/hour of the appointment.
- New Rate: This option applies a custom rate universally for both interpreters and accounts. The expense can also be customized on the appointment level.
Additional Options:
- Min Time: The minimum amount of time the interpreter must travel in order for the rate to be applied.
- Max Time: The maximum amount of time for which the travel rate will accrue.
- Automatically add to Account expenses.
Click Save Travel Time Rule once the configuration is complete.