This new feature restores commute and drive time payroll settings under Flexible Timekeeping, helping calculate pay more accurately.
What's new?
Previously, Flexible Timekeeping didn't support paying or deducting time for the first or last drive. Payroll teams had to adjust each timesheet manually. Now, you can set drive time policies per technician in the Payroll tab. Options include paying the first drive only if the technician is clocked into an activity, and deducting a set commute time from the first or last drive. This matches legacy timekeeping behavior, improves consistency, and reduces payroll rework.
Resources
Before and After
Before (Current)
Enable Flexible Timekeeping.
First Drive Settings are not available.
All drive time is paid, including commute.
Office team manually adjusts timesheets.
Impact: High risk of overpayment and manual errors.
Try the current workflow in your account.
After
Enable Flexible Timekeeping and the related feature gate.
Go to Technician → Payroll and set drive pay rules.
Choose how to pay for the first drive.
Set a fixed commute deduction for first and/or last drive.
Impact: Drive pay is accurate, policy-driven, and automated.
Test the changes in the NEXT environment.
Who uses this feature
All Business Types
Administrators, Managers, Accountants, Bookkeepers, and Technicians (Commute time and first/last drive now follow pay settings)
Region availability: USA
How it works for your industry
Residential Service and Replacement
A technician is dispatched to their first job, and it's their first event of the day. The system pays drive time minus the defined commute.
An office manager applies a consistent commute deduction to all techs across the region.
Payroll exports reflect clean, policy-aligned payable time.
Commercial Service and Replacement
A technician is dispatched to their first job, and it's their first event of the day. Commute time is deducted from the drive to the first job.
Last drive settings help prevent overpaying techs returning from distant commercial sites.
Office teams reduce weekly adjustments to drive time.
Residential Construction
Crews are dispatched to their first job, and it's their first event of the day. Payroll deducts commute time using the new setting.
Admins pay first drive only if techs start in an assigned activity.
Consistent policy improves trust and pay accuracy.
Commercial Construction
Travel to large multi-site builds is adjusted automatically.
Commute time deductions apply to both morning and evening drives.
Payroll admins gain clear records and less manual rework.
How to Prepare?
Have an administrator reach out to your CSM to have Flexible Timekeeping and Paid Drive Time/Commute enabled for your account.
Review current drive pay policies with HR or leadership.
Set drive time and commute rules under each technician's Payroll tab.
Train payroll admins on how settings impact calculations.
Audit a week of payroll reports to confirm settings are working as expected.