With decimal quantities, you can bill for precise amounts—whether it’s a 0.5-hour session or part of a product. This feature is especially handy for raising claims where services are often billed in smaller increments. No more rounding errors—just precise invoicing that aligns with insurance or government funding requirements (such as NDIS) and ensures compliance.
Decimal support extends to invoices, product stock levels, stock adjustments, expenses, and related billable items, making your practice’s invoicing smoother and more accurate.
In this guide, we'll touch on:
Where decimal quantities are applied
Invoices: record fractional services (e.g. 1.5 hours of therapy) or partial product usage directly in patient invoices.
Product stock levels: track inventory with greater precision.
Stock adjustments: adjust inventory levels to reflect product quantities down to a decimal.
Billable items: charge for fractional services or packages.
Appointment types: assign products and billable items using decimal quantities.
How to enable decimal quantities
For an in-depth guide on the different tax calculation methods, click here: Guide to tax calculation methods in Cliniko
Head to Settings → Finances → Invoices to change the tax calculation method:
You can choose from three calculation methods, depending on your country's requirements:
1. Legacy (no decimals): keeps the original setup, with no decimal support.
2. Tax-inclusive (with decimals): prices include tax, with decimal quantities allowed.
3. Tax-exclusive (with decimals): prices exclude tax, with decimal quantities allowed.
Then, hit save invoice settings at the bottom to confirm the switch. All the invoices you raise, billable items, products etc. you create will now support decimals.
If an invoice created under the legacy method is edited, decimal quantities will not be applied, even if your account now uses the updated calculation method. You'll need to create a new invoice to have decimals enabled.
Frequently asked questions
How do I switch to the new calculation methods with decimal support?
Head to Settings → Finances → Invoices and select one of the three methods: legacy, tax-inclusive, or tax-exclusive. Decimals will only apply if you switch to the tax-inclusive or tax-exclusive methods.
If I choose the tax-inclusive method, will tax be added to services that shouldn’t have tax?
No, switching to tax-inclusive pricing won’t change which items are taxable. It only affects how tax is displayed on invoices. Items already marked as taxable will continue to include tax in their prices, while tax-free items will remain unchanged.
Can I edit old invoices to use decimals?
No. Invoices created before switching to the new method won’t have decimal support, even if edited. You’ll need to create new invoices to use decimals.
How do decimals affect product tracking and expenses?
Decimal support ensures precise inventory control, allowing for partial stock tracking and accurate product expenses.
What’s the difference between tax-inclusive and tax-exclusive modes?
Tax-inclusive: prices on invoices include tax.
Tax-exclusive: prices exclude tax, which is added separately at the end under subtotal.
Select the option that aligns with your practice’s needs and country’s reporting requirements. For instance, Australia typically uses tax-inclusive invoicing, while the U.S. tends to use tax-exclusive invoicing.
How will this change benefit Australian practices issuing NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) invoicing?
Decimal precision ensures that services like billable hours or travel distances (e.g. kilometres) are recorded accurately, which is crucial for NDIS compliance. NDIS has strict rounding requirements, and incorrect rounding often leads to rejected invoices, causing delays. This feature helps ensure precise billing, minimising errors and avoiding payment delays.
Can I still enter whole numbers if I don’t need decimals?
Yes, whole numbers are still supported and can be used as needed.
How many decimal places are supported?
You can add up to 5 decimal places.
How does this affect online bookings and payments?
Linked billable items and appointment types now support decimals, ensuring accurate pricing when patients book and pay online, avoiding potential rounding errors.
Can I stay on the legacy calculation method indefinitely?
No. We will eventually retire the legacy method in favour of the two newer calculation methods. We'll send a notice to let practices know of the cut-off period. Any account still on the legacy method will then automatically be switched to one of the two newer methods, depending on their country's invoicing requirement.
What happens if I need help switching to or using the new feature?
Contact our support team if you need assistance—we’re happy to help! 😄