Support Time Segments

Overview

Support Time Segments let you split one support's billed time across different Charge Item Sets. For example, you can charge 12:00pm–3:00pm through a different set to the rest of the support. Any time not covered by a segment is charged through the support's primary Charge Item Set.

Use this when one rostered support should bill through more than one Charge Item Set, without creating separate supports for each portion of the day.

Support Time Segments are a finance and billing setting for planners. They are not Support Worker–facing — workers do not see segments in the Support Worker app, and the rostered shift experience is unchanged.

Adding Support Time Segments

1. Go to Schedule.
2. Create or open a support that uses automatic charging.
3. In the Support Time Segments section, select Add Segment.

4. Set Segment starts and Segment ends. Astalty shows the span length under the end time (for example, 2 hours span).
5. Choose the Charge Item Set for that segment.
6. Add further segments if needed (up to 10 per support).
7. Save the support.

The Charge Item Set picker only offers sets available for the Participant on the support date, and excludes the support's primary Charge Item Set.

Segment Rules

A support time segment must:

• fall within the support start and end times
• end after it starts
• use a different Charge Item Set from the support's primary set
• not overlap another segment (segments that meet exactly end-to-end are fine)

Support Time Segments also:

• require automatic charging — they are not available when the support uses manual charges
• cannot be combined with a sleepover support (including a Sleepover Window)
• are limited to 10 segments per support

Billing Behaviour

When automatic charges sync, Astalty bills each segment through its chosen Charge Item Set. Uncovered time bills through the support's primary Charge Item Set.

On the support's Finance tab, Astalty lists each segment window and shows the matching charge line for that portion of the support:

Each segment resolves its own rate and charge item from its Charge Item Set (including that set's rate pattern). If the chosen set has no charge item for the rate Astalty needs for that segment, charge syncing fails for the support until the set includes the required item or you change the segment.

The following stay on the support's primary Charge Item Set for the whole support, even when segments are present:

• travel (including KM)
• centre capital costs

Support Time Segments are billing-only. They affect how the support is charged on the Finance tab and invoices. They do not change payroll, Support Worker pay, or anything Support Workers see when working the shift.

Group Supports

On group supports, segments are set on each Participant's child support, not once at the group level. Add or edit segments on the Participant card for that support.

Recurring Supports

When a support repeats, Astalty re-anchors the segment start and end times onto each occurrence so the same relative windows apply to every date in the series.

Tips

• Plan Charge Item Sets and plan coverage first — the segment set must be available for the Participant on the support date.
• Prefer segments that meet end-to-end when you want continuous alternate billing without leaving gaps on the primary set.
• If you switch a support to manual charging, the Support Time Segments section is hidden. Segment settings require automatic charging again before they apply to billing.