# Optional Features

Source: https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/settings/optional-features

> Enable extra Astalty features for your account (Account Owner only).

## Overview

On the [Optional Features](https://app.astalty.com.au/settings/optional-features) page, the Account Owner can enable or disable self-service optional features for the account. Which cards appear also depends on the features that Astalty has made available to the account.

## Enabling Optional Features

1. Go to **Settings > Optional Features**.
2. Find the feature and select **Enable**. Scheduling, Scheduling Costs, Chat and Staff Payments open a details page with a more specific enable button. Participant Duplication opens its confirmation dialog directly.
3. Review the confirmation, then enable the feature.

An enabled card shows **Enabled** and a **Disable** button. Review the effect on your workflows before disabling a feature that your team already uses.

![The Optional Features settings page, with Scheduling, Scheduling Costs, Chat, Staff Payments and Participant Duplication each marked Enabled and showing a Disable button.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/optional-features-1.png)

## Available Optional Features

### Scheduling

Scheduling is available on Astalty Premium. See [How to Enable Scheduling](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/setup/how-to-enable-scheduling) and [Scheduling Settings](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/setup/scheduling-settings).

### Scheduling Costs

Scheduling Costs shows estimated wage costs for scheduled shifts using the award on each worker's employment contract. It appears only after Scheduling is enabled. See [Scheduling Costs](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/scheduling-costs).

### Chat

Chat provides secure messaging between team members. See [Chat](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/chat).

### Staff Payments

See [Staff Payment Settings](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/finance/staff-payments/settings).

### Staff Payments Superannuation

Superannuation for Staff Payments lets you mark contractors as entitled to superannuation and surfaces the amount on their invoices. It is not shown on the **Optional Features** page because it is not self-service. Contact the Astalty Support team if your organisation needs it. See [Superannuation](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/finance/staff-payments/superannuation).

### Staff Payments GST Registration Status

GST Registration Status for Staff Payments lets you record whether each contractor is registered for GST, and adds 10% GST to the payments of those marked as registered. It is not shown on the **Optional Features** page because it is not self-service. Contact the Astalty Support team if your organisation needs it. See [GST Registration Status](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/finance/staff-payments/gst-registration-status).

### Participant Duplication

The Participant Duplication feature allows organisations to create multiple Participant records with the same NDIS number, supporting scenarios where services such as Support Coordination and direct support are delivered separately. This enables clear separation of records, notes, and User assignments within the same organisation, while including safeguards such as a warning prompt to ensure the feature is used appropriately.

> **Important**
>
> We generally do not recommend enabling this feature unless you have a specific need for it. Duplicate NDIS numbers can lead to confusion with invoicing and reporting if not carefully managed.

You will be prompted to confirm that you want to enable this feature via a warning pop-up.

![The Optional Features settings page with the Participant Duplication card highlighted, marked Enabled, showing its warning against enabling it without a specific need and a Disable button.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/participant-duplication-1.png)

![The Warning: Duplicate NDIS number dialog, saying the NDIS number is already taken by another Participant, with an I understand that this will result in duplicate NDIS numbers checkbox to tick before Confirm.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/participant-duplication-2.png)

#### Telling Duplicate Profiles Apart in Participant Pickers

When two Participant profiles share the same name, Participant pickers across Astalty - including [creating a Task](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/tasks/creating-tasks#telling-duplicate-profiles-apart), [adding Participants to a Group Support](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/scheduling/adding-shifts/adding-a-group-shift#selecting-participants), choosing a Participant on the [Support History report](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/reports/support-history-report), and Participant Select fields on [Forms](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/forms/manage-forms/form-builder#participant-select) - show each profile's **External ID** beneath the name so your team can choose the right one. This descriptor only appears for profiles marked as duplicates that have an External ID set; all other options in the picker remain unchanged.

For this to help, give each duplicate profile a different External ID:

1. Open a duplicate Participant's [profile](https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/participants/profile) and edit **Participant Details**.
2. Enter a unique **External ID** under **Reference Numbers**.

![The Reference Numbers section of a Participant's details with a unique External ID entered.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/participant-external-id-reference-numbers.png)

3. Save the profile, then repeat for the other duplicate profiles.

> **Use External IDs rather than renaming the Participant**
>
> A short internal reference - such as a service or team code - lets your team pick the correct profile without adding initials or labels to the Participant's name. The External ID shown in the picker does **not** appear on invoices or documents.