Default and per-asset settings

What it is

Most syndicates own one asset. Multi-asset syndicates are the minority. Syndik8 is built around that shape: when a syndicate has a single asset, billing settings live in one place — on the syndicate. There is no separate asset-level billing screen. The fields on the Billing & Rates screen are just called Billing, Minimum Usage, Event Fees, and Usage Capture and Billing.

When a syndicate adds a second asset, the UI changes. Those same syndicate-level settings stay where they were, but the headings are relabelled with a “Default” prefix — Default Billing, Default Minimum Usage, Default Event Fees, Default Usage Capture and Billing. At the same time, a new per-asset billing screen appears for every asset. On each asset’s screen you can either leave the value empty (in which case the syndicate default applies) or enter a value that overrides the default for that asset only.

The result: single-asset syndicates never see the word “default” and never have to navigate between syndicate and asset settings. Multi-asset syndicates get a single place to set shared defaults and a simple override mechanism for anything that differs.

Who can use it

Owner and admin — view and change both the syndicate defaults and each asset’s per-asset overrides.
Members — see the rates in effect for any booking they create. Cannot change the settings.
Treasurers (admins) — same as admin.

Where to find it

The settings live in two places once a syndicate has more than one asset:

Syndicate defaults: Syndicate → Settings → Billing & Rates. Route: /syndicates/:syndicateId/settings/billing.
Per-asset override: Assets → [asset] → Billing. Route: /syndicates/:syndicateId/assets/:assetId/billing.

On a single-asset syndicate, only the first one exists.

Fields / options

Which fields cascade

Every field in this table follows the default-then-override cascade. The column labels here are the multi-asset versions; on a single-asset syndicate the same fields appear without the “Default” prefix.

Setting (multi-asset label)	Stored key
Default usage rate	`usage_rate`
Default shortfall rate	`shortfall_rate`
Default weekday minimum usage	`weekday_min_usage`
Default weekend minimum usage	`weekend_min_usage`
Default event fees (landing, touch-and-go, etc.)	`event_fees`
Default usage capture mode	`time_capture_mode`
Default billing basis	`billing_basis`
Default engine meter label	`engine_meter_label`
Default clock time label	`clock_time_label`
Default taxi minutes	`default_taxi_minutes`
Currency	`currency`
Max Advance Booking Days	`max_advance_booking_days`

All of the above live in the syndicate’s default_billing map. Per-asset overrides are rows in the asset_billing_configs table.

Per-scheme rates — the nuanced case

Billing scheme definitions (name, dues amount, rate modifier type and value) are always syndicate-wide. See Payments & Schemes.

Billing scheme rates — the numeric rate that applies when an asset is booked by a member on that scheme — cascade per asset:

Single-asset syndicate: the Billing & Rates screen shows a Per-Scheme Rates table directly. You edit the single asset’s scheme rates there.
Multi-asset syndicate: the Per-Scheme Rates section is replaced with a note that tells you to configure rates on each asset individually. Each asset carries its own asset_scheme_rate_overrides rows.

Which fields do not cascade

These syndicate settings apply uniformly to every asset in the syndicate. They cannot be overridden per asset:

Require booking approval (requires_booking_approval)
Minimum booking duration (min_booking_duration_minutes)
Require admin confirmation for squawks (require_squawk_confirmation)
Show member names on bookings (show_member_names_on_bookings)
Usage log visibility (usage_log_visibility)
Share usage photos with all members (share_usage_photos)

Behaviour rules

Single-asset syndicate → no “Default” label, no asset-level billing screen. The complexity is hidden entirely.
The instant you add a second asset, the UI changes. Section headings on Billing & Rates gain the “Default” prefix. Each asset gets its own billing screen with the same fields, where an empty value means “fall back to the syndicate default”.
If you later delete the second asset, the syndicate returns to single-asset mode. The “Default” prefix disappears, and the asset-level screen goes away. The stored values on the remaining asset are preserved but aren’t shown anywhere distinct — they merge back into the syndicate view.
Precedence for any usage calculation (where the fields cascade): asset_billing_configs.<field> → syndicates.settings['default_billing'].<field> → system default. The first non-null value in that chain wins.
The snapshot rule still applies. When a usage log is saved, the resolved rates at that moment are snapshotted onto the log. Later changes to the default or the override do not back-date a booking’s charge. See Finalisation rules.
Currency is a cascading field but in practice is always syndicate-level. Currency is set once on Payments & Schemes and applies to every asset’s billing.