Chargeback FAQs

Q. Do we need to upload every property that I own to implement Chargeback?

No. For a comprehensive chargeback process, organizations can load their entire portfolio including non-commercial sites, however, this approach is not common among Serraview clients. The majority of clients instead prefer to run the Chargeback process only against buildings/floors shown in the Visual Block and Stack.

Q. How are costs set?

Costs can be set at a building, floor, or space level, including options to weight your space types.

Some common examples of cost settings are:

• Differentiating between workpoint types
• Differentiating between meeting rooms on different floors
• Expensive CBD (central business district) properties compared to suburban locations.

Q. How do I measure and ensure Chargeback success?

A successful Chargeback process will result in less vacant space within business units and show a trend of better-utilized space across the property portfolio. Accurate occupancy data is the most important element for achieving a successful Chargeback.

Chargeback processes must also evolve with the organization. Business rules should be reviewed annually to ensure they remain relevant for their changing business. Accurate forecasting will also give visibility of how the business is growing so appropriate rates can be determined in advance.

Organizations must have a thorough understanding of how their Chargeback reports are calculated. This enables them to problem solve inaccuracies and effectively communicate Chargeback costs with business units.

Q. How do teams relinquish space, so they are not charged?

Relinquishing desks is part of the monthly validation process, communicated by the business via Workplace Portal and actioned by Corporate Real Estate prior to running reports for Finance.

Q. How often should we run Chargeback?

We recommend a monthly Chargeback cycle. This provides business units with immediate cost reduction benefits that will motivate the relinquishing of space.

If a monthly Chargeback cycle doesn't suit your business, the cycle can be scheduled to occur quarterly, bi-annually, or annually. Whichever timeframe you choose needs to align with your Validation cycles. For more information on validation, refer to Workplace Portal

Q. Why is Direct Chargeable Area sometimes negative?

The team's chargeable area includes the common spaces (across the building). 

The Direct Chargeable Workpoint Area on the floor displays as negative as the Indirect Chargeable Area (measured area of the common spaces) is greater than the Leased Area. Therefore, the mapping indicates that there is a more chargeable area than is entered in the leased area. 

This may be incorrect for the following reasons:

• The floor scale is incorrect
• Some spaces are floor common but are meant to be rentable exclusion
• The leased area is incorrect.

You will need to check the spaces on the floor. If you are confident that the spaces are correctly set and the Leased Area in the form is correctly set, then contact the Serraview Support team to adjust the floor scale so that the floor common spaces are slightly less than the Leased Area.