The "Single Source of Truth": Managing Pricing Across 50+ Clients

Introduction

Here is a common scenario: You decide to raise your rates. You update your mental model: "I now charge $150/hr."

But you have:

• 3 active proposals out with the old rate.
• 5 ongoing retainer clients on the old rate.
• A new lead asking for a quote.

If you are copying and pasting from old proposals, you will inevitably paste the old price. You will confuse yourself.

You need a Single Source of Truth.

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The Problem With Files

When your pricing lives in "Project_A_Proposal.pdf" and "Project_B_Proposal.doc," your data is decentralized.

To update your rates, you have to remember to type the new number every single time. Humans are bad at this. We default to habit.

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The Library Model

In Manager List, your Library is the database of your current rates.

When you decide to raise prices, you go to the Library. You change "Web Development" from $100 to $120.

Now, every new proposal you generate will automatically use $120. You don't have to remember. The system remembers.

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Library vs. Snapshot

But what about the old proposals?

This is a critical engineering concept we built into Manager List: The Snapshot.

When you add an item to a Proposal, we take a "snapshot" of the price at that moment.

• If you signed a deal yesterday at $100, it stays at $100 forever.
• If you update the Library to $120 today, the old deal does not change.
• The new deal tomorrow starts at $120.

This gives you Historical Integrity (past deals don't break) and Future Agility (new deals get new rates).

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Conclusion

Treat your freelance business like a business. Businesses have price lists. They have databases.

Stop relying on your memory or Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V. Build a Single Source of Truth.