feat(hours): install-wide default rate + inline missing-rate CTA

Hour-entry saves hard-failed with an English-only error when a customer
had no rate, and the standalone hours page showed a disabled rate field
that looked set. Add a global business_profile default_hourly_rate_minor
(migration 113) as the last link in the rate chain
(entry override → customer → install default), so saves succeed with the
global rate. When no rate resolves anywhere, replace the save-time error
with a read-only resolved-rate display + a CTA to set a customer or
install-wide rate, disable Add-entry until a rate/override exists, and
translate the backend HOURLY_RATE_REQUIRED toast (en+de).

backend/__tests__/services/customerHoursService.test.js

@@ -58,13 +58,30 @@ describe('resolveEffectiveRate', () => {
     )).toBe(15000);
   });
 
-  it('throws when both override and customer rate are unset', () => {
+  it('throws when override, customer rate, AND install default are all unset', () => {
     expect(() => resolveEffectiveRate(
       { hourly_rate_minor_override: null },
       { hourly_rate_minor: null },
+      null,
     )).toThrow(/No hourly rate/);
   });
 
+  it('falls back to the install-wide default when override + customer rate are unset', () => {
+    expect(resolveEffectiveRate(
+      { hourly_rate_minor_override: null },
+      { hourly_rate_minor: null },
+      12000,
+    )).toBe(12000);
+  });
+
+  it('customer rate wins over the install-wide default', () => {
+    expect(resolveEffectiveRate(
+      { hourly_rate_minor_override: null },
+      { hourly_rate_minor: 15000 },
+      12000,
+    )).toBe(15000);
+  });
+
   it('treats override=0 as "explicitly zero" (not null)', () => {
     // Override === 0 is unusual but legal — pro bono blocks, internal
     // tracking. Must NOT fall through to the customer default.

backend/migrations/core/113_add_default_hourly_rate.js

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/**
+ * Migration: install-wide default hourly rate.
+ *
+ * Background: hour entries resolve a billing rate through
+ *   entry.hourly_rate_minor_override → customer.hourly_rate_minor.
+ * When a customer had neither set, saving an entry hard-failed with
+ * HOURLY_RATE_REQUIRED — a confusing save-time error on the hours page.
+ * This adds an install-wide fallback so a single global rate covers
+ * every customer who hasn't been given an individual one. The chain
+ * becomes:
+ *   entry override → customer rate → business_profile default → (CTA).
+ *
+ * Stored in minor units (matches customer_accounts.hourly_rate_minor).
+ * Nullable, default NULL: existing installs keep today's behaviour
+ * (no implicit rate) until the admin sets one — no surprise rate gets
+ * applied on upgrade (migration-preserve-existing-state guidance).
+ *
+ * Idempotent: guarded by hasColumn so a re-run is a no-op.
+ */
+
+exports.up = async function(knex) {
+  if (!(await knex.schema.hasTable('business_profile'))) return;
+  if (await knex.schema.hasColumn('business_profile', 'default_hourly_rate_minor')) return;
+  await knex.schema.alterTable('business_profile', (table) => {
+    table.bigInteger('default_hourly_rate_minor');
+  });
+};
+
+exports.down = async function(knex) {
+  if (!(await knex.schema.hasTable('business_profile'))) return;
+  if (!(await knex.schema.hasColumn('business_profile', 'default_hourly_rate_minor'))) return;
+  await knex.schema.alterTable('business_profile', (table) => {
+    table.dropColumn('default_hourly_rate_minor');
+  });
+};

backend/src/routes/adminBusinessProfile.js

@@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ function transformProfile(p) {
     taxId: p.tax_id || '',
     vatLabel: p.vat_label || 'MwSt.',
     vatRateDefault: p.vat_rate_default == null ? null : Number(p.vat_rate_default),
+    // Install-wide fallback hourly rate (migration 113), minor units.
+    // null = no global default; the hours page then requires a per-
+    // customer or per-entry rate.
+    defaultHourlyRateMinor: p.default_hourly_rate_minor == null ? null : Number(p.default_hourly_rate_minor),
     defaultCurrency: p.default_currency || 'CHF',
     defaultLocale: p.default_locale || 'de',
     defaultQrFormat: p.default_qr_format || 'none',
@@ -346,6 +350,11 @@ router.put(
     body('taxId').optional({ values: 'falsy' }).isString().isLength({ max: 64 }),
     body('vatLabel').optional({ values: 'falsy' }).isString().isLength({ max: 64 }),
     body('vatRateDefault').optional({ values: 'falsy' }).isFloat({ min: 0, max: 100 }),
+    // Migration 113 — install-wide default hourly rate, minor units.
+    // nullable so the admin can clear it; values: 'falsy' would drop a
+    // legitimate 0 (which we treat as "explicitly free"), so use the
+    // nullable form and let the service coerce.
+    body('defaultHourlyRateMinor').optional({ nullable: true }).isInt({ min: 0 }),
     body('defaultCurrency').optional({ values: 'falsy' }).isString().isLength({ min: 3, max: 3 }),
     body('defaultLocale').optional({ values: 'falsy' }).isString().isLength({ max: 8 }),
     body('defaultQrFormat').optional({ values: 'falsy' }).isIn(['swiss', 'epc', 'none']),
@@ -393,6 +402,7 @@ router.put(
       taxId: 'tax_id',
       vatLabel: 'vat_label',
       vatRateDefault: 'vat_rate_default',
+      defaultHourlyRateMinor: 'default_hourly_rate_minor',
       defaultCurrency: 'default_currency',
       defaultLocale: 'default_locale',
       defaultQrFormat: 'default_qr_format',

backend/src/services/businessProfileService.js

@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ const ALLOWED_PROFILE_FIELDS = [
   'tax_id',
   'vat_label',
   'vat_rate_default',
+  // Install-wide fallback hourly rate (migration 113), minor units.
+  // Last link in the hour-entry rate chain after the per-entry
+  // override and the per-customer default.
+  'default_hourly_rate_minor',
   'default_currency',
   'default_locale',
   'default_qr_format',
@@ -161,6 +165,17 @@ function sanitiseProfilePayload(payload) {
       ? Math.max(24, Math.min(200, n))
       : 56;
   }
+  // Install-wide default hourly rate (minor units). Empty / null clears
+  // it back to "no global default"; otherwise coerce to a non-negative
+  // integer so a stray decimal can't land sub-cent values in the column.
+  if (updates.default_hourly_rate_minor !== undefined) {
+    if (updates.default_hourly_rate_minor === null || updates.default_hourly_rate_minor === '') {
+      updates.default_hourly_rate_minor = null;
+    } else {
+      const n = parseInt(updates.default_hourly_rate_minor, 10);
+      updates.default_hourly_rate_minor = Number.isFinite(n) && n >= 0 ? n : null;
+    }
+  }
 
   return updates;
 }

backend/src/services/customerHoursService.js

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 const { db, logActivity } = require('../database/db');
 const { formatBoolean } = require('../utils/dbCompat');
 const { AppError } = require('../utils/errors');
+const { hasColumnCached } = require('../utils/schemaCache');
 const logger = require('../utils/logger');
 const invoiceService = require('./invoiceService');
 
@@ -50,24 +51,52 @@ function computeDurationMinutes(start, end) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Resolve the rate this entry should bill at. Override on the entry
- * wins; otherwise we fall back to the customer's default rate. If
- * neither is set we throw — saves can't go through without a rate.
+ * Resolve the rate this entry should bill at. Resolution chain:
+ *   1. per-entry override
+ *   2. per-customer default rate
+ *   3. install-wide default rate (business_profile, migration 113)
+ * Only when all three are unset do we throw — the hours UI surfaces a
+ * "set a rate" CTA off the back of HOURLY_RATE_REQUIRED rather than a
+ * raw error. `installDefaultMinor` is loaded once per request by the
+ * caller (see getInstallDefaultRateMinor) and passed in so this stays
+ * a pure function.
  */
-function resolveEffectiveRate(entry, customer) {
+function resolveEffectiveRate(entry, customer, installDefaultMinor = null) {
   if (entry.hourly_rate_minor_override != null) {
     return Number(entry.hourly_rate_minor_override);
   }
   if (customer.hourly_rate_minor != null) {
     return Number(customer.hourly_rate_minor);
   }
+  if (installDefaultMinor != null) {
+    return Number(installDefaultMinor);
+  }
   throw new AppError(
-    'No hourly rate: set a per-entry override or a customer default.',
+    'No hourly rate: set a per-entry override, a customer default, or an install-wide default rate.',
     400,
     'HOURLY_RATE_REQUIRED',
   );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Read the install-wide default hourly rate (minor units) off the
+ * singleton business_profile row. Returns null when unset OR when the
+ * column doesn't exist yet (pre-migration-113 install) — callers then
+ * fall through to the HOURLY_RATE_REQUIRED path. Accepts an optional
+ * transaction so it joins the caller's atomic unit.
+ */
+async function getInstallDefaultRateMinor(trx) {
+  const conn = trx || db;
+  if (!(await hasColumnCached('business_profile', 'default_hourly_rate_minor'))) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  const row = await conn('business_profile').where({ id: 1 })
+    .first('default_hourly_rate_minor');
+  return row && row.default_hourly_rate_minor != null
+    ? Number(row.default_hourly_rate_minor)
+    : null;
+}
+
 /**
  * Decide whether an entry is still editable. Pure function — callers
  * pass the loaded entry + (optionally) its current invoice row.
@@ -181,9 +210,14 @@ async function createEntry(customerId, payload, adminId) {
   }
   const description = payload.description ? String(payload.description).slice(0, 1000) : null;
 
+  // Install-wide fallback rate (migration 113) — the last link in the
+  // resolution chain. Loaded once and reused for the pre-validate and
+  // the accumulator append below.
+  const installDefaultMinor = await getInstallDefaultRateMinor();
+
   // Pre-validate the rate resolves to something — fail before insert
-  // if neither override nor customer default is set.
-  resolveEffectiveRate({ hourly_rate_minor_override: override }, customer);
+  // if neither override, customer default, nor install default is set.
+  resolveEffectiveRate({ hourly_rate_minor_override: override }, customer, installDefaultMinor);
 
   return await db.transaction(async (trx) => {
     const row = {
@@ -207,7 +241,7 @@ async function createEntry(customerId, payload, adminId) {
     // unbilled. Manual differs only in that its draft never auto-flushes.
     if (customer.billing_cadence === 'monthly' || customer.billing_cadence === 'manual') {
       const fullEntry = { ...row, id: entryId };
-      const rate = resolveEffectiveRate(fullEntry, customer);
+      const rate = resolveEffectiveRate(fullEntry, customer, installDefaultMinor);
       const lineItem = buildLineItemFromEntry(fullEntry, rate);
       const { invoiceId, lineItemId } = await invoiceService.appendOneLineItemToMonthlyDraft(
         customer, lineItem, adminId, trx,
@@ -288,7 +322,8 @@ async function updateEntry(entryId, payload, adminId) {
     // Recompute the linked line item if the entry is billed (on a
     // draft — the lock check above already proved it's mutable).
     if (entry.invoice_id && entry.invoice_line_item_id) {
-      const rate = resolveEffectiveRate(next, customer);
+      const installDefaultMinor = await getInstallDefaultRateMinor(trx);
+      const rate = resolveEffectiveRate(next, customer, installDefaultMinor);
       const newLineItem = buildLineItemFromEntry(next, rate);
       await trx('invoice_line_items').where({ id: entry.invoice_line_item_id }).update({
         description: newLineItem.description,
@@ -412,8 +447,9 @@ async function billUnbilledEntries(customerId, adminId) {
       throw new AppError('No unbilled entries to bill', 409, 'NO_UNBILLED');
     }
 
+    const installDefaultMinor = await getInstallDefaultRateMinor(trx);
     const lineItems = unbilled.map((entry, idx) => {
-      const rate = resolveEffectiveRate(entry, customer);
+      const rate = resolveEffectiveRate(entry, customer, installDefaultMinor);
       const li = buildLineItemFromEntry(entry, rate);
       return { ...li, position: idx + 1 };
     });
@@ -465,6 +501,7 @@ module.exports = {
   updateEntry,
   deleteEntry,
   billUnbilledEntries,
+  getInstallDefaultRateMinor,
   _internal: {
     computeDurationMinutes,
     resolveEffectiveRate,

frontend/src/components/admin/HoursSection.tsx

@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@
 import React, { useMemo, useState } from 'react';
 import { useMutation, useQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
+import { Link } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { toast } from 'react-toastify';
-import { Clock } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Clock, AlertTriangle } from 'lucide-react';
 import { Button, Card, LocalizedDateInput } from '../common';
 import { DecimalInput } from '../common/DecimalInput';
 import { parseLocaleDecimal, parseDuration } from '../../utils/parsers';
@@ -91,6 +92,22 @@ export const HoursSection: React.FC<HoursSectionProps> = ({
     staleTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
   });
   const profileDefaultCurrency = profileSnapshot?.profile?.defaultCurrency || 'CHF';
+  // Install-wide fallback rate (migration 113). Last link in the rate
+  // chain after the per-entry override and the per-customer default.
+  const installDefaultRateMinor = profileSnapshot?.profile?.defaultHourlyRateMinor ?? null;
+  // The rate that applies to a NEW entry when no per-entry override is
+  // typed: customer rate, else the install default. null = neither set,
+  // so a save would fail unless the admin enters an override.
+  const effectiveDefaultRateMinor = customerHourlyRateMinor ?? installDefaultRateMinor;
+  // True when there's genuinely no rate to bill at — drives the inline
+  // CTA + disables the save button. An override typed in the form lifts
+  // this (handled below where the button is rendered).
+  const noRateConfigured = effectiveDefaultRateMinor == null;
+  const overrideTyped = (() => {
+    if (!rateOverride.trim()) return false;
+    const n = parseLocaleDecimal(rateOverride);
+    return Number.isFinite(n) && n >= 0;
+  })();
 
   const createMutation = useMutation({
     mutationFn: () => customerAdminService.createHourEntry(customerId, {
@@ -114,7 +131,17 @@ export const HoursSection: React.FC<HoursSectionProps> = ({
       toast.success(t('customers.hours.toast.created', 'Entry logged'));
     },
     onError: (err: any) => {
-      const msg = err?.response?.data?.error || err?.message || 'Failed to log entry';
+      // The save-time "no rate" failure is translated here off the
+      // backend error code (the raw message is English-only). The inline
+      // guard below normally prevents this, but a race (rate cleared in
+      // another tab) can still surface it.
+      if (err?.response?.data?.code === 'HOURLY_RATE_REQUIRED') {
+        toast.error(t('customers.hours.error.noRate',
+          'No hourly rate set for this customer. Enter a rate override, set a rate on the customer, or configure an install-wide default in Settings.'));
+        return;
+      }
+      const msg = err?.response?.data?.error || err?.message
+        || t('customers.hours.error.createFailed', 'Failed to log entry');
       toast.error(msg);
     },
   });
@@ -153,11 +180,11 @@ export const HoursSection: React.FC<HoursSectionProps> = ({
     for (const e of entries) {
       if (e.status !== 'unbilled') continue;
       count += 1;
-      const rateMinor = e.hourlyRateMinorOverride ?? customerHourlyRateMinor ?? 0;
+      const rateMinor = e.hourlyRateMinorOverride ?? effectiveDefaultRateMinor ?? 0;
       minor += rateMinor * e.durationMinutes / 60;
     }
     return { unbilledCount: count, unbilledTotalMajor: minor / 100 };
-  }, [entries, customerHourlyRateMinor]);
+  }, [entries, effectiveDefaultRateMinor]);
   const isMonthly = billingCadence === 'monthly';
 
   // Local lockout check — mirrors customerHoursService.isEntryLocked
@@ -184,33 +211,72 @@ export const HoursSection: React.FC<HoursSectionProps> = ({
             'Logged entries stay unbilled until you click "Create draft invoice" — a standalone draft invoice is generated with one line per entry, ready for you to review before sending.')}
       </p>
 
-      {/* Default rate — hidden in compact mode (history-only on the
-          customer detail page; admin edits the rate elsewhere). */}
+      {/* Rate summary — hidden in compact mode (history-only on the
+          customer detail page). When a caller wires onHourlyRateChange
+          the field is editable; otherwise (the standalone hours page)
+          we show the RESOLVED rate read-only so a disabled input can't
+          masquerade as an editable value, and surface a CTA when no rate
+          is configured anywhere along the chain. */}
       {!compact && (
         <div className="mb-4">
           <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-theme mb-1">
             {t('customers.field.hourlyRate', 'Default hourly rate')}
           </label>
-          <DecimalInput
-            value={customerHourlyRateMinor != null ? customerHourlyRateMinor / 100 : NaN}
-            fractionDigits={2}
-            onChange={(n) => {
-              if (!onHourlyRateChange) return;
-              if (!Number.isFinite(n)) {
-                onHourlyRateChange(null);
-                return;
-              }
-              onHourlyRateChange(Math.max(0, Math.round(n * 100)));
-            }}
-            disabled={!onHourlyRateChange}
-            className="w-40 input"
-            placeholder="150.00"
-          />
-          <p className="text-xs text-muted-theme mt-1">
-            {t('customers.field.hourlyRateHint',
-              'Major units (e.g. 150.00 for {{currency}} 150). Leave blank to require a per-entry override on every block.',
-              { currency: profileDefaultCurrency })}
-          </p>
+          {onHourlyRateChange ? (
+            <>
+              <DecimalInput
+                value={customerHourlyRateMinor != null ? customerHourlyRateMinor / 100 : NaN}
+                fractionDigits={2}
+                onChange={(n) => {
+                  if (!Number.isFinite(n)) { onHourlyRateChange(null); return; }
+                  onHourlyRateChange(Math.max(0, Math.round(n * 100)));
+                }}
+                className="w-40 input"
+                placeholder="150.00"
+              />
+              <p className="text-xs text-muted-theme mt-1">
+                {t('customers.field.hourlyRateHint',
+                  'Major units (e.g. 150.00 for {{currency}} 150). Leave blank to require a per-entry override on every block.',
+                  { currency: profileDefaultCurrency })}
+              </p>
+            </>
+          ) : noRateConfigured ? (
+            <div className="rounded-md border border-amber-300 dark:border-amber-700 bg-amber-50 dark:bg-amber-900/20 p-3 text-sm">
+              <div className="flex items-start gap-2 text-amber-800 dark:text-amber-200">
+                <AlertTriangle className="w-4 h-4 mt-0.5 shrink-0" />
+                <div>
+                  <p className="font-medium">
+                    {t('customers.hours.noRate.title', 'No hourly rate configured')}
+                  </p>
+                  <p className="mt-0.5 text-amber-700 dark:text-amber-300">
+                    {t('customers.hours.noRate.body',
+                      'Logging needs a rate. Set one for this customer, type a per-entry override below, or configure an install-wide default.')}
+                  </p>
+                  <div className="mt-2 flex flex-wrap gap-3">
+                    <Link to={`/admin/clients/accounts/${customerId}`}
+                      className="text-accent-dark hover:underline font-medium">
+                      {t('customers.hours.noRate.setForCustomer', 'Set a rate for this customer')}
+                    </Link>
+                    <Link to="/admin/settings?tab=businessProfile" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"
+                      className="text-accent-dark hover:underline font-medium">
+                      {t('customers.hours.noRate.setInstallDefault', 'Set an install-wide default')}
+                    </Link>
+                  </div>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          ) : (
+            <p className="text-sm text-theme">
+              <span className="tabular-nums font-medium">
+                {profileDefaultCurrency} {((effectiveDefaultRateMinor as number) / 100).toFixed(2)}
+              </span>
+              <span className="text-xs text-muted-theme ml-2">
+                {customerHourlyRateMinor != null
+                  ? t('customers.hours.rateSource.customer', 'from this customer')
+                  : t('customers.hours.rateSource.installDefault', 'install-wide default')}
+              </span>
+            </p>
+          )}
         </div>
       )}
 
@@ -270,8 +336,8 @@ export const HoursSection: React.FC<HoursSectionProps> = ({
               inputMode="decimal"
               value={rateOverride}
               onChange={(e) => setRateOverride(e.target.value)}
-              placeholder={customerHourlyRateMinor != null
-                ? (customerHourlyRateMinor / 100).toFixed(2)
+              placeholder={effectiveDefaultRateMinor != null
+                ? (effectiveDefaultRateMinor / 100).toFixed(2)
                 : '—'}
               className="input w-full" />
           </div>
@@ -286,10 +352,15 @@ export const HoursSection: React.FC<HoursSectionProps> = ({
             placeholder={t('customers.hours.form.notePlaceholder',
               'What was worked on?') as string} />
         </div>
-        <div className="mt-3 flex justify-end">
+        <div className="mt-3 flex items-center justify-end gap-3">
+          {noRateConfigured && !overrideTyped && (
+            <span className="text-xs text-amber-700 dark:text-amber-300">
+              {t('customers.hours.form.needRate', 'Set a rate or enter an override to log time.')}
+            </span>
+          )}
           <Button
             variant="primary"
-            disabled={createMutation.isPending}
+            disabled={createMutation.isPending || (noRateConfigured && !overrideTyped)}
             isLoading={createMutation.isPending}
             onClick={() => createMutation.mutate()}
           >
@@ -347,7 +418,7 @@ export const HoursSection: React.FC<HoursSectionProps> = ({
             </thead>
             <tbody>
               {entries.map((e) => {
-                const rate = e.hourlyRateMinorOverride ?? customerHourlyRateMinor ?? 0;
+                const rate = e.hourlyRateMinorOverride ?? effectiveDefaultRateMinor ?? 0;
                 const hours = e.durationMinutes / 60;
                 const total = (hours * rate) / 100;
                 const locked = isLocked(e);

frontend/src/i18n/locales/de.json

@@ -2960,7 +2960,8 @@
         "rateOverride": "Satz-Override",
         "note": "Notiz / Beschreibung",
         "notePlaceholder": "Was wurde gearbeitet?",
-        "save": "Eintrag hinzufügen"
+        "save": "Eintrag hinzufügen",
+        "needRate": "Satz festlegen oder Override eingeben, um Zeit zu erfassen."
       },
       "col": {
         "date": "Datum",
@@ -2985,6 +2986,20 @@
         "created": "Eintrag erfasst",
         "deleted": "Eintrag gelöscht",
         "billed": "Stunden verrechnet"
+      },
+      "noRate": {
+        "title": "Kein Stundensatz hinterlegt",
+        "body": "Für die Erfassung wird ein Satz benötigt. Legen Sie einen für diesen Kunden fest, geben Sie unten einen Override pro Eintrag ein oder konfigurieren Sie einen installationsweiten Standardsatz.",
+        "setForCustomer": "Satz für diesen Kunden festlegen",
+        "setInstallDefault": "Installationsweiten Standard festlegen"
+      },
+      "rateSource": {
+        "customer": "von diesem Kunden",
+        "installDefault": "installationsweiter Standard"
+      },
+      "error": {
+        "noRate": "Für diesen Kunden ist kein Stundensatz hinterlegt. Geben Sie einen Satz-Override ein, hinterlegen Sie einen Satz beim Kunden oder konfigurieren Sie in den Einstellungen einen installationsweiten Standardsatz.",
+        "createFailed": "Eintrag konnte nicht erfasst werden"
       }
     },
     "create": {
@@ -3687,6 +3702,9 @@
       "timezone": "Zeitzone (IANA)",
       "vatLabel": "MwSt-Bezeichnung",
       "vatRateDefault": "Standard-MwSt-Satz %",
+      "defaultHourlyRate": "Standard-Stundensatz",
+      "defaultHourlyRatePlaceholder": "z. B. 120.00",
+      "defaultHourlyRateHint": "Fallback, wenn ein Kunde keinen eigenen Satz hat. In {{currency}}, in ganzen Einheiten. Leer lassen, um einen Satz pro Kunde oder pro Eintrag zu verlangen.",
       "defaultQrFormat": "Standard-QR-Format",
       "footerLine": "Fusszeile"
     },

frontend/src/i18n/locales/en.json

@@ -2960,7 +2960,8 @@
         "rateOverride": "Rate override",
         "note": "Note / description",
         "notePlaceholder": "What was worked on?",
-        "save": "Add entry"
+        "save": "Add entry",
+        "needRate": "Set a rate or enter an override to log time."
       },
       "col": {
         "date": "Date",
@@ -2985,6 +2986,20 @@
         "created": "Entry logged",
         "deleted": "Entry deleted",
         "billed": "Hours billed"
+      },
+      "noRate": {
+        "title": "No hourly rate configured",
+        "body": "Logging needs a rate. Set one for this customer, type a per-entry override below, or configure an install-wide default.",
+        "setForCustomer": "Set a rate for this customer",
+        "setInstallDefault": "Set an install-wide default"
+      },
+      "rateSource": {
+        "customer": "from this customer",
+        "installDefault": "install-wide default"
+      },
+      "error": {
+        "noRate": "No hourly rate set for this customer. Enter a rate override, set a rate on the customer, or configure an install-wide default in Settings.",
+        "createFailed": "Failed to log entry"
       }
     },
     "create": {
@@ -3684,6 +3699,9 @@
       "timezone": "Timezone (IANA)",
       "vatLabel": "VAT label (e.g. MwSt., VAT)",
       "vatRateDefault": "Default VAT rate %",
+      "defaultHourlyRate": "Default hourly rate",
+      "defaultHourlyRatePlaceholder": "e.g. 120.00",
+      "defaultHourlyRateHint": "Fallback used when a customer has no own rate. In {{currency}}, major units. Leave blank to require a per-customer or per-entry rate.",
       "defaultQrFormat": "Default invoice QR",
       "footerLine": "PDF footer line"
     },

frontend/src/pages/admin/settings/SettingsBusinessProfilePage.tsx

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
   type QrFormat,
 } from '../../../services/businessProfile.service';
 import { Button, Card, Loading, Input, CountrySelect } from '../../../components/common';
+import { DecimalInput } from '../../../components/common/DecimalInput';
 import { toast } from 'react-toastify';
 
 export const SettingsBusinessProfilePage: React.FC = () => {
@@ -132,6 +133,30 @@ export const SettingsBusinessProfilePage: React.FC = () => {
           <Input type="number" step="0.01" label={t('businessProfile.field.vatRateDefault', 'Default VAT rate %') as string}
             value={profile.vatRateDefault ?? 0}
             onChange={(e) => setProfile({ ...profile, vatRateDefault: Number(e.target.value) })} />
+          {/* Install-wide fallback hourly rate (migration 113). Stored in
+              minor units; entered here in major units. Blank = no global
+              default, so hours-logging then needs a per-customer or
+              per-entry rate. Comma-tolerant via DecimalInput. */}
+          <div>
+            <label className="block text-sm font-medium mb-1">
+              {t('businessProfile.field.defaultHourlyRate', 'Default hourly rate')}
+            </label>
+            <DecimalInput
+              value={profile.defaultHourlyRateMinor != null ? profile.defaultHourlyRateMinor / 100 : NaN}
+              fractionDigits={2}
+              onChange={(n) => setProfile({
+                ...profile,
+                defaultHourlyRateMinor: Number.isFinite(n) ? Math.max(0, Math.round(n * 100)) : null,
+              })}
+              className="w-full px-3 py-2 rounded-md border border-neutral-300 dark:border-neutral-600 bg-white dark:bg-neutral-800 text-sm"
+              placeholder={t('businessProfile.field.defaultHourlyRatePlaceholder', 'e.g. 120.00') as string}
+            />
+            <p className="text-xs text-muted-theme mt-1">
+              {t('businessProfile.field.defaultHourlyRateHint',
+                'Fallback used when a customer has no own rate. In {{currency}}, major units. Leave blank to require a per-customer or per-entry rate.',
+                { currency: profile.defaultCurrency || 'CHF' })}
+            </p>
+          </div>
           <div>
             <label className="block text-sm font-medium mb-1">{t('businessProfile.field.defaultQrFormat', 'Default invoice QR')}</label>
             <select value={profile.defaultQrFormat} onChange={(e) => setProfile({ ...profile, defaultQrFormat: e.target.value as QrFormat })}

frontend/src/services/businessProfile.service.ts

@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ export interface BusinessProfile {
   taxId: string;
   vatLabel: string;
   vatRateDefault: number | null;
+  /** Install-wide fallback hourly rate in MINOR units (migration 113).
+   *  Last link in the hour-entry rate chain after the per-entry
+   *  override and the per-customer default. null = no global default;
+   *  the hours page then requires a per-customer or per-entry rate. */
+  defaultHourlyRateMinor: number | null;
   defaultCurrency: string;
   defaultLocale: string;
   defaultQrFormat: QrFormat;