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On this page
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Overview
Products are core to business transactions within the system. They can be physical goods or services ; services represent any intangible commodity which is provided to customers, such as telephony, TV channels, installations, start up fees, while physical goods represent any tangible commoditythat a company offers the market. Physical goods are tangible items, such as modems, decoders, antennas or magazines. Services are intangible commodities such as telephony, TV channels, installations and startup fees. Products can be sold or rented to customers through various business transactions such as subscriptions, jobs or activities and can also be awarded to reward participants.
Setting Up Products
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Configuration Configuration > Finance Applications > Products |
Product FamiliesProduct families Categories are used to group products derived from a common product platform, using similar or identical production processes and having similar physical or behavioural characteristics, for example, decoders or modems.
Product Brands
Product Brands are used to define trademarks or distinctive names that serve to provide a business classification to products and can be used for analysis purposes.
Product Brands are used to identify a specific product or product line by using a product line, for example distinctive name, such as Samsung or Apple.
Product CategoriesProduct Categories are used to provide a business classification to products which can be used at a later stage by business for analysisFamilies group products with similar physical or functional characteristics, such as decoders or modems.
Product types
Product types define and implement the behaviour of your products. Through the Types are used to determine the operational characteristics of products. Through its type, a product can be specified :
- classified as a good or service
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- classified as a bundle product which includes component products
- designated for use in provisioning.
This table describes product type characteristics and the qualities products inherit from their type, depending on selected characteristics.
Mandatory Configurable
Classifications Determines whether products of that type are Physical Goods or Services. | |||||||||
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Classification | |||||||||
Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions | ||||||
Physical Good | A physical good is a tangible commodity which tangible item that is provided to customersthe customer, such as cameras, decoders and magazines. In most cases, the customer has exclusive ownership of the purchased good. Physical Goods a camera, decoder or magazine (generally with exclusive ownership); can be traceable or not non-traceable. | Modem or Remote Controlremote control | Unconditional | ||||||
Service | A Service is an An intangible commodity which that is provided to customerscustomer, such as telephony, a TV channelschannel, repairs, installations and deliveries. In most cases the customer does not have exclusive ownership of the purchased Service rather benefits from the Service's outcome. Services repair, installation or delivery (generally without exclusive ownership); can be one-off or recurring. | TV Channelchannel, VOD, Installation Service (Fee)video on demand, installation service fee | Unconditional | ||||||
Physical Good Type | |||||||||
Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions | ||||||
Traceable | Physical goods that can Can be traced through a unique identifier which is(usually a serial number). | Modem with a serial number | Only available if classification is defined as Available for the 'Physical Good' classification. | ||||||
Non-Traceable | Physical goods which are not Cannot be traced to a single instance and are measured based on their quantity. | Remote ControlOnly available if classification is defined as control | Available for the 'Physical Good' classification. | ||||||
Service Type | |||||||||
Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions | ||||||
Usage | Services that are provided Provided upon customer request and are billed, based on their usage. |
| Available for the 'Service' classification. | ||||||
Termed | Services that are provided Provided continuously and billed on for a recurring basisperiod, regardless of their usage. | A TV Channel that will be channel added to a subscription and will be billed on a recurring basis. | Only available if classification is defined as Available for the 'Service' classification. | ||||||
One TimeServices that are provided just once, usually upon customer request, and are billed just once by the Billing Engine based on their -time | Provided and billed once, based on duration. | An installation service which will be added to an activity and will be billed according to how long it took the installed to complete. | Only available if classification is defined as Available for the 'Service' classification. | ||||||
Expense | Services that are provided Provided and billed justonce and, for a fixed amount of money. | An installation fee which can be added to a job or a subscription and will be billed once for a fixed amount. | Only available if classification is defined as 'service'Available for the 'Service' classification. | ||||||
Composition Method Determines the composition of the Product, which can be a flat, a flexible bundle product or a fixed bundle product. | Values | Definition | |||||||
Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions | ||||||
Flat | Single Service or Physical Good. | SingleA product that consists of a single service or physical good. | A channel, installation service , or modem. | Unconditional | |||||
Flexible Bundle | A bundle of Products with one or more Product componentsproduct made up of a variable selection of constituent component products. | A channel bouquet that allows customers to select the which channels they want to add to their bouquet. | Only available if classification is defined as 'service' and type is set to 'termed'Available for the 'Service' classification and the 'Termed' type. | ||||||
Fixed Bundle | A bundle of Product components whichproduct made up of a selection of constituent component products that are predefined and cannot be specified individually. |
| Available if classification is defined as 'service' and type is 'termed' or classification is 'physical good.'for the 'Service' classification and the 'Termed' type, or for the 'Physical Good' classification. | ||||||
Can be Provisioned (by third-party providers integrated with the CRM.COM Software.) | |||||||||
Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions | ||||||
Enabled | Products of that this type are used for provisioning purposes by third-party providers who are integrated with the CRM.COM Software. | A TV channel, VOD , or PPV , Decoder, Modemmovie, decoder or modem. | Unconditional | ||||||
Disabled | Products of this type are not used for provisioningAntenna, Start up fee. | An antenna or startup fee. | Unconditional | ||||||
Usage Detail Record (UDR) Type | |||||||||
Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions | ||||||
All the available values of UDR types | Determines the type of the UDR that will be created once when a usage service of this type Type is provided. | A VOD movie, Petrol, Phonecall | Available if classification is defined as 'service' and type is 'usage' | petrol, a telephone call. | Available for the 'Service' classification and the 'Usage' type. |
Related configuration areas
The following modules are related to Products and to products and may be configured for the Products module the products module to operate at its full capacity. If If already setup in the system, they Once configured, the modules can be selected from the product screen Manage Products screen.
Module | NameLink | ManualArea | Description | |
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Tax Rates | Platform | Tax rates provide all the applicable | Provide product specific tax and VAT rates for the product.. | |
Price Plans | Price PlansPrice plans are the price catalogs that provide the rates by which is product will be sold applicable plans | The price catalogs for products, including their rates (apply to all types of services except from usage services). | ||
Usage Service CatalogsUsage Service Catalogues | Usage service catalogs provide a list of usage services available to customers along with their rates.Subscription Types | Catalogs for products that are offered upon customer request and charged based on their consumption. Usage Service Catalogs contain information on pricing and service validity and options for integrating with third-party provisioning systems. | ||
Subscriptions | Subscription offerings available to be added to a subscription | |||
Billing Term Schemes | Subscriptions | Defines the billing rules by which the product will be billed. | ||
Activity Typestypes | The available subscription packages, consisting of products, prices, billing rules and provisioning providers combined into a single offering. | |||
Subscriptions | Billing term schemes | Define billing rules for products. | ||
Activities | Activity types provide the overall behaviour rules | Determine the operational characteristics of an activity. Products added to the activity type are oneOne-time services, such as Installation service which will be added to activities of the type | Job Types | e.g., installations, are added to the activity type. |
Jobs | Job types provide the overall behaviour rules | Determine the operational characteristics of a job. Products added to the job type are expenses such asExpenses, e.g., an installation service or physical goods eithergood (traceable or notnon-traceable, such as a rokuRoku box or an antenna |
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, respectively) are added to the job type. |
Using Products
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Finance > Product & Pricing > Products > Manage Products |
Product fields
This table contains an explanation of The table describes the sections of the Products Data the Products Data Entry page , a description of the usage of its fields and additional informationand explains how the fields in the page are used.
Mandatory C Configurable values.
Main Information | Available for products of classification For Classifications and Types | ||||||
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Code: A unique code combination of alpahanumeric characters used to identify the product across the system Type: The type Determines the operational characteristics of the product will determine its overall behaviour. Once . When a product type is selected, the characteristics tab is populated with information related to the characteristics that will be inherited by the selected Product Type. Click on ' Create New Product Type' to create a new one directly through the product's screeninherits the characteristics of the type. Brand & Family: Add Add brand and family to products to categorise categorize them accordingly. Alternative Code: Provide an alternative another code with which can be used as an alternative to identifying to identify the product across the system. Description: Use the description field to provide a marketing description for your product which can differ from the codeDescribe the product formarketing purposes. | All | ||||||
Product Performance | By clicking CALCULATE , view valuable financial information related to the sales of the product Click CALCULATE for information on sales in the last 12 months
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Type Characteristics | The characteristics of the product based on the Read-only section with product characteristics inherited from the selected type. | All | |||||
Categories | The categories that the product is part of based Based on specific shared attributes. | All | |||||
Product Validity | Defines the The period for which the product is available to be used for new business transactions and which can be always, for a user defined period or from a date onwardafter which it expires. Can be 'Always' or for a specific period (by setting the Valid From and To dates). | All | |||||
Components Available only if the selected Type has a composition set to for Flexible or Fixed Bundle Types. | |||||||
Bundle Components | For Flexible Bundle product type: Define Select products or , product types and/ or families from which products can be selected to be added to the bundle by the user on adding the bundle to a subscription. Refer to Setting up Flexible Product Bundles . For Fixed Bundle product type: Define products that are added when the bundle is added to either a subscription or job. Refer to Allowed Components for Fixed Product Bundles.Quantity: Provide the quantity of the the products included in the bundles added to subscriptions or jobs. Provide the Quantity of the product added to the fixed bundle. (Available Refer to Allowed Components for Fixed Product Bundles only.) |
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Bundle Restrictions | Only available(for | products ofFlexible | Bundle typeDefine restrictions onBundles) | Used to filter bundle components when creating a subscription. Restrict the number of different product families or and types of the used as components of the product source; Use Products from only Only X Product Families: Specify the number of families that can be used. For example, if this E.g., if the quantity is set to 1, then all the products that can be selected as components must the components must belong to the same product family. Use Products from only Only X Product Types:Specify the number of types that can be used. For example, if this E.g., if the quantity is set to 1, then all the products that 2, components can be selected as components must belong to the same product typefrom up to two product types. |
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Pricing and Billing | |||||||
Tax Rates | The tax and VAT rates applicable for the product which will be used during billing, to decide which one to apply based on pre-configured rules location rules.
Refer to Platform for more information. | All | |||||
Billing Term Schemes | Billing terms are directly related to subscriptions and provide information on how a product added to a subscription the billing of subscription products, such as whether a service should be billed , for example, before or after its usageit is used. Through this section, you can see the view billing term schemes that already include in which the specific product and add the product to the ones that don't include it. For termed services added to a normal billing term scheme then you can , define whether it the service is pre-bill or post bill (billed before or after its usage) as well as it is used) and whether it should be excluded from deactivation runs . (for example, free to (as in the case of free-to-air channels).If the product is a termed service and For termed services added to a prepaid billing term scheme then you can , define whether it the service is pre-paid or post-paid (paid before or after its usage) and if it is used). For pre-paid, designate the period for which that the customer must has to pay in advance. Refer to Subscriptions for more information. |
| Subscription TypesSubscription types define your subscription offerings, thus once products are created they must be added to the subscription type. Through this section you can see the types that the product already belongs to and add to the ones that it doesn't. If you add to a subscription type, that includes billing term schemes that do not have the product, then those billing term schemes will be automatically added. | Termed services, expenses and physical goods | Price PlansThrough price plans you provide the rates with which the product is billed. Through this section you can see all the price plans the product is included and add it to ones that is not included along with information required by the price plan such as the rate model the rate and whether the defined rate should be applied to product of it is a component of a product bundle. Refer to Price Plans for more information | All product classification except usage services | Usage Service CatalogsUsage service catalogs include information and rates for usage service products. Through this section you can see all the usage service catalogs the usage service is included
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Price Plans | Price plans are catalogs with billing rates for services and product. Through this section, you can view price plans in which the product is included or add products to plans. Price plans also include the rate model, base and tiered amount for the product, as well as whether the rate is applied to bundle components. Refer to Price Plans for more information. | All except usage services | |||||
Subscription Types | These are the available subscription packages. When a product is created it must be added to a subscription type if it should be offered through it. Through this section, you can view the subscription types that the product is available from and make the product available to a subscription type. If a product is added to a subscription type associated with a billing term scheme in which the product is not included, then the product will be added to the scheme. The billing term scheme will be added in the respective tab (and the information can be updated). |
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Usage Service Catalogs (USCs) | USCs contain rates for products that are charged based on their consumption. Through this section, you can view the USCs that include the product. | Usage services | |||||
Discounts | The additive Additive discounts are used to apply discounts to products after any discounts applied applied after discounts provided through price plans or usage service catalogs. Through this section you can see the From the section:
Refer to Additive Discounts for more information. | All | |||||
Providers | Providers are third party systems Third-party systems with which CRM integrates with and are needed in case that a product must be provisioned through them, i.e. a roku box or a tv channel. Through this section you can see the providers the product already is provisioned for and add it to ones that it is not yet provisioned along with a unique id used by the provider to identify the product. From the section:
Refer to
Refer to Provisioning for more information. |
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Job Types | The job types provide the overall behaviour of jobs. Products added to the job type can be sold or given through jobs of that type. Through this section you can see the jobs that include the product and add it to the ones that is not and define Determine the operational characteristics of a job. Products are added to job types to be available for sale. From this section:
Refer to Jobs for more information Expenses and physical. |
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Activity Types | Activity types provide the overall behaviour of activities. One time services Determine the operational characteristics of an activity. One-time services, e.g., an installation, become available by being added to the activity type can be used by activities of that type. Through this section you can see all . From this section:
Refer to Activities for more information. | One off-time services | |||||
Stock Balance | |||||||
View the stock balance of the product across all the warehouses along with analytic view of stock per warehousewarehouses (and analytically for each warehouse). If the product is also a part of a product bundle component, then the number of bundles it belongs to are also availableis a component of is displayed. | Physical goods | ||||||
Images & Attachments | |||||||
Product Image: You can add Supply up to 4 four images for the product and define one as a default along with a product alt text available the default. Also provide alternate text in case the image is not showncannot be displayed. Files & URL: The attachments associated with the Product. | All |
Creating and processing products
Selecting and creating a product
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Navigate to products and specify Specify the criteria that match the product you are interested in , or click on use NEW > Product classification from the Actions Menu menu to create a new product. Proceed by providing Provide the mandatory information as defined in the attributes table above before you SUBMIT the requestproducts fields table before you SAVE the product.
Modifying a product
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Use EDIT from the Actions Menu menu to enter edit mode and either update product attributes . Update product fields or add and remove the product to, or remove it from, other CRM.COM entities.
Copying an existing product
The configuration of an existing Product product can be reused copied and assigned to a new Product, product in order to save time through the NEW > COPY action. When copying a Product the . The following attributes are carried overassigned to the copied product:
- Type
- Brand
- Family
- Description
- Product Validity
- Categories
Follow the steps below to create a new Product product by copying information from an existing one.
- From the Actions Menu click Click on NEW > COPY
The information is carried over.Proceed with providing the rest of the values as requiredCOPY from the Actions menu - Provide the remaining required values.
Applying business flows on products
Offering product bundles
Product bundles provide the user with the option to offer multiple products packaged in a single product. Customers benefit from the additional flexibility, offered through flexible product bundles, of customising their package by adding wanted services.
Bundles vary from very restricted to very flexible, depending on the variety of Products that can be added by customers.Four make it possible to offer a combination of component products for sale as one package. Flexible bundles allow the customers to customize the contents of the package by selecting components.
Four types of product bundles can be created:
- Flexible Termed Services Bundle: A product where the The user defines a pool selection of available services (e.g., channels) that the customers will can choose from to add to their subscription.
- Fixed Termed Services Bundle: A product where all of the The available components (e.g. the available , channels) are pre-definedpredefined. This This is particularly helpful convenient for provisioning, where as a single request would be is sent to the provider.
- Fixed Traceable Physical Goods Bundle: A product of type physical good with a traceable serial number where all of its components are predefinedand predefined components. For example, an installation kit can be created including that includes a modem and a decoder , that will be provided to the customers as a set. The The agent would only have to be aware and use the serial number of the bundle, instead of the two different serial numbers of the bundle and refers to the bundle by its unique serial number and not the serial numbers of its components.
- Fixed Non-Traceable Physical Goods Bundle: A product of type A physical good for which serial number is not kept and where all of its components are predefined. For with predefined components and no serial number. For example, an installation kit that includes a satellite dish and a remote control.
Allowed components for product bundles
When setting up The constituent components of product bundles created in the system there are a few more steps to define their constituent components must be defined along with possible restrictions that may be imposed. Depending on the type of the product, i.e. service or physical good, the . The components that can be added to depend on the type of bundle will differ. See the corresponding table below:
Bundle Product Type | Allowed Products to be added |
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Termed Service |
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Traceable Physical Good |
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Non-Traceable Physical Good |
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When setting up fixed product bundles keep in mind that the agent or customer that will choose the product to add to their subscription, will have no choice over the products or number of products that will be added along with the selected product. Define a fixed product bundle by providing the exact products to be included in the product along with the quantityTo create a fixed product bundle the constituent components and their quantity must be defined. Agents and customers adding the bundle to a subscription cannot affect its components.
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Flexible product bundles allow the agent/customer agents and customers to select the constituent products of the product selected to subscribe for or buy. However, restrictions may be applicable which are defined at the time of creating the product bundle.
Through the Components tab of the product you can define products, product types and product families that constituent products can be selected from at the time that the bundle is added on the subscription. For each of the 3 constituent components, subject to possible restrictions established when creating the bundle. The products, product types and product families available when adding a bundle to a subscription can be defined through the product's Components tab. A minimum and maximum quantity that can be added from each of the three categories (products, families and types) you can define a minimum and maximum quantity to be added from eachbe defined.
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It is important that Make sure the rules you set up do not cancel contradict each other out. See , as in the example configuration below:
If both products are selected and added to the subscription, all added records will be validated:The above configuration creates a conflict as, while the system validates the products were added (due to the minimum quantity set to 1), they cannot be added as the max quantity are validated and a conflict is created. While the minimum quantity (1) of the specific product type and family is set to 1.It is recommended to validated, the products cannot be added, as the maximum quantity is also '1'. Alternatively, select a single option when making component configurations, or exercise care that the rules are not conflicting. |
Products Business Examples
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Scenario 1. Company ZX has introduced a new series of products through its new current Streaming TV campaign. Subscribers require will need to have get a streaming device which is offered by Company ZX, for streaming content. Subscribers that wish to switch to streaming ZX streaming device for content and will be charged with a switch and installation fee and if they require installation an extra charge is imposed .(if required).
Solution Assuming that you already have set up in the system your subscription typeProvided that the subscription type, provisioning provider, billing term schemes, price plans , disoucnts, provisioning provider you can proceed with directly creating your new products.and discounts are already set up, create the new products: Products
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Glossary
CRM.COM Term | Definition | |
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Job | Small A small project initiated by the operator for customers, involving the delivery and billing of services, products and products, as well as activities. Customer requests and orders, such as that for a new subscription, can be initiated and registered through a job. | |
Subscription | A collection of customer services which is provided to customers and billed on a recurring, usage or Oneone-Time time basis. | |
Activity | Small A small task or action that is either stand-alone or must be completed as part of a larger project. | |
Communication | Used to log bidirectionalCommunications | Log interaction between customers and agents conducted through . Communications can support multiple communication media such as email, SMS, telephony, letters or face to face interactionpost and others. |
Provisioning Distributor | Distributors are used An abstract layer used in CRM.COM to relate subscription services (e.g., broadband service) and subscription associated devices to a specific Provisioning Provider as well as (e.g., modems) to a provisioning provider and to define what services will be available from each device , (if more than one device is available on a single subscription). CRM.COM offers integration with several providers. |
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