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Learn to work with Products |
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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 commodity, such as modems, decoders, antennas or magazines. Products can be sold or rented to customers through various business transactions such as subscriptions jobs or activities.
Setting Up Products
| Info | ||
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| Configuration > Finance Applications > Products |
Product Families
Product families 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 identify a specific product or a product line, for example Samsung or Apple.
Product Categories
Product Categories are used to provide a business classification to products which can be used at a later stage by business for analysis.
Product types
Product Types define and implement the behaviour of your products. Through the type, a product can be specified as a service or a physical good, whether it will be used for provisioning and whether it can have components of its own. Refer to the table below for a comprehensive description of product type characteristics and the qualities products inherit from their type, depending on selected characteristics.
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Classifications
Determines whether products of that type are Physical Goods or Services.
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Only available if classification is defined as 'service'.
Composition Method
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Learn to work with Products |
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On this page
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Overview
Products are the physical goods or services that 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 business transactions such as subscriptions, jobs or activities and can also be awarded to reward participants.
Products features
- Products can be created and used across CRM.COM processes (such as billing, rewards, and taking orders)
- Products can have a flat structure or multiple components (product bundles)
- In contrast to fixed product bundles, flexible bundle products allow customers to create a customized package by selecting from a pool of products
- Products from third-party systems can be easily and quickly imported (created and updated) in CRM.COM
- The performance of each product can be monitored from its total earned revenue.
Setting Up Products
| Info | ||
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| Configuration > Finance Applications > Products |
Product Categories are used 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 distinctive name, such as Samsung or Apple.
Product Families group products with similar physical or functional characteristics, such as decoders or modems.
Meter reading types
Meters are used to measure the consumption of a device (such as its electricity or bandwidth consumption). Types are used to define various kinds of meter readings, as well as the conversion rates that are used during billing.
Configure meter reading types and add them to physical good product types.
The table describes meter reading type characteristics and the qualities meter readings inherit from their type.
Mandatory Configurable
| Main Information |
|---|
Name of the meter reading type Classification:
Unit of Measurement used for measuring the reading. E.g., liters or gallons. |
| Policies |
Define policies to automatically add a usage service on a subscription by converting the meter reading of an installed item. Provide a Usage Service for each policy and which Usage Service Catalog the service will be selected from, and the Termed Service of the subscription. Provide a Conversion Rate used to convert the UoM of the meter reading to the UDR UO, (the entity used to charge the usage service). Optionally, define a set of Conditions for each policy. If multiple policies apply then the one with the smallest conversion rate will be used. |
Product types
Types are used to determine the operational characteristics of products. Through its type, a product can be:
- Classified as a good or service
- Classified as a bundle product that includes component products
- Designated for use in provisioning.
This table describes product type characteristics and the qualities products inherit from their type.
Mandatory Configurable
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Modifying a product
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Copying an existing product
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- Type
- Brand
- Family
- Description
- Product Validity
- Categories
Follow the steps below to create a new Product by copying information from an existing one.
- From the Actions Menu click on NEW > COPY
The information is carried over. - Proceed with providing the rest of the values as required.
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Classification | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions |
| Physical Good | A tangible item that is provided to the customer, such as a camera, decoder or magazine (generally with exclusive ownership); can be traceable or non-traceable. | Modem or remote control | Unconditional |
| Service | An intangible commodity that is provided to the customer, such as telephony, a TV channel, repair, installation or delivery (generally without exclusive ownership); can be one-off or recurring. | TV channel, video on demand, installation service fee | Unconditional |
| Physical Good Type | |||
| Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions |
| Traceable | Can be traced through a unique identifier (usually a serial number). | Modem with a serial number | Available for the 'Physical Good' classification. |
| Non-Traceable | Cannot be traced to a single instance and are measured based on quantity. | Remote control | Available for the 'Physical Good' classification. |
| Service Type | |||
| Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions |
| Flat | Single Service or Physical Good. | Single channel, installation service, modem. | Unconditional |
| Flexible Bundle | A bundle of Products with one or more Product components. | A channel bouquet that allows customers to select the channels they want to add to their bouquet. | Only available if classification is defined as 'service' and type is set to 'termed'. |
| Fixed Bundle | A bundle of Product components which are predefined and cannot be specified individually. | A channel bouquet with predefined channels. An installation hardware kid that includes all equipment required to set up a new triple play subscription. i.e. a Roku box and a Modem. | Available if classification is defined as 'service' and type is 'termed' or classification is 'physical good.' |
| Can be Provisioned | |||
| Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions |
| Enabled | Products of that type are used for provisioning purposes by third-party providers who are integrated with the CRM.COM Software. | TV channel, VOD, PPV, Decoder, Modem | Unconditional |
| Disabled | Products of this type are not used for provisioning | Antenna, Start up fee | Unconditional |
| Usage | Provided upon customer request and are billed, based on their usage. |
| Available for the 'Service' classification. |
| Termed | Provided continuously and billed for a recurring period, regardless of usage. | A TV channel added to a subscription and billed on a recurring basis. | Available for the 'Service' classification. |
| One-time | Provided and billed once, based on duration. | An installation service added to an activity and billed according to how long it took to complete. | Available for the 'Service' classification. |
| Expense | Provided and billed once, for a fixed amount. | An installation fee added to a job or subscription and billed once for a fixed amount. | Available for the 'Service' classification. |
Composition Method | |||
| Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions |
| All the available values of UDR types | Determines the type of the UDR that will be created once a usage service of this type is provided. | VOD, PETROL, PHONECALL | Available if classification is defined as 'service' and type is 'usage' |
Related configuration areas
The following modules are related to Products and may be configured for the Products module to operate at its full capacity. If If already setup in the system, they can be selected from the product screen
| Module Name | Manual | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tax Rates | Tax rates provide all the applicable tax and VAT rates for the product. | |
| Price Plans | Price plans are the price catalogs that provide the rates by which is product will be sold applicable to all types of services except from usage services. | |
| Usage Service Catalogs | Usage service catalogs provide a list of usage services available to customers along with their rates. | |
| Subscription Types | Subscription offerings available to be added to a subscription | |
| Billing Term Schemes | Defines the billing rules by which the product will be billed. | |
| Activity Types | Activity types provide the overall behaviour rules of an activity. Products added to the activity type are one-time services, such as Installation service which will be added to activities of the type | |
| Job Types | Job types provide the overall behaviour rules of a job. Products added to the job type are expenses such as installation service or physical goods either traceable or not traceable such as a roku box or an antenna |
Using Products
| Info |
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Finance > Product & Pricing > Products > Manage Products |
Product fields
This table contains an explanation of the sections of the Products Data Entry page, a description of the usage of its fields and additional information.
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Code: A unique code used to identify the product across the system
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Alternative Code: Provide an alternative code which can be used as an alternative to identifying the product across the system.
Description: Use the description field to provide a marketing description for your product which can differ from the code.
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By clicking CALCULATE , view valuable financial information related to the sales of the product in the last 12 months
- Performance Calculation Period: The period that the performance is calculated for
- Total Revenue of this Product: The total revenue of the service calculated as the total amount billed excluding taxed amounts (VAT and other Taxes)
- Number of subscriptions the service is active: The total number of all the subscriptions that include this service as active and that was firstly activated within the performance period (Only available for termed services)
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Defines 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 onward.
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Components
Available only if the selected Type has a composition set to Flexible or Fixed Bundle.
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For Flexible Bundle product type:
Define 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.
Minimum Quantity: Provide the minimum number of products that can be added for the specific product, type or family, on the flexible bundle. The value of 0 is accepted and mandatory; Null is not allowed.
Maximum Quantity : Provide the maximum number of products that can be added for the specific product, type or family, on the flexible bundle.
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 product added to the fixed bundle. (Available for Fixed Bundles only.)
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Only available for products of Flexible Bundle type
Define restrictions on the number of different families or types of the components of the product source;
This is used optionally for filtering when defining the actual components of a Product on creating a subscription. By leaving the tab empty, the user will be allowed to add from multiple types and families available in the Bundle Components tab.
Use Products from only X Product Families: Specify the number of families that can be used. For example, if this is set to 1, then all the products that can be selected as components must belong to the same product family.
Use Products from only X Product Types: Specify the number of types that can be used. For example, if this is set to 1, then all the products that can be selected as components must belong to the same product type.
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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.
VAT and tax rates are automatically set on the product based on existing configuration of VAT and tax rates based on product types, however you have the option to add more by clicking on 'ADD' to add more rates applicable to the product.
Every Tax Code added may have multiple tax and VAT rates.
Only the one defined as Applied will be considered during the billing of the product
Refer to Platform for more information
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Billing terms are directly related to subscriptions and provide information on how a product added to a subscription should be billed, for example, before or after its usage. Through this section you can see the billing term schemes that already include the specific product and add the product to the ones that don't include it.
If the product is a termed service and added to a normal billing term scheme then you can define whether it is pre-bill or post bill (billed before or after its usage) as well as whether it should be excluded from deactivation runs. (for example, free to air channels)
If the product is a termed service and added to a prepaid billing term scheme then you can define whether it is pre-paid or post-paid (paid before or after its usage) and if pre-paid the period for which the customer must pay in advance.
Refer to Subscriptions for more information.
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Subscription 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.
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Through 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
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Usage 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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The additive discounts are used to apply discounts to products after any discounts applied through price plans or usage service catalogs. Through this section you can see the additive discounts applicable to the product (i.e. the discounts that have the products in its Discounted Products section) for the current period, add to new discounts that it doesn't already belong to or create new discounts through which the product will be discounted.
Refer to Additive Discounts for more information
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Providers are third party systems 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.
For each provider, (available on the left column) you must select at least one distributor through which the product is distributed by, by checking the Applied box.
Refer to Provisioningfor more information
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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 whether it is mandatory to add the product to jobs of the type or not by selecting the applicable classification.
Refer to Jobs for more information
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Activity types provide the overall behaviour of activities. One time services added to the activity type can be used by activities of that type. Through this section you can see all activity types that already include the product and add it to the ones that don't along with the minimum time
allowed to be spent for delivering the service whether the time can be changed or is fixed and well as whether it is optional or mandatory to add this service to activities of this type.
Refer to Activities for more information
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Product Image: You can add up to 4 images for the product and define one as a default along with a product alt text available in case the image is not shown.
Files & URL: The attachments associated with the Product.
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Creating and processing products
Selecting and creating a product
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| Flat | A product that consists of a single service or physical good. | A channel, installation service or modem. | Unconditional |
| Flexible Bundle | A product made up of a variable selection of constituent component products. | A channel bouquet that allows customers to select which channels they want to add. | Available for the 'Service' classification and the 'Termed' type or for 'Physical Good' classification and 'Non-Traceable' type. |
| Fixed Bundle | A product made up of a selection of constituent component products that are predefined and cannot be specified individually. |
| Available 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 this type are used for provisioning. | A TV channel, VOD or PPV movie, decoder or modem. | Unconditional |
| Disabled | Products of this type are not used for provisioning. | An antenna or startup fee. | Unconditional |
| Usage Detail Record (UDR) Type | |||
| Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions |
| All available UDR types | Determines the type of UDR that will be created when a usage service of this type is provided. | A VOD movie, petrol, a telephone call. | Available for the 'Service' classification and the 'Usage' type. |
| Meter Reading Type | |||
| Values | Definition | Examples | Usage Conditions |
| All available meter reading types | Determines the types of meter reading that will be created when an installed item of this type is created. | An electric measurement instrument. | Available for the flat or fixed traceable 'Physical Good' classification. |
Related configuration areas
The following modules are related to products and may be configured for the products module to operate at its full capacity. Once configured, the modules can be selected from the Manage Products screen.
| Module Link | Area | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Usage Detail Records | Unit of Measurement | Define the UoMs that will be used when setting up a meter reading type. |
| Platform | Tax rates | Provide product-specific tax and VAT rates. |
| Price Plans | Price plans | The price catalogs for products, including their rates (apply to all types except usage services). |
| Usage Service Catalogs | Usage service catalogs | 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 types | 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 | Determine the operational characteristics of an activity. One-time services, e.g., installations, are added to the activity type. |
| Jobs | Job types | Determine the operational characteristics of a job. Expenses, e.g., an installation service or physical good (traceable or non-traceable, such as a Roku box or an antenna, respectively) are added to the job type. |
Using Products
| Info |
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Finance > Product & Pricing > Products > Manage Products |
Product fields
The table describes the sections of the Products Data Entry page and explains how the fields on the page are used.
Mandatory Configurable values.
| Main Information | For Classifications and Types | |
|---|---|---|
Code: A unique combination of alphanumeric characters used to identify the product across the system Type: Determines the operational characteristics of the product. When a product type is selected, the characteristics tab inherits the characteristics of the type. Brand & Family: Add brand and family to products to categorize them accordingly. To create a new brand or family, click on the 'New' button next to each attribute. Alternative Code: Provide another code with which to identify the product. Description ofthe product formarketing purposes. Long Description (Optional) Priority Level: A free text field for integer values. The information is used by CRM.COM or third-party systems, such as a portal, to present or handle higher priority products during sales or customer care processes. | All | |
| Product Performance | Click CALCULATE for information on sales in the last 12 months
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| Type Characteristics | A read-only section with product characteristics inherited from the selected type. | All |
| Categories | Based on specific shared attributes. | All |
| Product Validity | The period for which the product is available after which it expires. Can be 'Always' or for a specific period (by setting the Valid From and To dates). | All |
Components Available for Flexible or Fixed Bundle Types. | ||
| Bundle Components | Flexible Bundle product type: Select products, product types or families to make them available to bundles added to subscriptions. Provide the Minimum and Maximum Quantity that can be added from each product type or family. Refer to Setting up Flexible Product Bundles. Fixed Bundle product type: Define the products included in the bundles added to subscriptions or jobs. Provide the Quantity of the product added to the bundle. |
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| Bundle Restrictions (for Flexible Bundles) | Used to filter bundle components when creating a subscription. Restrict the number of product families and types used as components in the bundle. There are no restrictions if it is left empty. Use Products from Only X Product Families: E.g., if the quantity is set to 1, the components must belong to the same product family. Use Products from Only X Product Types: E.g., if the quantity is set to 2, components can be selected from up to two product types. |
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| Pricing and Billing | ||
| Tax Rates | Used for billing purposes and based on pre-configured rules.
Refer to Platform for more information. | All |
| Billing Term Schemes | Billing terms provide information on the billing of subscription products, such as whether a service should be billed before or after it is used. Through this section, you can view billing term schemes in which the product is included or add products to schemes. For termed services added to a normal billing term scheme, define whether the service is pre-bill or post bill (billed before or after it is used) and whether it should be excluded from deactivation runs (as in the case of free-to-air channels). For termed services added to a prepaid billing term scheme, define whether the service is pre-paid or post-paid (paid before or after it is used). For pre-paid, designate the period that the customer has to pay in advance. Refer to Subscriptions for more information. |
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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 | Additive discounts are applied after discounts provided through price plans or usage service catalogs. From the section:
Refer to Additive Discounts for more information. | All |
| Providers | Third-party systems with which CRM.COM integrates to provide services to subscriber's TVs. Providers are defined when a product (e.g., a Roku box or TV channel) must be provisioned through them. From the section:
Refer to Provisioning for more information. |
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| Job Types | 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. |
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| Activity Types | Determine the operational characteristics of an activity. One-time services, e.g., an installation, become available by being added to the activity type. From this section:
Refer to Activities for more information. | One-time services |
| Stock Balance | ||
| View the stock balance of the product across warehouses (and analytically for each warehouse). If the product is also a bundle component, then the number of bundles it is a component of is displayed. | Physical goods | |
| Images & Attachments | ||
Supply up to four images for the product and define one as the default. Also provide alternate text in case the image cannot be displayed. Files & URL: The attachments associated with the Product. | All | |
Creating and processing products
Selecting and creating a product
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Specify the criteria that match the product you are interested in or use NEW > Product classification from the Actions menu to create a new product. Provide the mandatory information in the products fields table before you SAVE the product.
Modifying a product
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Use EDIT from the Actions menu to enter edit mode. Update product fields or add the product to, or remove it from, other CRM.COM entities.
Copying an existing product
The configuration of an existing product can be copied and assigned to a new product in order to save time. The following attributes are assigned to the copied product:
- Type
- Brand
- Family
- Description
- Product Validity
- Categories
Follow the steps below to create a new product by copying information from an existing one.
- Click on NEW > COPY from the Actions menu
- Provide the remaining required values.
Synchronizing products
Products can be created or updated in CRM.COM from third-party systems. Products available in third-party systems can be created as CRM.COM products. If the products are already present in CRM.COM, they can be updated (e.g., with a new name or description).
Synchronization is available through WEB API or through the 'synchronize product' process. The process takes a file as an input and either creates new products or updates existing.
| Warning |
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The process does not import fixed or flexible bundle products. |
| Info |
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Finance > Product & Pricing > Products > Perform Products Synchronization |
Define settings for importing products in the synchronization definition. Click on Actions > Submit and select the file with the products. The file must be ready for import and be in one of the following formats:
Templates can be used in the preparation of the file and ensure correct formatting. Click on Actions > Download Template
The table describes the sections of the Product Synchronization Definition Data Entry page and explains how the fields in the page are used.
Mandatory Configurable values.
| Input Settings | ||
|---|---|---|
Matching Criteria are used to map CRM.COM products to third-party system products, as identical products might have different codes in the two systems. Matching criteria include a CRM.COM product code or alternative code as a matching field. Update Matching Products forces the CRM.COM product to be updated according to its matching product. If not selected, then the CRM.COM product is not updated and an error is returned. | ||
Default Product Values | ||
Define default values for imported products where a value for each attribute is not specified in the file or not found in the system. Default values must be defined for: Type Family Brand Category VAT Rate Tax Rate Validity Period
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| Process Runs | ||
| Displays the runs that were executed for the specific definition. Each run includes the products that were processed. In case of an error, its code and description are displayed. |
| Anchor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Navigate to Perform Products Synchronization and from the Definition's Data Entry page click on Actions > Download Template.
Note Download the template after you Save the definition and before you Submit.
- Select the type of template you wish to download (XML, Excel, or CSV).
The import file must be prepared according to the downloaded template. All three file types include the fields defined in the table below:
NameDescriptionTypeType Alternative code of the product type String Brand Alternative code of the product brand String Tax Rate Alternative code of the tax rate that will be applied to the product String VAT Rate Alternative code of the VAT rate that will be applied to the product String Category Code of the product category String Family Code of the product family String Code Product code String Product Valid To The date that the product is valid until Date
dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm
Description The product description String Product Valid From The date that the product is valid from Date
dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm
UDF String 1-16
User-defined fields of type 'string'
String
UDF Float 1-4
User-defined fields of type 'float'
Number
UDF Date 1-4
User-defined fields of type 'date'
Date
dd/mm/yyyy
hh:mm
Import File Templates
| Anchor | ||||
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The file contains one column for each field that can be imported. The first row includes the headers. An Excel template is provided during the import process.
| Anchor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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The file contains one column for each field that can be imported. The first row includes the headers. A CSV template is provided during the import process.
| Anchor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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An XML template is provided during the import process. The file has the following structure:
| Code Block | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
<products>
<product>
<code></code>
<alternative_code></alternative_code>
<description></description>
<type></type>
<brand></brand>
<family></family>
<category></category>
<valid_from></valid_from>
<valid_to><valid_to>
<vat_rate></vat_rate>
<tax_rate></tax_rate>
<udf_string_1></udf_string_1>
<udf_string_2></udf_string_2>
<udf_string_3></udf_string_3>
<udf_string_4></udf_string_4>
<udf_string_5></udf_string_5>
<udf_string_6></udf_string_6>
<udf_string_7></udf_string_7>
<udf_string_8></udf_string_8>
<udf_string_9></udf_string_9>
<udf_string_10></udf_string_10>
<udf_string_11></udf_string_11>
<udf_string_12></udf_string_12>
<udf_string_13></udf_string_13>
<udf_string_14></udf_string_14>
<udf_string_15></udf_string_15>
<udf_string_16></udf_string_16>
<udf_float_1></udf_float_1>
<udf_float_2></udf_float_2>
<udf_float_3></udf_float_3>
<udf_float_4></udf_float_4>
<udf_date_1></udf_date_1>
<udf_date_2></udf_date_2>
<udf_date_3></udf_date_3>
<udf_date_4></udf_date_4>
<error_message></error_message>
</product>
</products> |
Applying business flows on products
Offering product bundles
Product bundles provide the user with the option make it possible 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 customersa 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 example, an installation kit that includes a satellite dish and a remote controlwith predefined components and no serial number. For example, an installation kit that includes a satellite dish and remote control.
- Flexible Non-Traceable Physical Goods Bundle: The user defines a selection of available goods (e.g., channels) that the customers can choose from.
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 bundle will differ. See the corresponding table below:type.
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When setting up To create a 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 quantitybundle 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 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 agents and customers to select 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 ZX streaming device which is offered by Company ZX, for streaming content. Subscribers that wish to switch to streaming 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 and , products, as well as and 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 and agents. 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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Related Links
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