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Configuring Normal Billing Term Schemes for Subscriptions

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Billing Term Schemes for Subscriptions

Billing term schemes are used to control the creation or modification of billing terms by providing the allowed options for each input field and by setting the default values, and also to control billing engine processes by providing the billing rules and policies that should be applied during billing runs

Each Billing Term Scheme has a life cycle state which determines how the billing term scheme can be used. Each billing term scheme has an effective and expiration date, which are set automatically when the life cycle state is set to effective and terminated accordingly. Billing Term schemes can be modified or deleted only if there is no billing terms (effective or terminated) related with that billing term scheme.

If there is a need to modify a billing term scheme, then a specific action is applied which creates a new billing term scheme in life cycle state Effective related with the previous one, which is updated to status terminated and moved to billing term schemes history

Creating, Editing & Deleting Validations & Restrictions

ActionValidationsRestrictionsAdditional Information
General   
Create   
Edit   
Delete   

Billing Term Schemes for Subscriptions attributes 

Name

Description

Applicable billing term schemes
Billing term code*The same code is used across all billing term scheme instances of the same billing term schemeAll
 Classification*

It determines the type of billable entity that will be allowed to use this billing term scheme. In this case the classification is set to Subscriptions

All
 Billing Type*

Defines the billing type that will be used by the billing engine in order to bill services and physical goods. The supported options are the following:

  • Normal
  • Prepaid
All
 Name*The name of the billing term schemeAll
DescriptionA description of the billing term schemeAll
Life cycle stateDetermines the state of the billing term scheme. The following billing term schemes life cycle states are supported:
  • Draft: Billing term schemes having that life cycle state cannot be used to create billing terms.
  • Effective: Billing term schemes having that life cycle state can be used to create billing terms and to apply billing rules during billing runs
  • Terminated: Billing term schemes having that life cycle state cannot be used to create new billing terms. Billing terms already related with a terminated billing term scheme will still be billed by applied the billing rules specified on that billing term scheme.
All
Effective & Expiration dates*

Each billing term scheme has an effective and expiration date, which are set automatically when the billing term scheme is created or being replaced by another billing term scheme. A version number is also kept on each billing term scheme that defines the version of each billing term scheme instance

All
Billing method*

This section is used to:

  • Determine which of the two billing methods can be used by billing terms having that billing term scheme. The supported options are:
    • Anniversary: Anniversary billing is a method of billing where customers are billed for a period of time which starts on a billing cycle day which is preferred by each customer.
    • Period: Period billing is a method of billing where customers are billed for a period of time which starts on a billing cycle day which is specified by the billing company.
  • Determine the default billing cycle day during the creation of billing terms having that billing term scheme. 
    • If the billing term scheme is set to “Period billing”, then this value will be used to set the day of month until which the subscription will be billed by the billing engine. This value will be selected based on the billing term scheme’s configuration and will not be allowed to be set on the billing term level.
    • If the billing method on the billing term scheme is set to “Anniversary” then it is the billing term that will define the billing cycle day. At the billing term scheme level, a range of allowed billing cycle days is specified so at the billing term level, the billing cycle day must be set within this range.
Normal
Concurrent usage based pricingDetermines if concurrent usage based pricing is allowed to be specified in billing terms of this schemeAll
Discount options*

Determines if the billing terms will use a fixed or flexible pricing. If fixed pricing is selected then ad hoc discounts cannot be applied on billable entities having billing terms of this scheme

Note: For May 14 release only the fixed option should be allowed.

All
Billable period start date*

The Billable Period Start Date used to determine how to automatically set the billable period start date on each new subscription service, which is the date that determines the start date of the billable period of each subscription service (it answers to the question “from which date should I start billing this service”). Subscription service billable period start date is by default set equal to the subscription service effective date, but it can be overridden by the rules specified in these definitions or by the subscription action which is adding the subscription service, if the billable period start date is explicitly defined there. The supported options are the following:

  • Subscription action performed date
  • Subscription action performed date + X UOT (i.e. + 1 month)
  • Subscription Service Initial Effective Date
  • Subscription Service Initial Effective Date + X UOT (i.e. + 1 month)
  • Subscription Service Latest Effective Date
  • Subscription Service Latest Effective Date + X UOT (i.e. + 1 month)
  • Binding Start Date
  • Binding Start Date + X UOT (i.e. + 1 month)
  • Agreement Date
  • Agreement Date + X UOT (i.e. + 1 month)
All
Billing effective date*

Billing Effective Date definition is used to determine how to automatically set the billing effective date on each new subscription service, which is the date that determines when a subscription service should start being billed. Subscription service billing effective date is by default set equal to the subscription service effective date, but it can be overridden by the rules specified in these definitions or by the subscription action which is adding the subscription service, if the billing effective date is explicitly defined there. The supported options are the following:

  • Subscription action performed date
  • Subscription action performed date + X UOT (i.e. + 1 month)
  • Subscription Service Initial Effective Date
  • Subscription Service Initial Effective Date + X UOT (i.e. + 1 month)
  • Subscription Service Latest Effective Date
  • Subscription Service Latest Effective Date + X UOT (i.e. + 1 month)
  • Binding Start Date
  • Binding Start Date + X UOT (i.e. + 1 month)
  • Agreement Date
  • Agreement Date + X UOT (i.e. + 1 month)
All
Extend binding end date causes

Determines the causes of extending the binding end date. Multiple options can be selected. The supported options are the following:

  • Extend based on days in resting
  • Extend based on not effective days
  • Extend based on grace periods
Normal
Extend allowed cancel date causes

Determines the causes of extending the allowed cancel date. Multiple options can be selected. The supported options are the following:

  • Extend based on days in resting
  • Extend based on disconnected days
  • Extend based on grace periods
Normal
Extended tiered-rate, maturity-based price rates causes

Determines the causes that should automatically extend the price rate (extend an offering that is already applied to a subscription). Multiple options can be selected. The supported options are the following:

  • Extend based on binding end date
Normal
Allowed billing frequencies

Determines which of the billing frequencies should be allowed to be used and provides a different name if needed, by specifying the following:

  • Billing Frequency
  • Billing Frequency Label

The default behavior is to allow all the predefined billing frequencies, except the custom ones. The Billing frequency that will be selected as the billing term scheme’s default billing frequency, will also be kept at the billing term scheme’s header.

Normal
Allowed binding periods

Determines which of the binding periods should be allowed to be used and provides a different name if needed, by specifying the following:

  • Binding Period
  • Binding Period Label

The default behavior is to allow all the predefined binding periods, except the custom ones. The Binding period that will be selected as the billing term scheme’s default binding period, will also be kept at the billing term scheme’s header.

Normal
Supported services

Determines which services are supported by the billing term scheme. This means that the billing term scheme related to a subscription will define which services are available to exist on the subscription. If a billing term scheme does not include any services as supported ones, then this means that all services are allowed for this scheme.

This section is also used in order to define the billing type per supported service in cases in which a services has a different billing type compared to the billing term scheme’s type, that is, override the billing term scheme’s billing type. The supported billing types are the following:

  • Post Bill Services: Post Bill Services determine a set of services which should be billed after they have been used. Multiple services can be defined as post bill services. Services defined in this list should not be included in pre bill services list. If no services are specified then all services are considered to be pre billed.
  • Pre Bill Services: Pre Bill Services determine a set of services which should be billed in advance, before they have been used. Multiple services can be defined as pre bill services. Services defined in this list should not be included in post bill services list. This list should be calculated dynamically and should include all allowed services which are not specified as post bill services.

Only termed, usage and expense services are allowed to be added in that listCRMCOM-3101 -Ability to create, maintain and use Expense ServicesIN PROGRESS

All

Post bill and Pre bill categorisation is applicable only on normal schemes

Allowed price plansDetermines which price plans should be allowed to be used during the creation of billing terms having that billing term scheme. By default all price plan can be selected in the allowed price plans of a billing term scheme. If a billing term scheme does not include any price plan as allowed ones, then this means that all valid price plans are allowed for this scheme.All
Services extending bindingDetermines the services that can extend the allowed cancellation date or the allowed cancellation date and binding end date whenever they are added on a billable entity.Normal

Defining your own Billing Term Schemes for Subscriptions tailored to your company's needs

  1. Navigate to CONFIGURATION > BILLING APPLICATION > BILLING > SET UP BILLING TERM SCHEMES
  2. Either search for an existing one or from the Top Menu click on NEW
    BILLING TERM SCHEMES
     
  3. MAIN INFORMATION

    1. Provide information for the following fields

      1. CODE: Provide name for the scheme

      2. NAME:  Provide name for the scheme
      3. TYPE: Select Normal from the Drop down list
      4. CLASSIFICATION: Select Subscription from the Drop down List
      5. DESCRIPTION:  Provide a description for the scheme
  4. ALLOWED ATTRIBUTES

    1. SERVICES

      1. Click on ADD to search and add the services that will be available for subscription created based on the specific scheme
      2. Billing Type: Select between pre-Bill and Post Bill

        Changing Billing Type for multiple services

        •Add all the services 

        •Select all the services that will have the same billing type

        • Click on SET BILLING TYPES to open the modal

        •Select the Billing Type you would like to apply

    2. BILLING FREQUENCIES

      1. Click on ADD to select the Billing Frequencies that will be available for subscription created based on the specific scheme
    3. BINDING PERIODS

      1. Click on ADD to select the Binding Periods that will be available for subscription created based on the specific scheme
    4. PRICE PLANS
      1. Click on ADD to select from the drop down list the price plans that will be available for subscription created based on the specific scheme
  5. BILLING RULES

    1. GENERIC

      1. Billing Method: Select the billing method from the drop down list

      2. Allowed Cycle Day: Provide the day up until which a subscription will be billed
        If the Billing Method chosen is ANNIVERSARY  then you can define ALLOWED CYCLE DAY RANGE,  and the user will select the day when creating the subscription

      3. Billable Period Start Date: Select the billing method from the drop down list

      4. Billing Effective Date: Select the billing method from the drop down list

      5. Discount Option: Select the billing method from the drop down list. 
        Select Flexible Pricing if you would like to enable Additive Discounts application 

      6. Allow Concurrent Usage: Check the box if you would like to enable concurrent usage

    2. BINDING PERIOD EXTENSIONS

      1. Causes Extending Binding End Date: Check the box next to the process that you would like to extend the defined date
      2. Causes Extending Allowed Cancellation Date: Check the box next to the process that you would like to extend the defined date
      3. Causes Extending Tiered Rate, Maturity-Based Price Rates: Click on ADD  and search for Product / Product Type, that when added it will force the End Dates to be extended 
      4. Services Extending Binding: Click on ADD  and search for Product / Product Type, that when added it will force the End Dates to be extended 
        1. Extension Options: Select from the drop down list, whether Allowed Cancellation date and/or Binding End Date will be updated
  6. LOG INFORMATION

    Log information section keeps all the logging information related to the specific record

    • Basic set of information available in all entities
      • Created By User: The user that created the entity
      • Created By Unit: The unit of the user that created the entity
      • Updated By User: The user that last updated the entity
      • Updated by Unit: The unit of the user that last updated the entity
      • Date Created: The date the account was entity
      • Date Updated: The date the account was last entity
        LOG DETAILS
  7. From the Actions Menu click on SAVE

Amending Billing Term Schemes for Subscriptions

Billing Term Schemes cannot be updated in case there is at least one subscription/job that uses the specific Billing Term Scheme. If a Billing Term Scheme is required to change then a new Version of the scheme will be created. In this way:

  • When Billing Term Scheme A Version 1 is amended and Version 2 is created
  • Then
    • Subscriptions that have been created with Billing Term Scheme A Version 1, will keep abiding by rules and restrictions on Billing Term Scheme A Version 1
    • Subscriptions that have been created with Billing Term Scheme A Version 2, will abide by rules and restrictions on Billing Term Scheme A Version 2

 

When you edit a definition that already has completed or scheduled runs then the system will automatically update the Version of the definition, by increasing its number by 1. Essentially, the system will create a new definition and will carry over all the information and configuration, apart from the Version number.

Accessing a definition with multiple versions, you will always see the latest version, while you have the option to View configuration and Runs of Previous versions by using th "VIEW PREVIOUS VERSIONS" link found in the Main Information tab

  1.  Click on the VIEW PREVIOUS VERSIONS link
    VERSIONING 
  2. Search from the modal for the version you would like to see
  3. Select the version
    1. The system will now show the configuration and the process runs of the version you have selected.
  4. To go back to the current version click on the CURRENT VERSION link under Main Information
    CURRENT VERSION 

 

Deleting Billing Term Schemes for Subscriptions

  1. Search for the entity that you would like to delete
    Visit  Using Summary Pages   to find out how you can search using CRM.COM Summary Screens
  2. Click on the link of the record you would like to delete, to be transferred to the Data Entry page
  3. From the actions menu click on "DELETE"
     The entity will be deleted given that the validations are satisfied

 

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