Learn how you can configure Subscription Business Definition that will dictate overall behavior of Subscription

What does this section cover?

What are Subscription Definitions?

A Subscription Definition is a set of business rules and conditions which are used in order to create and maintain subscriptions throughout their whole life cycle. For example, through the Subscription Definitions you can define the maximum number of subscriptions you can have per account, or the maximum number of Main services and Physical products that can be added on a subscription.
In addition, through Subscription Definitions you can define dependencies on your products. For example you can set rules, where additional channels will not be allowed to be added unless one of the Main channels are added.
In general, Subscription Definitions provide a number of restrictions and controls that will be applied on every subscription from the beginning till the end of its Life Cycle, and which should be met at any stage.

Creating, Editing & Deleting Validations & Restrictions

Action	Validations	Restrictions
General	Multiple Subscription definitions can exist in the system, but each one should have a unique name and alternative code Only one active Subscription definition can exist at any given time	If no active Subscription definition exists, then no Subscription can be created
Create	Mandatory Fields must be defined Name and alternative code must be unique	Not Applicable
Edit	Mandatory Fields must be defined Name and alternative code must be unique	Not Applicable
Delete	Not Applicable	Cannot be deleted if its the active definition

Subscription Definition attributes

Name

Description

Name*

The name of the definition

Description

A description of the definition

Alternative Code*

The alternative code of the definition

State

The state of the definition which can be active or inactive. Only one definition can be active at any given time.

Subscription Restrictions

Subscription restrictions control the number of subscriptions that can be owned by the same account based on a set of rules. The criteria that can be used to build each rule include the following:

The Subscription Type
The Subscription Life Cycle State
The Accounts Receivable Classification
The Accounts Receivable Credit rating
Maximum Number of Subscriptions

Service Restrictions

Service restrictions control the number of services that can be added either on a subscription or on all subscriptions owned by the same accounts receivable. Service restrictions are a set of rules which are build based on the following criteria:

Scope which can be "Subscription" or "Accounts Receivable"
Minimum number of mandatory services that should exist
Maximum number of mandatory services that should exist
Minimum number of optional services that should exist
Maximum number of optional services that should exist

Only termed, usage and expense services are allowed to be added in that list

Service Dependencies

Service dependencies control the type of services that can co-exist either on a subscription or on subscriptions owned by the same accounts receivable. Service dependencies are a set of rules which are build based on the following criteria:

Scope which can be "Subscription" or "Accounts Receivable"
The Services having prerequisites
The Service Types having prerequisites
The Prerequisites, which is a set of either ten services, ten service types, ten traceable physical goods or ten traceable physical good types. The prerequisites definition includes an option to specify if all the specified values should exists or if at least one of the specified values should exist

Only termed, usage and expense services are allowed to be added in that list

Service Restrictions Per Distributor

Service restrictions per distributor control the number of services that can be distributed per each provisioning distributor. Service restrictions per distributor are a set of rules which are build based on the following criteria:

Minimum number of mandatory services that should exist
Maximum number of mandatory services that should exist
Minimum number of optional services that should exist
Maximum number of optional services that should exist
Provisioning distributor on which the rule will apply to

Only termed, usage and expense services are allowed to be added in that list

Service Dependencies Per Distributor

Service dependencies per distributor control the type of services that can be distributed on the same provisioning distributor. Service dependencies per distributor are a set of rules which are build based on the following criteria:

The provisioning distributor having prerequisites
The Prerequisites, which is a set of either ten services or ten service types. The prerequisites definition includes an option to specify if all the specified values should exists or if at least one of the specified values should exist

Only termed, usage and expense services are allowed to be added in that list

Installed Item Restrictions

Installed Item restrictions control the number of installed items that can be added either on a subscription or on all subscriptions owned by the same accounts receivable. Service restrictions are a set of rules which are build based on the following criteria:

Minimum number of installed items that should exist per traceable physical good type
Maximum number of installed items that should exist per traceable physical good type
Scope which can be "Subscription" or "Accounts Receivable"

Installed Item Dependencies

Installed Item dependencies control the type of Installed Item that can co-exist either on a subscription or on subscriptions owned by the same accounts receivable. Installed Item dependencies are a set of rules which are build based on the following criteria:

The physical good having prerequisites
The physical good type having prerequisites
The Prerequisites, which is a set of ten traceable physical goods or ten traceable physical good types. The prerequisites definition includes an option to specify if all the specified values should exists or if at least one of the specified values should exist
Scope which can be "Subscription" or "Accounts Receivable"

Installed Item Restrictions Per Distributor

Installed Item restrictions per distributor control the number of Installed Items that can be distributed per each provisioning distributor. Installed Item restrictions per distributor are a set of rules which are build based on the following criteria:

Minimum number of installed items that should exist per traceable physical good type
Maximum number of installed items that should exist per traceable physical good type
Provisioning distributor on which the rule will apply to

Installed Item Dependencies Per Distributor

Installed Item dependencies per distributor control the type of Installed Items that can be distributed on the same provisioning distributor. Installed Item dependencies per distributor are a set of rules which are build based on the following criteria:

The provisioning distributor having prerequisites
The Prerequisites, which is a set of either ten traceable physical goods or ten traceable physical good types. The prerequisites definition includes an option to specify if all the specified values should exists or if at least one of the specified values should exist

Tiers

Defines the allowed swaps between subscription services and provides information about the type of the change (i.e. if it is an upgrade / downgrade etc). Subscription services tiers are two dimensional, the first dimension is the tier level and the second dimension is the tier path. The path defines a set of subscription services, which can replace each other. Subscription services can be replaced only by subscription services under the same path. The level characterizes the applied replacement (i.e. if it is an upgrade or downgrade), and it is defined within each tier path.

Tier paths can be related to a single root path. In that case the system will automatically apply replacements or removals of subscription services belonging to a child path, whenever a subscription service, belonging to the root path and having the same level, is replaced or removed

Example

	Path 1 Not following any path	Path 2 Following : Path 1	Path 3 Not following any path
Level 1	A1	B1	C1
Level 2	A2	B2	C2
Level 3	A3	B3
Level 4		B4

Based on the subscription service tiers specified above the following scenarios are supported:

A1, A2, A3 can replace each other
B1, B2, B3, B4 can replace each other
C1, C2 can replace each other
Going from A1 to A2 or A3 is considered as a downgrade
Going from A3 to A2 or A1 is considered as an upgrade
If a subscription has A1, B1 and C1 then a change from A1 to A2 will trigger a change from B1 to B2, but it will not trigger a change from C1 to C2
If a subscription has A1, B1 and C1 then removing A1 will trigger the removal of B1, but it will not trigger the removal of C1

Based on the subscription service tiers specified above the following scenarios are not supported:

Subscription services belonging to path 1 cannot replace or be replaced by subscription service belonging to path 2 or path 3
Subscription services belonging to path 2 cannot replace or be replaced by subscription service belonging to path 1 or path 3
Subscription services belonging to path 3 cannot replace or be replaced by subscription service belonging to path 1 or path 2

Defining your own Subscription Definition tailored to your company's needs

Navigate to CONFIGURATION > BILLING APPLICATION > SUBSCRIPTIONS > SET UP BUSINESS DEFINITIONS
Either search for an existing one or from the Top Menu click on NEW
MAIN INFORMATION
1. Provide information for the following fields
  1. Name
  2. Description
  3. Alternative Code
SUBSCRIPTION RULES
1. RESTRICTIONS
  1. Click on ADD to add a new restriction record
    You have the option to create multiple restrictions. Each row/record is not related with the other records. i.e. Whenever a subscription is created, each of the records will be validated separately. If the subscription does not meet the conditions defined in at least one record then you will not be allowed to create the subscription. If a condition is not selected at all then all are taken into consideration.
  2. For each record you must define at least one condition and define the maximum number of subscriptions allowed per combination
    1. Subscription Type: Select from the drop down list a subscripton type
    2. Subscription Life Cycle State: Select from the drop down list a Life Cycle State
    3. Accounts Receivable Classification: Select from the drop down list an account classification
    4. Accounts Receivable Credit Rating: Select from the drop down list a
    5. Maximum Number of Subscriptions: Define the number of subscriptions allowed by a contact for the specified combinations
      In the image below the configuration denotes that an account with VIP classification can have a maximum of 2 subscriptions, but only 1 of them can be of type Normal.
SERVICE RULES
1. RESTRICTIONS
  1. Click on ADD to add a new service restriction record.You have the option to create up to 2 restrictions. One on Accounts' scope and one on Subscription scope. Whenever a subscription is created/updated, each of the records will be validated separately. If the subscription does not meet the conditions defined in at least one record then you will not be allowed to create the subscription.
    1. Scope: Select between Subscription and Accounts Receivable
      When the scope is on Accounts Receivable then the total of services from all subscriptions belonging to the same account is validated
    2. Minimum number of mandatory services: Provide an integer value for the services
    3. Maximum number of mandatory services: Provide an integer value for the services
    4. Minimum number of optional services: Provide an integer value for the services
    5. Maximum number of optional services: Provide an integer value for the services: Provide
2. DEPENDENCIES
  1. Follow the process described /wiki/spaces/V4Manual/pages/9832059for adding dependencies on Service Rules
    1. Scope: Select between Subscription and Accounts Receivable. When the scope is on Accounts Receivable then the total of services from all subscriptions belonging to the same account is validated
    2. Type of Prerequisites: Select from the drop down list the product type for which prerequisites will be
      1. Services
      2. Service Types
      3. Traceable Physical goods
      4. Non Traceable Physicla Goods
    3. Prerequisites: Click on ADD PREREQUISITES to open the Service Dependencies Prerequisites and define specific values
      1. According to the Type of prerequisites you chose you will now be allowed to define values from the prerequisite type selected
3. RESTRICTIONS PER DISTRIBUTOR
  1. Click on ADD to add a distributor on which you would like to define restrictions for
    1. Minimum number of mandatory services: Provide an integer value for the services
    2. Maximum number of mandatory services: Provide an integer value for the services
    3. Minimum number of optional services: Provide an integer value for the services
    4. Maximum number of optional services: Provide an integer value for the services: P
      rovide
4. DEPENDENCIES PER DISTRIBUTOR
  1. Follow the process described /wiki/spaces/V4Manual/pages/9832059for adding dependencies on Service Rules
    1. Scope: Select between Subscription and Accounts Receivable. When the scope is on Accounts Receivable then the total of services from all subscriptions belonging to the same account is validated
    2. Type of Prerequisites: Select from the drop down list the product type for which prerequisites will be
      1. Services
      2. Service Types
    3. Prerequisites: Click on ADD PREREQUISITES to open the Service Dependencies Prerequisites and define specific values
      1. According to the Type of prerequisites you chose you will now be allowed to define values from the prerequisite type selected
5. TIERS
  1. Follow the process described /wiki/spaces/V4Manual/pages/9832059for adding Tier levels
    1. Click on ADD and provide a name for the Tier Group
    2. If the Group you have defined should be following another Group then:
      1. Following Tier: Select from the drop down list the tier group that should be followed
    3. Select the Group from the panel list and start adding by clicking the ADD button
      1. Level:Type an integer for the level of the service to be specified in Tier Service
      2. Tier Service: Search and add a service using Quick Search or Search Modal
        Repeat the process till you add all the items in the Tier Group
INSTALLED ITEM RULES
1. RESTRICTIONS
  1. Click on ADD to add a new service restriction record.You have the option to create up to 2 restrictions. One on Accounts' scope and one on Subscription scope. Whenever a subscription is created/updated, each of the records will be validated separately. If the subscription does not meet the conditions defined in at least one record then you will not be allowed to create the subscription.
    1. Scope: Select between Subscription and Accounts Receivable
      When the scope is on Accounts Receivable then the total of services from all subscriptions belonging to the same account is validated
    2. Minimum number of Installed Items: Provide an integer value
    3. Maximum number of Installed Items: Provide an integer value
2. DEPENDENCIES
  1. Follow the process described /wiki/spaces/V4Manual/pages/9832059for adding dependencies on Service Rules
    1. Scope: Select between Subscription and Accounts Receivable. When the scope is on Accounts Receivable then the total of services from all subscriptions belonging to the same account is validated
    2. Type of Prerequisites: Select from the drop down list the product type for which prerequisites will be
      1. Traceable Physical goods
      2. Non Traceable Physical Goods
    3. Prerequisites: Click on ADD PREREQUISITES to open the Installed Items Dependencies Prerequisites and define specific values
      1. According to the Type of prerequisites you chose you will now be allowed to define values from the prerequisite type selected
3. RESTRICTIONS PER DISTRIBUTOR
  1. Click on ADD to add a distributor on which you would like to define restrictions for
    1. Physical Good Type: Search and add a Physical Good type using Quick Search or Search Modal
    2. Minimum number of Installed Items:: Provide an integer value
    3. Maximum number of Installed Items:: Provide an integer value
4. DEPENDENCIES PER DISTRIBUTOR
  1. Follow the process described /wiki/spaces/V4Manual/pages/9832059for adding dependencies on Service Rules
    1. Scope: Select between Subscription and Accounts Receivable. When the scope is on Accounts Receivable then the total of services from all subscriptions belonging to the same account is validated
    2. Type of Prerequisites: Select from the drop down list the product type for which prerequisites will be
      1. Services
      2. Service Types
    3. Prerequisites: Click on ADD PREREQUISITES to open the Service Dependencies Prerequisites and define specific values
      1. According to the Type of prerequisites you chose you will now be allowed to define values from the prerequisite type selected
LOG INFORMATION
From the Top Menu click on SAVE