Configuring Contract Item Limits
You use contract item usage limits to limit the number of supply items a customer can acquire under a supplies-included contract without a charge. In order for you to limit the customer’s supplies, you first determine your usage expectations for the customer’s equipment during your contract period. Next, you identify how many supply items are needed for the contract or each equipment piece on the contract to meet your usage expectation. Finally, you limit the customer’s quantity allowance of supply items to meet your usage expectation. If the customer exceeds the allowed quantity of supply items identified on the contract, e-automate automatically charges the customer for limited supplies.
You can configure contract item usage limits at the contract level or at the individual equipment level. You use the Item Limit tab on the contract for contract level limits, and also for equipment level limits on the Contract Equipment window. Equipment-level contract item usage limits allow a more controlled method for tracking how many supply items each piece of equipment is allowed during the contract period. If you choose to handle contract item limits at the equipment level, when a customer orders supplies you will identify the specific equipment for which a supply is intended. If you track contract item usage limits at the contract level, the system allows a limit at the contract level and therefore it is not necessary to identify on the contract the specific equipment for which the supply is to be used.
In order to use contract item usage limits you must configure your system to meet the requirements outlined below.
Supply items you limit must be enabled for contract usage limits.
Supply items you limit must be associated as a related item to the equipment’s base inventory item profile.
You use the inventory item profile to define part items, supply items, equipment items, expense items and non-stock items. Equipment item profiles on your Item list are not only used in the purchasing and sales process, but are also used as a reference to your service equipment. You cannot create an equipment record in e-automate without basing the equipment on an existing inventory item (more specifically, an inventory item that has an equipment code). The inventory item that is linked to an equipment record is referred to as the equipment’s basis item because the equipment is based on the item. In order for you to use contract item usage limits, you must place supplies you intend to limit on the equipment’s basis item’s Related Items tab.
When you limit supply items on a service contract, e-automate only tracks supply usage for items that are configured to be tracked and are included under the contract based on the appropriate bill code.
Enabling Supply Items for Contract Item LimitsEnabling Supply Items for Contract Item Limits
On the e-automate toolbar, click [Items] to open the Items list window.
From the list of items, select the supply items you want to enable.
Click [Edit] to open the Edit Inventory Item window.
Check the Use contract usage limits for this item checkbox.
Click [OK] to save your changes.
Repeat this procedure for any supply items you want to enable for contract item usage limits.
Specifying Related Items on Equipment ItemsSpecifying Related Items on Equipment Items
On the e-automate toolbar, click [Items] to open the Items list window.
From
the list of items, select the equipment coded items to which you want
to add related items.
Note: Related items added to
an equipment-coded item identify which supply items are used by the
equipment linked to this item.
Click [Edit] to open the Edit Inventory Item window.
Click the Related Items tab to bring it forward.
In the Item field, use the lookup icon to select supplies used by equipment linked to this item.
In the Yield field, enter the expected yield for the supply item when used in equipment linked to this item.
Click [QuickAdd] to add the supply item to the list.
Repeat Steps 5 through 7 to add supply items.
Click [OK] to save the equipment coded item.
Repeat this procedure for each equipment-coded item to which you want to add related items.
Adding Item Limits to ContractsAdding Item Limits to Contracts
From the e-automate toolbar, click [Contracts] to open the Service Contracts list window.
From the contract list, select the contract to which you want to add item limits.
Click [Edit] to open the Edit Contract window.
Do one of the following:
To limit items on a contract at the contract level, do the following:
Click the Item Limits tab to bring it forward.
Click [Add] to open the Contract Item Limit window.
In
the Item field, use the Lookup
icon to select an item you want to limit.
Note: This lookup only displays
items related to equipment on this contract that are enabled for item
limits. The service code associated with your item should be on the
bill code as covered.
In the Limit field, enter the quantity in which you want to limit.
Click
[OK] to save your item limit.
Note: E-automate will not assess
a charge for these items when adding them to service calls or sales
orders in conjunction with the equipment and contract. Once the limit
is reached, e-automate will start charging for the items.
Repeat steps b through e until you have added all your item limits.
To limit items on a contract at the equipment level, do the following:
Click on the Equipment/Item tab to bring it forward.
Select the equipment with which you want to associate item limits and click [Edit] to open the Edit Contract Equipment/Item window.
In the Edit Contract Equipment/Item window, click the Item Limits tab to bring it forward.
Click [Add] to open the Contract Item Limit window.
In
the Item field, use the lookup to select an item you want to
limit for this equipment.
Note: This lookup only displays
items related to this equipment that are enabled for item limits.
The service code associated with your item should be on the bill code
as covered.
In the Limit field, enter the quantity in which you want to limit for this equipment.
Click
[OK] to save your equipment
item limit.
Note: E-automate will not assess
a charge for these items when adding them to service calls or sales
orders in conjunction with this equipment and contract. Once the limit
is reached, e-automate will start charging for the items.
Repeat Steps d through g until you have added all your equipment item limits.
To add more item limits for other equipment on this contract, repeat Steps b through h.
Click [OK] to save your contract with the defined item limits.
Non-supported ReleaseNon-supported Release
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