What is a Charge Template?
A Charge Template is a standard price template, aimed at streamlining the process of configuring price calculations across multiple price lists. Templates can be created for both Transport Charges, Surcharges and Costs. Charge templates offer a significant improvement to Rate Cards by offering more flexibility and easier updates to customer rate cards when:
there is a set of base price calculations, where each customer may need slight adjustments to specific calculations.
creating a template, you can define base price calculations that can be used as a starting point, making it easier to compare between template prices and customer-specific prices.
Charge Template screen.
Navigate to CONFIGURATION. There is a new submenu 'Charge Template'. The screen will populate with any existing charges and will show these as Templates.
NOTE: There is no change to how the charge has been configured.
The screen will display the following:
Add new charge template. Click here to setup a NEW charge template
Status tabs. The default view is for Active templates. To view historical templates click Inactive. All will show both Active and Inactive.
Name. This the Name of the specific charge; this is added when the charge is first setup. Clicking the name will open the Charge details page. It is possible to edit the charge details from this page.
Linked order input option. This shows how the charge was originally configured, ie: under Configuration>Order Input: General Surcharge, etc. Clicking the name, will open the Charge details page. It is possible to edit the charge details from this page.
Price list type. This shows the type of price list (Sales / Cost) that the charge is associated to. 'Rate Card Customers' = Sales / Cost Calculations = Cost.
Calculation. Shows a summary of the how the charge is calculated.
Linked price lists. If the charge template has been linked to a specific price list this will show. When assigned to multiple lists, the 'eye' icon will open the charge details to show the full list of linked price lists.
Functions. 'Clock icon' = opens up a list (if available) of linked price lists to enable quick updates. 'Pencil icon' = Opens charge template to allow editing. 'Trash' = delete to remove the charge template entirely.
Setup a New Charge Template.
Navigate to CONFIGURATION>Charge Templates
Click 'Add charge template'. The New charge template screen will open.
Name. Give the new charge template a Name. Use something that will easily identify the charge type and if assigned to a specific customer, this could be added to the name.
Price list type. There are 3 options to select:
Cost calculation: external resource. Use this if setting up a template for a COST associated to an external resource (ie: subcontractor, etc)
Cost calculation: internal resource. Use this if setting up a template for a COST associated to an internal resource (ie: driver, etc)
Rate card customers. Use this if setting up a template for a SALES item that will be charged to a customer, generating revenue.
Cargo type. Charges must be assocaited
Linked order input option(MANDATORY). In order to configure the template, the charge must first be created in the general configuration / order input fields. Once the charge is added to the configuration, active options will show in the drop down and are associated to the template. Please note this is a MANDATORY field.
Collections: Define the Template collection and add the calculation.
Define collection & set validity. Click the 'New Collection' title. Give the collection a name that is recognisable to the charge/customer, etc. If no name is given the title will automatically change when the 'Valid from' date is entered. If no dates are entered, the collection is set to 'Valid on any date'.
It is possible to create multiple collections - click '+Add Collection'.
Collection Valid From / To dates CANNOT overlap.
It is possible to create multiple calculations, with conditions within each Collection.
Add Price Calculation. Add the specific calculation metrics for the charge template.
Add conditions (where applicable). Add any specific CONDITIONS that will apply to calculations on the charge template.