Overview
Create a unique refill product for each refillable discount offering.
Create and configure a unique grant discount for each refillable discount offering.
Put the discount in an MRC base package (recommended).
Creating New Refill Products
Refills are used to apply charges when the base allotment is exceeded. They are active for the full bill period regardless of when they are added (started at the bill period start date and ended at the bill period end date) so prorating does not apply.
Notes:
The refill product must be set up before any discounts can be built. This is because the SKU/SvcTypeID associated to this product will be used to associate the product to the discount when the discount is configured.
Refills MUST be created as products and NOT packages. Also, a unique refill product is required for each refillable discount offering. Refills cannot be reused across multiple refillable discounts.
Steps:
In the Product Catalog, build a new Non-Recurring Charge (NRC) Billable Product.
Make sure the SKU and Description are unique and meaningful. For example :
SKU = RF 1GB Data Refill
Description = 1GB Refill for 10GB Data package
Tip
Use a common prefix on SKUs for the refill product and its base package, for example RF. This ensures the base package and its refills are listed close together in the features list on the Services tab and on the invoice.
Set the Charge (how much is the subscriber charged for this refill)
Set the Charge Cycle to Once – this item is not recurring
Set the Proration Type to None (prorating is not allowed)
Select any other values for GL or product organization/taxing, plus define any relevant details on the tabs, then save.
Creating Grant Discounts
A unique grant discount is required for each refillable discount offering. The grant discount covers the base discount amount.
Note
These instructions only cover the wizard pages that are specific to grant discounts used for refillable usage. Pages not covered in these instructions can be configured as needed.
To configure:
Select any sharing option, except Shared across services with this discount. This option is not valid because it supports accumulated buckets. For example: If two or more Services had the Discount, the IDI platform would attempt to add the discounted amounts together (e.g. 1 MB refill on three services would provide 3 MB for use by any of the services). The radio button is not disabled because the Wizard doesn’t know what kind of discount this is until later in the Discount Configuration Wizard. Therefore, users need to pay careful attention not to select this option.
If this Discount is shared, you can only add it to a single service. It cannot be added to multiple services on a given account. However, if the Discount is not shared, you can add it to each individual service on the account as needed.
On the Units page, configure base and refill parameters, and select the Refill SKU.
For units Type select Minutes, Occurrences or Currency. Note: If the discount is for data, (Units Type = Occurrences) both Base and Refill amounts are entered in kilobytes.
For Number of Units enter the base amount (e.g. if the Base Plan is 10 MB, convert 10 MB to KB and enter the number in this field).
Examples:
1 KB = 1024 Bytes
2 GB = 2097152 KB = 2048 MB
10 GB = 10485760 KB = 10240 MB
Note
If currency is used, the Number of Units field allows up to 2 decimal places.
Unlimited – Leave unchecked. Refillable Discounts are typically confined, which is how the Rater-Biller evaluates that a Refill is needed.
Refillable – Check this box. This enables the Amount and Product ID fields which are required for refillable discounts.
Amount – Enter the Refill Amount (e.g. if the refill is 1 MB, convert 1 MB to KB and enter the number here).
Product ID – Use the ellipsis button (…) to search for and select the SKU/SvcTypeID of the refill product created earlier in this procedure (the database table is called Discount Factors and contains all the NRC Products built).
On the Recurrence Type page set the Recurrent Type to Recurring. You will be setting the recurrence type on the overall discount for the Base Package.
Note
The refillable portion of the Grant Discount is only granted during rating. If the system determines the service is eligible, at that time the refill is added. Refills do not recur because the Rater-Biller continuously evaluates whether or not they are needed.
Configure the discount to expire at the end of the bill period, and expire units on disconnect. Refillable discounts cannot have any rollover and are only available during the current bill period.
On the Proportional Allocation page, leave the check box UNCHECKED (no proportional allocation of units). The IDI platform always adds the full amount when the Rater-Biller determines a refill is due.
Select usage types to be included in the discount and select the Inclusive option.
On all remaining pages (Service Types, Distance Types, Wireless Call Indicators, Orig. Locations, Term Locations, Serving Locations, Times of Day) use the default (All).
Creating a Base Package
The base package serves as a container for the discount and sets the price of the base refillable discount offering. The base package is built much like any other packages in the catalog. It can be prorated just as any other item.
Steps:
Create a unique SKU and Description. Tip: Use a common prefix on SKUs for refill products and corresponding base package, for example RF. This ensures the base package and its refills are listed close together in the features list on the Services tab and on the invoice.
Set to a One-price Package, or not (typically this would be a One-price Package).
Set the Charge Cycle to Monthly if this is an MRC.
Set the Proration Type as you would for any other Package.
Define any other fields including those on subsequent tabs and click Save.
Open the newly created Package and add the Refill Discount to it. Note: It is recommended that the NCR is not added to the package.
The folder structure may look like:
Base Package with Grant Discount within.
NRC Product is not included within the Base package, but IS in the same folder as the Base Package.