The Product Rate Card is one of the core billing objects used by the system and it is mandatory for all service plans to have an attached product rate card.
While the service plan contains the pricing for recurring charges for a subscription to the service (and optionally any set up fees), the product rate card stores information pertaining to other items in the product offering that may attract additional charges. Examples include:
- Once off installation fees
- Equipment fees
- Some kinds of 'add ons' (not related in any way to Emersion's bolt-on or bolt-on add-ons)
- i.e. telephone handset rental, voicemail, call forwarding, etc
- i.e. telephone handset rental, voicemail, call forwarding, etc
- Service features
- Miscellaneous charges
Product Rate Cards define charges for additional products or 'things' that are associated with a given category of service type.
A rate in the context of a product rate card, is a price entered against a product.
As with all billing objects, buy prices are stored in a BUY product rate card and sell prices are stored in the SELL product rate card. See the BUY and SELL fundamentals article for further information on buy / sell structures in Emersion.
Carriers and service suppliers must provide Emersion with products and features for inclusion in the Product Rate Card. The product items in a Product Rate Card globally available to all service providers reselling these services.
Examples
This is a list of products contained in a Product Rate Card for AAPT telephony products. Specifically we are looking at a list of Miscellaneous products that AAPT have defined for Rebill services.
This is a list of products contained in a Product Rate Card for AAPT broadband products. With no service type chosen to filter the results, the system displays products across all supported AAPT broadband products.
Rating
Carriers and service suppliers may provide usage files containing records for product usage.
Emersion can receive these files and rates the usage records based on the prices and other information configured the product rate card.
Are Product Rate Cards Mandatory in All Cases?
Yes. A service plan is invalid without an approved product rate card attached to it. That said, there are endless types of products and services that do not need such complex features and functionality. Some service types simply charge a single recurring charge and perhaps a set up fee. In these cases, a product rate card will have no products in it. However a product rate card must still be created and still linked to the service plan. It is valid to attach a product rate card without any rates defined.