Contracts needing to track click usage should be set with an expiration date as well as being set to expire by copies while collecting a meter reading quarterly so you can keep up with the usage. By doing so, when the contract expires by copies, the contract record will bill for any of those overages and you can then renew the contract (details below). Until the clicks are reached, the base accrual schedule will continue. Once the clicks are reached, you can then recognize the remaining accrued revenue (details on that below) as well as recognize any revenue associated with overages (if any).
eAuto Contract Record & Equipment Record Set Up:
Below are screen shots of the sample contract set for 5 years / 150K copies showing needed settings on eAuto Contract Record.
1. Set with Expiration Date (60 months) and with Expiration Copies (150,000)
2. Contract should be set with Renewal Cycle of 60 months
3. Overage Cycle should reflect the total months of contract (60 months)
4. Meter Group (from Meter Groups tab) be sure to check off Include this group in calculating expiration copies:
**For a color machine, you would add the allowances for b\w and color together and put this amount in the expiration copies field and then break them down in each meter groups covered copies field.**
You will also need to edit the Equipment Record so you can set to auto collect meter readings quarterly.
5. Enter Meter Reading Contact under Billing/Contact tab of Equipment Record:
6. On Equipment Record, Meters Tab set Require meter reading on service calls so your tech can be sure to always report a meter reading. And set Use automatic meter requests to Use equipment meter cycle (as opposed to contract overage cycle) to quarterly. This will ensure an automated meter reading request is sent each quarter regardless of usage or service calls. You can set an eAgent task to automatically send meter reading requests – let us know if you would like more information on how to set that up.
When contract has expired by time or clicks (be sure to bill any overages first), then renew the contract. Be sure to also terminate contract with listed termination code. After this is completed, eAuto will automatically create an identical Contract Record but with Contract Number of CONTXYZ4-02 (the -02 represents 2nd contract / renewal as the first contract is CONTXYZ-01).
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Reporting & Tracking:
With these settings, the Contract Record will see the usage and you can use varying reports in eAuto to see when such contracts are nearing their allowed clicks or have already reached their allowed clicks.
Alert ID545 - Contracts meter groups used or about to use it's covered copies. More on this alert here.
Under Service Tab / Renew Contracts:
OR you can also filter by renewal cutoff date (expiration date) and By Expire by Copy Contracts Only and pick Percent Complete. Any contracts set as the Best Practice illustrated above that have met that percentage of clicks will populate.
You can also see within the Contract Record how the contract stands with its expiration copies, be sure to select ‘Recalculate accumulate copies’ so it can update based on recent meter reading activity.
eAutomate also has a Report under Reports / Service / Contract Expiration Worksheet with varying filters available:
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Monthly Accrual:
Each month please be sure to accrue your contract revenue under Service / Accrue Contracts:
You can then set date to accrue as of and recognize that earned accrued revenue:
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