Overview

Brokered services (sometimes called outsourced or third‑party services) are configured a bit differently from standard Printer’s Plan services. Instead of combining multiple services into a single Item, you create one service that represents the entire outsourced item. That service stores the full cost you pay your vendor and the price you’ll charge your customer.

• How It Works
• Setup Workflow
• Key Points
• Demonstration

How It Works

Brokered Services are built using the Other Service type. This means they are customizable based on how you would like to track the quantity output as well as the costs and pricing.

There are two ways to use Brokered Services:

• Brokered Products: Product-based Brokered Services will be based on the entire item being ordered. For Example: Mugs.  
• Brokered Services: Service-based Brokered Services will collect quoted vendor cost information at the point of creating the order and will be used alongside other standard services such as papers, printing, cutting, and packaging. 

Quantity

Set Quantity = Item Quantity. When you add this service to an order item, its quantity should always match the item’s overall quantity so that cost and price scale correctly.

Cost

Choose Material Cost Only; brokered services rarely incur internal time costs.

Material Cost: On the Run Table in the Mat. Cost field, the value present will represent what the vendor is charging you. The field below the Run Table that is labeled "Material Costs and Run Prices Are..." will decide how the value of the Mat. Cost field is read. 

• Per Each: Mat. Cost Value x Item Quantity
• Per Thousand: Mat. Cost Value / 1000 x Item Quantity
• Total: Total Cost x 1 

Multiplier: Apply a multiplier if you incur additional costs (such as storage or handling) that you are not directly paying your vendor. In our example, 1.2 inflates the vendor cost by 20 %.

Price

Below are the most common pricing models for brokered or outsourced services in Printer's Plan:

• Cost + Markup: Enter a fixed or variable percentage in order to markup what the vendor is charging. 
• Use Price Column of Setup & Run Table: Set a fixed price at certain Quantity Breaks on the Run Table
• Ask: The price to the customer will be collected when creating a Quote or Order each time the service is used. 

Run Table

Pre‑define vendor costs at key quantity breaks. In the screenshot, 1–10 mugs cost $15 each, while 11–50 cost $10 each.

• Mat. Costs & Run Prices Are: Use Per Each so QtyBreaks reflect actual ordered units. Selecting Per Thousand would treat 10 as 10,000.
• Between QtyBreaks, Use: Choose Step Method for rigid breaks. (See the Step, Linear & Sum guide for details.)

Setup Workflow

Follow these steps to build a new brokered service:

1. Create a new service in the appropriate Brokered / Outsourced department.
2. Give the service a clear, customer‑friendly Service Name (e.g., “11‑oz Full‑Color Mug”).
3. Set Quantity to Item Quantity.
4. Under Cost, select Material Cost Only and enter the vendor’s cost per unit for your first quantity break.
5. Add additional breaks in the Run Table as needed, then enter your desired Markup %.
6. Save, test the service in a sample order, and adjust breaks or markup until pricing is correct.

Key Points

• Use one service to encapsulate the entire outsourced product.
• Set Quantity to match the ordered item quantity—always.
• Keep Cost as Material Only; add labor in separate services if required.
• Markup pulls directly from the Run Table’s cost at each break.
• Choose Step Method for clean break‑based pricing.

Demonstration

If the video doesn’t load, watch on YouTube.

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