Creating Services To Ask For Information Follow

This article will explain how to create services that ask for information when creating items using the service. In order to have Printer's Plan ask for information, the service must be set up to require that information for calculations but not have the information available. In this specific scenario, the program will ask for that information. Below are some examples of this setup. 

Ask For Material Cost Per Each  & Price Per Each

• This service has its cost set to 'Material Cost Only' but in the Run Table, the Material Cost is blank. 
• This service has the price set to 'Use Price Column Of Setup & Run Table' but the column on the Run Table for Price is blank. 

When using this service on an item for a job, the program will ask for the cost per each and the price per each. 

 

Ask For A Service Time

This example is an hourly design service that is time based. The quantity field is not being used so the service will not output a quantity but will price based on the hourly cost established. 

• This service's cost is set to 'Time Cost Only' 
• In the cost area the 'Cost / Hour' is set to $52.00 an hour. 
• There is no information in the "Units Per Hour' field on the Run Table. 

This service will prompt the CSR to enter a time in hours and minutes and will use that time to establish a cost and will then apply the pricing which in this example is set to 'Cost + Markup'.

 

Ask for the Cost Per Each

This is an example service set up for brokered services. This service demonstrates how to have the program ask for a cost per each when the service is applied to an item on a job. 

• The cost is set to 'Material Cost Only'
• The Run Table has no information in the 'Mat. Cost' field
• The 'Mat. Cost and Run Prices Are' field is set to 'Per Each'

 

Ask for the Cost Per Thousand

Similar to the previous example; this service will ask for the material cost. This service demonstrates how to have the program ask for a cost per thousand when the service is applied to an item on a job. 

• The cost is set to 'Material Cost Only'
• The Run Table has no information in the 'Mat. Cost' field
• The 'Mat. Cost and Run Prices Are' field is set to 'Per M (1000)'

 

Ask How Many Of This Service

By disabling the quantity and using the 'Multiply By' function of the service the quantity can be adjusted on the item level. 

• The quantity of this service is set to 'Not Used' which will remove the quantity output of the service. 
• The field labeled 'Multiply By' has a 0 but the additional field contains the text 'pieces'. 

This service will ask you 'How many pieces?' when selected for an item. 

 

Ask How Many Of This Service And Cost Per Each

Similar to the previous example 'Ask How Many Of This Service' setup, this will ask how many will be used as well as what the cost per each of this service is. 

• The quantity of this service is set to 'Not Used' which will remove the quantity output of the service. 
• The field labeled 'Multiply By' has a 0 but the additional field contains the text 'pieces'. 
• The cost is set to 'Material Cost Only' 
• The Run Table has no information in the 'Mat. Cost' field
• The field 'Mat. Costs & Run Prices Are' field is set to 'Per Each'

This service will prompt 2 questions; 'How many pieces?' and 'What is the cost per each?'.

 

Ask For The Total Cost Of A Service

This service will not output a quantity but will add a service to the item that will prompt the CSR to enter a total cost for the service. 

• The quantity field is not used
• The cost is set to 'Material Cost Only'
• The 'Mat. Cost' field is empty

 

 

These examples all show different service setups that require information but don't have the information it needs to do the calculations. If a service is not prompting as expected, it needs to be adjusted to require that information or your settings are automatically using the 'last cost' or 'last price' used for the service and updating your settings or repricing the job will prompt you for the information.