See Subscription | Codes | Source

This option is used to export subscriber rates, modify them in Excel or other third-party program, and import the changes back into Circulation. For example, you may want to create a new promotional rate structure that is similar to an existing promotional rate structure.

The formats of the files that are exported and imported are given in Appendix B of the User Manual.

Keep the following tips in mind when modifying rates:

• When importing new rate information, be sure to include all files that pertain to the rate. For example, if importing new auto pay terms for a combo, include both the Auto Pay Terms and Auto Pay Terms By Product Mix files.

• For each imported rate, the start date you have defined will be the effective date of the changes. When the records are imported back into Circulation, the old records are end-dated one day prior to the start date you defined.

• For flat rates, you need to change only the Total Amount figures.

• For amount-by-day variable rates, ignore the Total Amount column and enter information only in the weekday amount columns. The Total Amount is ignored during import, and will be recalculated in Circulation.

• For percent-by-day variable rates, enter information in both the Total Amount and weekday percent columns.

• Day pass rates will be ignored by Export/Import Rates.

Import or export subscription rates

1. In Graphical Setup, select Accounting | Subscription Rates | Export/Import Rates to display the Export/Import Subscription Rates window.

2. Click Add and enter import/export information in the fields described below. When exporting rates, you specify the rates you wish to export, as well as the names of the files that will be created in the /dti/exchange/cm directory. For example, location rules associated with the selected rates will be exported to a separate file, whose name is specified in the Location Rule field. When importing rates, you specify the files you wish to import.

   Field

   Type

   What to enter
3. Select OK and then Continue to begin the export or import process. A report displays the files that were exported or imported.

See Subscription | Codes | Reason

This section guides the user through the menu options that are available under the Subscription Rates menu.

A delivery fee is an additional daily fee added to the cost of a subscription. A delivery fee may be added, for example, when delivery to a certain building or route is particularly difficult or time-consuming. The daily delivery fee is the same whether a subscriber receives one, two, or more copies per day. Delivery fees are amortized separately over the life of a subscription.

Delivery fees are added during the entry of a new start.

To set up a delivery fee:

1. Select Delivery Fee from the Accounting | Subscription Rates menu to display the Delivery Fee window.
2. Click the Add Delivery Fee icon and complete the following fields.

   Field

   Type

   What to enter

   DELIVERY FEE CODE

   open (8)

   Enter an ID for the delivery fee.

   DESCRIPTION

   open (30)

   Enter a description of the delivery fee.

   START DATE, END DATE

   date

   Enter the date range during which this delivery fee can be used.

   DAILY DELIVERY FEE

   decimal (6.2)

   Enter the daily delivery fee amount that will be added to the subscription charge.

   GL ACCOUNT

   open (40)

   Indicate which GL account should be used for the delivery fee.

3. Click OK to save the information, or click Add Another to both save the information and begin adding another delivery fee.

Delivery Fee Restrictions

• Delivery fees cannot be used with taxable subscriptions. When entering a new start for a taxable subscription, the Delivery Fee combo box will not be available.

• The delivery fee code cannot be changed or removed for an active subscriber.

• Campaign renewals for combo subscriptions can not be entered for non-combo subscriptions that have delivery fees.

• Overriding the term and length of a payment transaction is not allowed for subscribers who have been assigned a delivery fee. The term and length are disabled when entering or modifying payments for these subscribers.

• When grace is paid off for a delivery fee subscriber, the “Before Purchase” grace-payoff method will be used even if the Business Rule, How should grace be paid off when a payment is received? (Subscriber Payments section), is set to “After Purchase,” “Best Deal,” or “Best Deal if Rate Chg.”

• The maximum vacation pack and vacation pack days logic does not support delivery fees. This means that you will not be able to use delivery fees with subscribers who have half or full vacation pack days along with a maximum amount defined in rate term setup.

• In an environment that uses delivery fees, all new starts entered via iServices will be suspended so that a delivery fee can be assigned manually to each one. The Business Rule, What is the default delivery fee code for a new start? (Subscriber - Web: Start section), identifies the default delivery fee to be assigned to these suspended new starts.

This section describes the tabs used to maintain subscription rates. Each tab is discussed in its own section, and all of the procedures you can perform on that tab (e.g., viewing information, adding, modifying, etc.) are explained there.

Rate Code Tab

Use the Rate Code tab to view, add, modify, copy and delete rate codes. Also, the Rate Code tab allows one to choose whether to charge an Activation Fee for a specific Rate Code.

To select a rate:

• Locate the rate code in the left pane of the window.

• Double-click on it. All of the rate code details will be displayed on the Rate Code tab.

The buttons on the bottom of the tab allow you to maintain rate codes. They are described below.

The fields on the Rate Code tab are described below.

Creating Rate Chains

Rate chains allow you to create new reduced or promotional rates based on a percentage of an existing rate. When you add a rate chain, you make a copy of an existing rate (including all of the rate code details, rate term details, and rule-rate links). You assign a rate code to the new rate and enter a percentage of the existing rate.

To create a rate chain:

1. Select the existing rate on which you want to base a new reduced or promo rate.

2. On the Rate Code tab, click the Chain button. The Rate Chains window is displayed.
3. Enter the rate chain information described below.

   Field

   Type

   What to enter

   CREATE RULE RATE LINK

   checkbox

   Select this checkbox if you want to create a new rule rate link for this rate.

   NEW RATE CODE

   open (20)

   Enter a name (i.e., ID) for this rate code. This is what that will appear when viewing and selecting rates for subscribers in Customer Service.

   DESCRIPTION

   open (20)

   Enter a description that will distinguish this rate from other rates.

   RATE TYPE

   predefined

   Identify the type of rate you are creating. You have two options: • Promo—Temporary rate used primarily for new subscribers. After the promotional term, subscribers are automatically assigned a new rate (usually a normal rate). • Reduced—Permanent, reduced rate given as a result of a billing change, change in rating rules, etc.

   NEXT RATE

   setup

   This display-only field shows the next rate, which is automatically the existing rate on which this rate is based.

   TURNOVER RATE

   setup

   Note: This field is active only if you have Business Rules set to rate carrier collect subscribers. Enter the rate code that should apply when office pay subscriptions with this rate are switched to carrier collect or vice versa.

   FREE RATE CODE

   setup

   If this rate contains free days, enter the rate code that should apply to subscribers during their free days. The free rate code will be used only for description purposes and to indicate the discount GL account for the free days discount. Note: Please note that free rates do not support percent-by-day rate terms.

   REASON

   setup

   Enter the reason code that should be linked to this rate, or enter “*” for all. The reason code is considered only when entering Start or Delivery Schedule Change transactions. Click the Reason Code Setup button if you need to set up a new reason code.

   PERCENT DISCOUNT

   open (3)

   Enter the percentage of the existing rate that subscribers should be charged for this rate. For example, if this rate should be 80% of the original rate, enter “80” here. All amounts will be calculated automatically for the new rate.

4. Click OK.

Rate Terms Tab

Rate terms define the subscription periods (e.g., 6 weeks or 1 month) and their corresponding costs for a rate code, as well as the cost of extra copies by day of the week.

On the Rate Terms tab, you can view, add, modify, copy and delete rate terms.

All of the rate terms for this rate code are listed at the top of the tab. To select a rate term, double-click it.

When a subscriber payment is entered, the longest term that can be purchased by the payment amount will be selected, and then the next longest will be added to it, and so on, until the payment is accounted for.

Rather than having a single amount associated with a subscription period, you may specify different amounts for each day of the week. For example, you may want to enter a higher rate for Sunday than for other days of the week. You do this in one of two ways, depending on the type of subscription term:

• If the term is in weeks, amounts can be entered for each day. This is the cost per day of the subscription.

• If the term is in months, quarters, or years, a single amount is specified, and then percentages are entered for each day to “weight” them. For example, you may enter 45% for Sunday, 15% for Wednesday, and 10% for all other days. This means that 45% of the cost of this term is used to buy Sunday papers, 10% for Monday papers, and so on. Percentages can also be entered for weekly terms.

The advantage of specifying rates per day rather than an overall rate is that it can be fairer to the subscriber. With a single overall rate, all days are equal: a subscriber who misses a Sunday paper and is given an extra day will most likely get the extra paper on some other day of the week. Business Rules determine whether subscriber rates vary by day of week.

The fields on the Rate Terms tab are described below.

Rate term amounts are entered on the Rate Term Amounts subtab. These fields are described below.

If rate terms are being defined for a combo subscription, the Rates By Product subtab will also be available. This subtab is used to maintain the costs by day of the week for each publication in the combo. The days of the week that are available for each publication are defined in Combo setup. Days that are not included in the combo will default to a zero value and cannot be modified.

Set Up Rewards

The Rate Term Details tab allows you to add subscriber rewards, such as air miles, to a specific rate term. For example, you may want to give 1,000 air miles to all new subscribers who purchase a 13-week subscription, and offer an additional 500 air miles every time they auto renew.

To set up rewards:

1. Click the Rewards button on the Rate Term Details tab. The Rate Term Reward Setup window appears.
2. Double-click the term to which you want to add rewards.

3. Click Add.

4. Complete the following fields and click OK.

   Field

   Type

   What to enter

   RATE CODE

   setup

   This display-only field shows the rate code ID with which this term is associated.

   PAYMENT LENGTH

   integer (3)

   This display-only field shows the payment length in units of payment terms. For example, if the rate is in effect for one week, the Payment Length would be “1” and the Payment Term would be “week”.

   PAYMENT TERM

   predefined

   This display-only field shows the payment term that corresponds to the Payment Length: year, quarter, month, week or day.

   REWARD PROGRAM

   setup

   Select a reward program from the list. Reward programs are set up in character Circulation: Setup | Business | Reward Program.

   OFFER CODE

   setup

   Select an offer code from the list. Offer codes are set up in character Circulation: Setup | Subscription | Codes | Offer Code.

   START DATE, END DATE

   date

   The date range during which this reward program is valid for this term.

   REWARD

   integer (5)

   Enter the reward amount that the subscriber will receive for this term.

   AUTORENEW REWARD

   integer (5)

   Enter the reward amount that the subscriber will receive when auto renewing for this term.

Auto Pay Terms

The Auto Pay Terms tab allows auto-renew subscribers to be billed monthly while their payments are amortized using per-copy amounts that vary by weekday. The Auto Pay Terms tab is enabled for subscription rates with weekly terms and for which amounts or percentages by day have been specified. This tab is where the monthly, override rate terms are specified for auto-renewal purposes.

The Auto Pay Terms panel at the top of the tab shows the monthly terms that have already been set up for the selected rate code. Clicking on an existing monthly term will display the details of that term in the Auto Pay Term Details panel below it. The Rates By Product panel is used when entering rates for each component of a combo.

To set up a monthly auto-pay term:

1. With the desired subscription rate term highlighted in the rate tree, click on the Auto Pay Terms tab. This tab is enabled for subscription rates that have weekly terms and amounts or percentages by day already set up.

2. Click Add and complete the following fields as needed:

   • Rate Code—The selected rate code is displayed.

   • Billing Length—Enter the number of months for this auto-pay term.

   • Billing Term—“Month” is displayed, as only monthly terms can be used with this option.

   • Start Date and End Date—Specify the date range during which this auto-pay term is valid. The end date is optional.

3. Enter the amount of the auto-pay term as follows:

   • For a regular rate (i.e., a non-combo rate), enter the amount charged to the subscriber for this term in the Amount field.

   • For a combo rate, enter the amount for each component product in the Rates By Product Mix panel. Double-click in the Total column and enter the charge for each component for this term. The Amount field above will display the total amount of all component products.
4. Click OK to save the auto-pay term.

Rate Fixed Term

Non-refundable normal rates can be set up with fixed end dates. This feature is useful for offering a “teacher” type of subscription—a fixed price for the entire school year. Teachers can start the subscription whenever they want, but the end date is fixed (coinciding with the last day of the school year). Teachers typically receive a significant discount for such subscriptions (e.g., 20.00 for the entire school year, paid in advance), but subscriptions are not extended for any reason, and any balances remaining at the end of the period are not refunded. All starts within the period for which the rate is valid will end on the same date and cost the same amount.

The fields on this tab are as follows:

• Rate Code—The rate code is displayed.

• Start Date—The first date on which new starts can be entered with this rate.

• End Date—The last date on which new starts can be entered with this rate.

• Fixed End Date—The permanent stop date for all subscribers on this rate. On the fixed end date, system-generated stop transactions will be created for the subscribers, and these transactions cannot be modified or deleted.

• Source—The source code for the permanent stops created on the fixed end date.

• Reason—The reason code for the permanent stops created on the fixed end date.

• Donation Code—The donation code for GL purposes.

When entering a start for a fixed-rate, fixed end-date subscription, the Billing Method field will be populated with “office pay,” and it cannot be changed. Also, the Renew After This Term checkbox will be set based on a Business Rule, When entering a fixed term start, what is the default answer to “Renew after this term?,” which is in the Customer Services section.

Discount Rate Codes Tab

Discount GL accounts are used to record discount amounts attached to promo, reduced, retail and free day rates, as well as term discounts, overridden rates and “let’s make a deal” rates (if the subscriber pays an extra amount, they are given a lengthened subscription rather than a refund). The Discount Rate Codes tab is where you define these accounts. Separate accounts can be defined for each day of the week, and can vary based on product, distribution method, and other parameters.

When you select a rate code, the discount GL account entries are displayed at the top of the Discount Rate Codes tab. To view the details of a specific entry, double-click it. The fields are populated with the details.

The fields on the Discount Rate Codes tab are described below.

Rules Tab

You use the Rules tab to create and maintain the rules used for subscriber rating. These are the rules that appear as valid entries in lookups when you run the rate setup wizard. If you want to add a new publication rule, for example, you need to create it on the Publication tab.

The Rules tab allows you to define and maintain subscription rate rules. This tab contains several sub tabs, one for each rule:

• Rate Links Sub-Tab

• Publication Sub-Tab

• Subscription Sub-Tab

• Occupant Sub-Tab

• Payment Sub-Tab

• Location Sub-Tab

• Rate Class Sub-Tab

The options for each sub-tab are the same.

Each subtab is described next.

Rate Links Sub-Tab

You may enter different combinations of rules for the same rate code. For example, if residents of your primary market area (PMA) and your city market area (CITY) should get the same rate but all other AAM zones should get a different rate, set up three rule/rate records. Two of the records (for PMA and CITY) would have the same rate code. Business Rules determine whether carrier collect subscriptions should be rated.

The fields on the Rate Links sub-tab are described below.

Publication Sub-Tab

Use this sub-tab to set up and maintain subscriber rating rules based on the publication the subscriber receives. If you publish more than one publication, and each one has a different rate, you must set up a publication rule for each.

Subscription Sub-Tab

Use this sub-tab to set up and maintain subscriber rating rules based on subscription information, such as the delivery schedule and delivery type. One of the subscription items is the reason code, which describes why the subscription was started. If you have a promotional rate, you can use a special reason code (such as “promo”) that the operator enters for the new start. Then, you can define a subscription rule for the “promo” reason code and link it to a promotional rate.

The subscription rules that are displayed on this sub-tab depend on the filter criteria entered in the Delivery Type, Schedule, Source, and Reason fields. Enter values in these fields and then click Filter to display subscription rules that match the criteria.

Occupant Sub-Tab

Use this sub-tab to set up and maintain subscriber rating rules that determine rates based on occupant types. For example, you may decide to define a rule for all subscribers who are senior citizens, or you might set up a different rule for students.

Payment Sub-Tab

Use this sub-tab to set up and maintain subscriber rating rules for the types of payments received, such as bank draft and credit card auto renewal.

You may give subscribers special rates depending on how they pay for their subscription. For example, you could have a special offer for subscribers who automatically renew via credit card.

Location Sub-Tab

Use this sub-tab to set up and maintain subscriber rating rules that determine rates based on location, including city, route, and dwelling type. You must set up at least one location rule. The location may be any combination of route, AAM zone, census tract, dwelling type, district, Zip code, country, state, county, delivery placement and city. For example, if you have different promotional rates for in-state and out-of-state subscribers, define one rule for each. Another example might be to define a rule specifying that apartment dwellers in a certain city get a designated rate.

Subscriber rating rules can be set up either independently (as with this option) or as part of the rule-rate link process. You must set up at least one location rule (this applies to other rules as well).

The location rules that are displayed on this sub-tab depend on the filter criteria entered in the various address, Placement, and Dwelling fields. Enter values in these fields and then click Filter to display existing location rules that match the criteria.

Rate Class Sub-Tab

Subscription rate classes are user-defined categories used to group together routes that have similar subscriber rates. Routes can be assigned to a subscription rate class when they are set up, and a subscription rate class may be specified when setting up a location rule (see above).

As an example of how a subscription rate class can be used, say you have all the routes in a neighborhood called “Upper Town” grouped into a subscriber rate class. A location rule using that subscriber rate class could then be added and linked to a special subscriber rate. Any subscriber delivered by an “Upper Town” route would then qualify for the special rate. Of course, this can be done without a subscriber rate class, by setting up individual location rules for each “Upper Town” route. But with a subscriber rate class only one location rule is needed, making it easier to enter and keep track of subscriber rates.

Fee Code Setup is used to create activation or printed bill fees for a certain product or multiple products and their related rate codes.

To set up a fee code:

• Select Fee Code from the Accounting | Subscription Rates menu to display the Fee Code window.
• In the Fee Code section, click Add () to create a new Fee Code and complete the following fields.

  Field

  Type

  What to enter

• Click OK to create the Fee Code.
• To add the details to the new Fee Code, select the created Fee Code from the Fee Code table.
• Then, in the Fee Code Info section, click Add () and complete the following fields.

  Field

  Type

  What to enter

• Click OK to save the Fee Code Info.

By default, subscription rates are validated based on publication, delivery schedule, delivery method, and date. If a rate is not valid for all of these elements, it is considered an invalid rate for a subscriber in Customer Service—it will not default for the subscriber, appear in an F2 lookup, or be validated when exiting the rate code field.

Using Rating Validation, you can include one or more additional fields when validating subscription rates in Customer Service and iServices. Some of them are used only during certain transactions, or are applied differently depending on whether the subscriber’s payment type is being changed. The table below lists the fields that can be used during validation for each transaction type.

For example, if the subscriber’s rate must be valid for the reason code entered in order to be a valid rate, you would check Should Rates be Validated Based on the Reason Code? in Rating Validation.

To set up rating validation:

1. Select Rating Validation from the Subscription Rates menu to display the Rating Validation screen.
2. Click the Add icon and enter the fields described in the table below.

   Field

   Type

   What to enter
3. Click OK to save the rating validation for this product in the database, or Add Another to save the existing record and add rating validation for another product.

Overriding Rate Validation

Users who have been granted rate override security privileges (using the “RateCdOverride” transaction security item) are not affected by this rating validation setup. By default, no users are set up with this privilege. This override security, however, does not apply to Campaign setup or to any transactions entered in iServices.

The term “subscriber rating” refers to setting up subscription rates (i.e., what you will charge subscribers for receiving the paper). In subscriber rating, amounts are linked with a set of rules and defined by payment lengths (for example, 25.00 for 13 weeks) to form rate terms. The rate terms are then linked with a rate code, and the rate code is linked with the rating rules to form the rate.

In some cases, a subscriber may be eligible for two rates, each with a “particular” rule. For example, let’s say a subscriber has a delivery type of “mail” and a dwelling type of “apartment”, and therefore qualifies for two rates, as follows:

In these cases, Circulation defaults the rate by consulting a rule hierarchy. It first gives priority to promotional and reduced rates (as defined in the rate term). It then goes down the rules (and items within each rule) in hierarchical order, defaulting the rate with the highest “particular” item for which the subscriber is eligible).

The rules and items listed in the tables above are in the correct hierarchy (Publication first, Subscription second, etc.). In our example, Delivery Type (in the Subscription Rule) is above Dwelling Type (in the Location Rule), so Rate 1 would be assigned to this subscriber. Rule hierarchies apply to account rates as well.

The hierarchy is used to default rates during starts, billing changes, and other transactions. You can override the default and enter a different rate, even if the subscriber does not qualify for all of the rules. However, in order to qualify for the rate, the subscriber must at least have the same publication, delivery schedule and delivery method as defined in the rate.

The procedure for setting up subscriber rates is shown in shown and explained below.

1. The first step is to set up rules for all of your rating combinations (i.e., the publication, subscription, occupant, payment and location rules).

2. The next step is to set up rate codes, which define certain attributes of rates (such as the rate type, renewal message, start date and end date).

3. The third step is to link the rules with the rate codes. This step is required for all rate types except “retail” and “free” rates.

4. Finally, you must set up different terms for each rate. Terms specify the various payment lengths and amounts for each rate code. A rate code can have many terms (e.g., 13 weeks, 26 weeks, 52 weeks, etc.) or just one term (e.g., 13 weeks only).

About Discounted Rates

Newspapers commonly offer discount rates to new subscribers, specific types of subscribers (such as seniors), or subscribers who buy long subscription terms. To handle discounting, Circulation uses three special rate types: promotional, reduced, and retail. Free days can also be attached to a rate.

Promotional Rates

Promotional rates are used primarily for new subscribers and are only temporary. After the first subscription term, subscribers are automatically “stepped up” to a different rate—the one in the Next Rate field of the promotional rate code. So, you could have a promotional rate called “1/2-off”, which has a normal Next Rate of “DS”. After the first subscription period, subscribers with the “1/2-off” rate will step up to “DS”.

Reduced Rates

Reduced rates are “permanent”—a subscriber with a reduced rate will only be given a different rate as a result of a billing change, change in rating rules, etc. In the case of reduced rates, the Next Rate field is used only to calculate the discount (Circulation keeps track of subscriber rate discounts). So, if a reduced rate called “student” offers 13 weeks for 30.00, and its Next Rate, “DS”, offers 35.00 for 13 weeks, Circulation would treat it as a 35.00 subscription with a 5.00 discount.

Retail Rates

If a normal rate itself includes discounts (typically for longer subscription terms), you can use a retail rate as the Next Rate in order to create the discount. For example, look at the rates below.

“DS” is a normal rate whose Next Rate is the retail rate “DSret”. For smaller rate terms such as 6 weeks, the rates are the same. But for terms of 13 weeks or longer, “DS” has a discount. So, a “DS” subscription of 26 weeks would be seen by Circulation as a 23.00 rate with a 3.00 discount. Note that retail rates cannot be assigned to subscribers directly or used in rule-rate links; a normal rate will never “step up” to a retail rate. Their only purpose is to define discount amounts for normal rates. Also note that if there were a 52-week promotional rate of 31.00 in this example, the discount on the promo rate would be based on the retail rate (44.00) rather than the normal rate.

Free Days

Free days work independently of other discounted rates. Free days can be given at the beginning or end of a subscription period and are not amortized with the rest of the subscriber rate. For example, if a subscriber receives 7 free days at the beginning of the subscription period and stops after 6 days, the subscriber should be refunded the entire payment amount.

To accomplish this, Circulation actually creates two subscription periods for the subscriber: one for the free days and one for the rest of the term. The “free days” period will have a per-copy rate of 0 and a discount amount; it will use the rate code entered in Free Rate Code to determine the discount GL account. The paid rate will have a standard per-copy rate and no discount. This all happens behind the scenes; in Customer Service, the subscriber will appear to have only one subscription period. The only indication of a discounted rate being used is that, during the free days, the subscriber will be assigned the rate code entered in Free Rate Code.

About Marketing Terms

Refer Deprecated feature section - Marketing Terms

Rate Chains

You can set up multiple rates in a sequence, known as a “rate chain”, by having the promotional rate step up to a different promotional rate, which then steps up to a normal rate after the second promotional term. For example, new subscribers could be given a “1/2 off” promotional rate for 13 weeks as an incentive to subscribe. After the initial 13 weeks, they could be stepped up to a “1/3 off” promotional rate. After the second subscription term, you could have the subscriber step up to a permanent, normal rate. You can chain as many rates as you like.

This rate chain example requires three rate codes to be set up, as shown in the following table.

The subscriber would receive these rates as follows:

Since the Next Rate must always be set up previously, you should create these rates in reverse order. For example:

1. Set up the “fullprice” normal rate first, with a Next Rate of itself.

2. Set up the “onethirdoff” promotional rate, with a Next Rate of “fullprice”.

3. Finally, set up the “halfoff” promotional rate, with a Next Rate of “onethirdoff”.

For instructions on how to use the Rate Chain option, see Creating Rate Chains.

About Fixed Rate Terms

It is possible to set up subscriptions with fixed end dates. This feature is useful for offering a “teacher” type of subscription—a fixed price for the entire school year. Teachers can start the subscription whenever they want, but the end date is fixed (coinciding with the last day of the school year). Teachers typically receive a significant discount for such subscriptions (e.g., 20.00 for the entire school year, paid in advance), but subscriptions are not extended for any reason, and any balances remaining at the end of the period are not refunded. All starts within the period for which the rate is valid will end on the same date and cost the same amount.

Fixed rates are set up on the Rate Fixed Term tab, which is accessible for all normal rates that are non-refundable.

When entering a new start for a fixed-rate, fixed end-date subscription, the Billing Method field will be populated with “office pay,” and it cannot be changed. Also, the Renew After This Term checkbox will be set based on a Business Rule, When entering a fixed term start, what is the default answer to “Renew after this term?,” which is in the Customer Services section.

About Day Pass Rates

If you offer day pass subscriptions (see the User Manual), you must set up day pass rates separately from your standard subscription (term) rates. For day pass rates, the Subscription Type field on the Rate Code tab must be “Day Pass”, and rate terms are defined for a term type of “Day”. For single day passes, define a term length of 1 day. For day pass bundles, define terms for lengths greater than one. For example, if you offer single day passes and bundles of 5 and 10 day passes, you would set up a day pass rate with terms of 1, 5 and 10 days.

You must also define at least one subscription rule with a Subscription Type of “Day Pass”, which can be linked to your day pass rates.

Adding Subscription Rates

You add new subscription rates by completing the Subscription Rate Setup Wizard. The wizard guides you step-by-step through the entire process of setting up a new rate, including the entry of all rate code information, rules, rate terms and the rule-rate link.

To launch the wizard:

1. Select Accounting | Subscription Rates. The Subscription Rates interface is displayed.

Using the wizard is simple. The cards are arranged so that you can answer a few questions, click Next> to go to the next card, answer some more questions, and so on, until you’ve entered all of the information necessary to create the new rate. When you reach the last card of the wizard, click Create to save the new rate and end the wizard.

You can also go back to previous cards to change your entries, skip certain sections (thereby accepting the default entries on those cards), or cancel the wizard at any time. You perform these tasks by clicking the buttons shown in the following table.

Every time you use the wizard, you are taken through the process of creating a new rate. Depending on the rate type you specify, certain cards may or may not appear. This section describes all of the cards that may appear, in order, and provides some detail about the types of entries you can make on them. In cases where a card appears only for a certain rate type, that fact will be noted.

Create a New Subscription Rate

This card appears when you launch the wizard. Here, you enter the most basic information about the new rate, such as they rate type and name of the rate.

Select Flat, Rate by Day, or Percent Rate

On this card, identify whether this rate is a flat or percent rate:

• Flat—Select this option if you want to build the rate by entering a flat amount for the entire rate.

• Rate by Day—Select this option if different rate amounts should be specified for each day (Sun-Sat). Each day’s amount is added and multiplied by the term length to calculate the total subscription amount. For example, if defining a 13 week term, the total of each day will be multiplied by 13 to determine the total rate amount.

• Percent by Day—Select this option if you want to enter a total subscription amount, and then assign each day a certain percentage of that amount. The total of all days must be 100%.

Select Rate Terms

On this card, you select the terms (e.g., “12 weeks”, “6 months”, etc.) for this rate. To select a rate term, highlight it in the list on the left. Then, click Add> to move it to the list on the right. You can select multiple terms to use with a rate. If you need to remove a rate term, select it from the list on the right and click <Remove.

Different terms types are available, based on whether the rate is flat, rate by day, or percent:

• If flat, terms can be defined by week, month, quarter, or year.

• If rate by day, terms can only be defined by week.

• If percent by day, terms can only be defined by week or month.

Enter Rate Term Detail (Flat Rate)

If defining a flat rate, enter the cost of the rate. The per copy rate will be determined by dividing the flat rate by the number of delivery days in the subscription term.

Enter Rate Term Detail (Rate by Day)

On this card, you build the cost of each rate term you selected in the previous card. If this rate is a rate by day rate, you will be asked to enter the cost by day in amounts. The cost of the entire term will be updated as you enter the cost for each day (multiplied by the number of weeks in the term). Be sure to complete the detail for each term in the list.

Enter Rate Term Detail (Percent Rate)

On this card, you enter the cost of each rate term you selected in the previous card. You’ll enter the cost for the entire term and, for each day of the week, the percentage of the total cost represented by that day. For example, enter “20” for Sundays if they represent 20% of the cost of the subscription.

Enter Rate Code GL Accounts Setup

Discount GL accounts are used to record discount amounts attached to promo, reduced, retail and free day rates, as well as term discounts, overridden rates and “let’s make a deal” rates (if the subscriber pays an extra amount, they are given a lengthened subscription rather than a refund). On this card, you define the discount GL accounts for each day of the week.

Link Reward Programs

On this card, you can link a rewards program to the terms you created on the previous cards.

Enter Delivery Information

On this card, you begin entering rules for the new rate, starting with the subscription rules of delivery schedule and delivery type.

Enter Delivery Information (continued)

This card is a continuation of the Delivery Information questions.

Enter Location Information (1 of 3)

This is the first of three cards that asks you to enter the location rules for this rate (i.e., if this rate is valid only in certain locations). If you do not need to define rules for location, you can click Advance to accept the defaults and skip these cards.

Enter Location Information (2 of 3)

This is a continuation of the previous card. It allows you to narrow down the location even further into AAM zone, route, and district.

Enter Location Information (3 of 3)

This is the last card for entering location rules.

Select the Occupant Type

If this rate is associated with a specific occupant type, you can select one here. Just click to highlight it. Otherwise, just click Next>.

Select Auto Renew Type

If this is an auto renew rate, select Credit (for credit card auto renew), Bank (bank draft auto renew), or PayPal (for PayPal Express Checkout auto renew). Otherwise, select No (this rate is not auto renew).

Enter Rate Code Details

On this card, you enter the last details necessary to create the new rate code, such as the date range, a description, and other details.

Enter Free Days Information

Some rates contain “free days” at the beginning or end of the subscription period (for example, “buy 2 months, get 2 weeks free”). If this rate contains free days, answer the questions on this card. Otherwise, just go to the next card.

Enter Carrier Collect Information

On this card, you may set up carrier collect days for the rate.

Complete the New Rate

On this card, you link the rate code to all of the rules you have been entering throughout the wizard. You also have the option to change the names in any of the enabled fields. Values in grayed-out fields cannot be changed.

To accept the rate code and rule names and complete the new rate, click Create.