Special Rate Codes

Special rates for special customers can be maintained in the Special Rate Codes window in the "Rental Rates & Pricing" parameters on the Operations tab of the Configure System Settings.

Special Rates can be used to setup repeat special rental rates for customers who get preferential rates, or for special deals on certain items, or to define rates for different stores or divisions.
e.g. tables, and table skirting may be rented for 15% off to Mall merchants for Sidewalk Sales.

Note: If a customer regularly gets a flat discount on everything rented (i.e. 20% discount on all rentals), setup the discount in Customer Information instead of using the special rates.

For general information on how product rates are setup refer to Rate Structures.

Security:

An operator must be assigned a Security Role that allows permission to the Operations - Special Rate Codes in order to access all special rates in this table for all divisions.
However if Operations - Special Rate Codes role permission is not allowed but the Operations - Division Special Rate is allowed, the operator can still view all Special Rates and the associated drill down windows, but can only modify the Special Rates for his Division, and only if there is a quantity On Hand for the product at his Location as defined in the Operators.
When both Operations - Special Rate Codes and Operations - Division Special Rates are unchecked the operator has no access to the Special Rates table.

Note: This Special Rate and Divisional Special Rates security also applies to rate access in the Product/Group Special Rates window of the Rental Inventory.

Web Portal Rate Inquiry:

The Rate Inquiry API on the Portal respects the customer and division Special Rate structure.

Basic Setup of Special Rates:

Step 1

A special Rate Level code, such as S - Sidewalk Sales is setup using Special Rate Codes.

Step 2

Next assign this code to the "Rate Level" of all customers (such as Mall merchants) who qualify for this special deal.
This can be set in the window on the "Details" field of Special Rate Codes after the level has been defined, and is also accessible in the Customer Information for each customer, as outlined in either the Special Pricing.

Note: A more complex special rate priority setup can be defined for each customer using these Special Rates in the Customer Information as outlined in the Multi-Tiered Special Pricing window, if the Multi-Tiered Pricing feature has been activated in the Company Rate Parameters

Step 3

Then set special rates for the products that apply to this special deal.
The special rates can be setup in the window on the "Details" field of Special Rate Codes as outlined in Product Special Rates.

Special rates can only be setup for a Rate Code if a standard rate structure already exists for the product or Group that includes that Rate Code. e.g. Daily, Weekly, etc
This is because the Special rates table uses the To Hours and the Rate Hours values from the existing rate structure.
If the Rental Inventory has no rates at all then the Group standard rate structure can be used to determine those values for the Rate Code at the product level Special rate too.

Note: If the rate structure is changed on either the product or the Group after Special rates have been setup, any new values for To Hours and Rate Hours will be reflected in the Special Rates table as well.

When contracts or reservations are entered and there are special rates assigned to the customer, then the special rates will apply to the selected items.
If the customer does not have any special rates set, then he will be charged according to the Rate Level assigned to the Division.
If there is no Divisional Rate Level, the standard rates will be used.

Note: If a Rate Level other than (Blank) Standard Rates has been assigned to a customer, this rate level will determine the rental rates, even if the Rate Level assigned to a customer results in higher rates than the divisional or standard rates.

Invalid Rates
If Special rates were based on an existing standard rate for the product, and that standard product rate is deleted then the Special rate record becomes invalid and is displayed in red.
If the Group To Hours and Rate Hours were initially used to setup product Special rates, and later any standard rates were added at the product level, then the Group defined Special rates become invalid and are displayed in red to alert the operator that they no longer will apply.
By drilling down to the Special Rates for that Level, the rate table will be rebuilt and the invalid records will be removed.

Step 4

The rates by discount percent can be setup in the two Rate Discounts windows for Products and Groups in advance but to activate them on rental documents the 'Enable Discount % By Special Rate Level' flag must be set in the Company Rate Parameters.

Regional Rental Rate Matrix:

Special rental rates can also be charged by Rate Types that are assigned to specific kinds of customers, if those customers are not already assigned a Special Rate code.
Each division can then be assigned Special Rental Rates for that Rate Type. This provides regional control over rental rates and price breaks by customer type, on Contracts, Reservations, Quotations, etc.
e.g. A Customer identified with a Regional Rental Rate Type as a Contractor, would be charged the special rental contractor rates for equipment, according to the rental Division on the Contract, Reservation, Quotation, etc.

Step 1

Define the Rate Codes in Special Rate Codes.

Step 2

Setup the special rates in the window on the "Details" field of Special Rate Codes as outlined in Product Special Rates for the applicable products.

Step 3

Setup the Matrix Rate Types according to the customer types in Regional Rental Rate Types.
e.g. H - HOMEOWNER or C - CONTRACTOR

Step 4

Assign the "Regional Rental Rate Type" for the relevant customers, in the Codes window of Customer Information.

Step 5

Assign the Special Rates to the Matrix Rate Types for each division in Regional Rental Rate Matrix.
Rate Matrix's that are the same as that of another Division may be copied using Clone Regional Rental Rate Matrix.

Note: If a customer also has a Special Rate Level assigned, then the Regional Rental Rate Matrix will not apply.

Divisional Rental Rates:

Special Rates also enable different divisions to have different rental rates.

Step 1

First, the divisional Rate Level is setup using Special Rate Codes.
Use the Division code for the Rate Level Code.
e.g. Rate Level 1 for Division 1, Rate Level 2 for Division 2, etc.

Step 2

The Rate Level Code must be assigned to the division in the Divisional Rate Parameters.

Step 3

Set up the divisional rental rates for that Rate Level.
Use Copy Special Rental Rates to copy the standard rates to the Divisional Rate Level Code, then use Product Special Rates to alter the rates that are different for your division.

When a contract or reservation is entered, the division selected determines the rate level, and thereby the rental rates.
Note: The divisional Rate Level only applies if the Customer does not have a special Rate Level assigned in the Customer Information.

Determining the Rate:

There are two approaches for calculating the Special Rate (flat dollar amount type and discount percent of rate type) and when a flat dollar and a discount percent both apply to an item, they are stacked so that the customer actually gets both by getting the percent off the flat dollar special rate.
However when either or both of the two approaches (flat dollar amount type and percent of rate discount type) are setup at the Division and at the Customer level, when the priority over-ride is applied it applies only to the same Special Rate type.
Examples:

• If the Division has both a special dollar rate and a discount percent, but the Customer also has a dollar special rate for the same item, the Customer's dollar special rate is applied with the Division's discount percent special rate.
• Similarly If the Division has both a special dollar rate and a discount percent, but the Customer only has a discount percent special rate for the same item, the Division's dollar special rate is applied with the Customer's discount percent special rate.
• If the Division and Customer are both setup with both dollar and percent special rates, then the Customer's values over-ride the Division's.

The priority when determining rates is:

1st) Customer Rate Level

or Using Multi-tiered:

1. Tier 1 by product Group
2. Tier 2 prioritized by Special Rate level in sequence of table
3. Tier 3 Special Rate level

When determining which rental rate to use, the Rate Level assigned to the customer in Customer Information is always checked first.

Note: If a Rate Level other than (Blank) Standard Rates has been assigned or any Multi-tiered rates have been assigned, this rate structure will be used to determine the rental rates, even if the Rate Level assigned to the customer results in HIGHER rates than the divisional or standard rates.

2nd) Regional Rental Rate Matrix

If the specific customer has not been assigned a Rate Level, the Regional Rate Matrix applies according to the Regional Rental Rate Type assigned to that customer.

3rd) Divisional Rate Level

If no "match" is found in the Regional rental rates for the product either, then the Divisional Rate Level applies as defined in Divisional Rate Parameters.
It is the rate for the document division that applies as stamped at the time the document header was created.

4th) Standard Rates

If the divisional Rate Level is also blank (Standard Rates) then the rates on the rental products as setup in Rental Inventory apply.

Note: Because the rental rate is determined separately for each rate code (i.e. Daily, Weekly, 4 Weeks) it is possible for the rate amount to be from a different calculation for each rate code.
e.g. Daily rate to be from a Special Rate, and Weekly rate from a standard product rate, etc.

Unique Rate Structure Setup:

The Suppress 0 Rates On Document parameter in the Company Rate Parameters can be used to allow two different rate structures for the same product or group to be maintained using Special Rates.
Refer to Company Rate Parameters for setup and examples.

Accessing Existing Special Rates:

SEARCH KEYWORD

The 'Search Keyword' field can be used to help find an existing Special Rate code.
Leave this field blank to return all rates in the table or to narrow the list enter a partial or full rate Code or partial or full rate code Description to filter the list to only return the matches.

Note: This filter is case sensitive.

Loading Special Rates:
After reviewing an existing list, to setup a new Rate Level Code click ADD button and enter the new values in the pop-up by the Level with the Description, Expiry date ,the Trade and Rental Discount flags.
These fields are fully explained below in the paging screen details.

Special Rates Fields:

LEVEL

Use up to 6 characters for the rate level code.

Special deals that do not apply to other customers may maybe required for a specific customer.
In that case, use the customer number as the Rate Level number to make it easy to remember the Rate Level Codes.
A window is provided to look up the customer#.

Examples:
S - SIDEWALK SALE CUSTOMERS
612 - BROOKFIELD LANDSCAPING RATES
G - SPRING GARDEN SALE

DETAILS

Window to the following Special Rate utilities that apply to the selected Rate Level:

PRODUCT SPECIAL RATES

Window to assign this rate level to specific products and to define the special rate charges, as outlined in Product Special Rates.

PRODUCT RATE DISCOUNTS

Window to assign this rate level to specific products and to define the discounts to apply to eligible rate codes, as outlined in Rate Discounts.

Note: A warning is triggered if rate discounts are setup but the feature to respect them has not been enabled by the Enable Discount % By Special Rate Level flag in the Company Rate Parameters.

GROUP SPECIAL RATES

Window to assign this rate level at the product Group level and to define the special rate charges, as outlined in Group Special Rates.

GROUP RATE DISCOUNTS

Window to assign this rate level at the product Group level and to define the discounts to apply to eligible rate codes, as outlined in Rates Discounts.

Note: A warning is triggered if rate discounts are setup but the feature to respect them has not been enabled by the Enable Discount % By Special Rate Level flag in the Company Rate Parameters.

ASSOCIATED CUSTOMERS

Window to enter customers that are eligible for the special rate.
A window is provided to search for the customer record.
Changes to customer special rate information are tracked in the Audit Log.
A second window is provided on the Phone field to view alternate phone numbers.

Special rate levels can also be set for the customer in Customer Information.

Note: This window is disabled if the multi-tier rates feature is active or if the operator only has role permission to update Divisional special rates.

RATEBOOK

Click the RATEBOOK button to generate a rates report as outlined in Print Rate Book.

Finished?

Click OK to exit the Details window.

DESCRIPTION

Type in the description of the Rate Level or the Name of the Customer.

EXPIRY

Type in the date when this Special Rate Level expires.
If there is no expiry date, type in 12312999.

An expiry notification report/email warning can be generated as outlined in Automatic Reporting, at five, thirty, sixty and ninety days prior to expiry, on the expiry date, and also for any previously expired rate codes.

Note: If the Rate Level is manually entered or over-typed on a document in the Rental Period window, the expiry date is not recognized and the special rates will still apply.

TRADE DISCOUNT

Check this box to allow Trade Discounts to be given on the rental products using this special rate.
Uncheck this box to prevent Trade Discounts from being given on any products that are given this special rate at any level.

For more information on this discount feature refer to the Trade Discounts.

RENTAL DISCOUNT

Check this box to allow standard Rental Discounts to be given on the rental products using this special rate.

Uncheck this box to prevent any Rental Discounts from being given on any products that are given this special rate at any level.
The Special Rates by Discount percent as setup in the in Rates Discounts window respects this flag.

The ability to disallow discounts can also be set for specific Product Classes in Rental Product Classes.

Note: These discount flags do NOT apply when a product is included in a Kit, or a split billing invoice is generated.

Finished?

Click ACCEPT to accept the special rate codes and exit the screen.

ACTIONS:
Additional actions provided by buttons on the Special Rate Codes screen include:

Note: After clicking either the REPORT button or the UPDATE button before proceeding with the action a message is triggered, to warn that any special rates that have been partially added but not completed may be lost, to allow the operator to abort if required and to save the data first.

• Print a Special Rates Report:
  Click the REPORT button to generate the following:
  • A list of the special rates as outlined in Special Rates Report.
  • If the Enable Multi-Tier Pricing feature has been activated in the Company Rate Parameters, the option to print the Tier 1 Pricing Report is also provided.

• Update Existing Special Rates:
  Click the UPDATE button to increase or decrease existing special rates for products and Groups as outlined in Rate Increase/Decrease Utility.