8 Bundles

A bundle is a set of charge offers, discount offers, or both. Bundles allow you to group offers that you want to sell together.

To work with bundles, see the following topics:

For overview information, see "About Creating Product Offerings" in PDC Creating Product Offerings.

Creating a Bundle

To create a bundle:

  1. In the Pricing section of the navigation pane, under Bundling, click Create Bundle.

    The Create Bundle page appears.

  2. Specify general information and settings for the bundle. See "Specifying Bundle General Information and Settings".

  3. Optionally, add subscription terms to the bundle. See "Adding Terms to a Bundle".

  4. Add charge offers or discount offers to the bundle. See "Adding an Offer to a Bundle".

  5. Define prerequisites and mutually exclusive relationships between bundles. See "Defining Dependencies for Bundles".

  6. Define rules for transitioning from one bundle to another. See "Defining Transition Rules for Bundles".

  7. Click Finish.

    The Bundle overview page appears.

Specifying Bundle General Information and Settings

To specify bundle settings:

  1. In the General Information section, enter a name and description.
  2. From the Applicable To list, select a service to associate with the bundle.
  3. Expand the Product Specification Attributes subsection.
  4. If any product specification attributes were defined for bundles in an XML template file, set their values.
  5. Expand the Bundle Settings subsection.
  6. (Optional) To immediately generate a bill for any purchase fees when the customer purchases the bundle, select Bill on Purchase.
  7. (Optional) To synchronize the start date of all balance elements to the date of first usage when one of them is activated for the first time, select Align Balance Validities on First Usage.
  8. (Optional) To activate all charge offers in a bundle upon first usage of any charge offer in the bundle, select Activate all other offers in addition to first usage offer.

    Note:

    The Activate all others in addition to first usage offer overrides the start date and first usage settings in a charge offer or discount offer.

  9. (Optional) To allow customer service representatives (CSRs) to change the default price and effective time period of a charge offer or a discount offer for a customer account, select CSR Allowed to Customize Bundle.
  10. (Optional) To set the start date when customers can start purchasing the bundle and the end date when the bundle can no longer be purchased, in the Purchase Period group, select the appropriate options. See "Setting Validity Periods" for information about setting validity period.

Adding Terms to a Bundle

If you add a subscription term to a bundle, it is used only if the bundle is optional in a package. If the bundle is required in a package, the bundle's terms are overridden by the package's terms.

To add a subscription term to a bundle:

  1. Expand the Terms section.

  2. From the Name list, select the subscription term to associate with the bundle. If you do not want to add a term, select No Commitment.

    The section displays details about the term, such as its commitment period and whether it allows early cancellation.

Adding an Offer to a Bundle

To add an offer to a bundle:

  1. In the Manage Bundle Content section, click the Add icon in the table.

    The Search for Offers dialog box appears.

  2. Search for the offers to add to the bundle. See "Searching for Pricing Components".

  3. In the Results table, select the offers to add and click OK.

    The offers are added to the table in the Manage Bundle Content section, and the Offer Customization subsection appears.

  4. (Optional) Customize the offer to change its effective period and other settings. See "Customizing an Offer in a Bundle".

Customizing an Offer in a Bundle

After adding an offer to a bundle, you can customize that offer.

To customize an offer in a bundle:

  1. In the Manage Bundle Content section, select the charge or discount offer in the table.

    The Offer Customization subsection displays the details of the selected offer.

  2. In the Quantity field, enter the quantity of the charge offer or discount offer included in the bundle.

  3. Select when the offer starts.

    The offer can start immediately, relative to purchase, or on first usage.

    Do not select First Usage for charge offers that do not have any usage charges. If you do so, the charge offer will never be activated.

    If you select Relative to Purchase, enter a time interval.

  4. Select when the offer ends and is no longer available for purchase.

    If you select Relative to Start, enter a time interval.

  5. Select Offer is inactive when purchased to make the offer inactive when it is purchased. Then, enter an inactive reason code. You can activate the offer for a customer after the bundle is purchased.

  6. Select how the offer's cycle is aligned when the offer is suspended and then reactivated.

    Select Renewal Mode to reset the cycle alignment based on the reactivation date rather than the original purchase date (also depends on the settings for cycle alignment in the Create Charge Offer page and the Create Charge dialog box.)

  7. From the Proration list, select how the offer calculates prorated cycle fees:

    • Not Selected: Prorated cycle charges or discounts are calculated according to the system-wide setting.

    • Based on a 30-day month: Prorated cycle charges or discounts are calculated based on a 30-day month, regardless of the number of days in the billing cycle.

    • Based on the number of days in the month: Prorated cycle charges or discounts are calculated based on the actual number of days in a particular cycle, such as 28 days in February, 31 days in March, and 30 days in April.

  8. Select This is an add-on charge offer to make this an add-on charge offer. This allows customers to purchase the charge offer with the bundle or at a later time.

    When selected, also specify how to align the add-on charge offer's validity dates:

    • Specific charge offer: Aligns the validity dates with the base charge offer that you specify.

      In the Align with Offer field, select the name of the base charge offer.

    • Earliest expiring charge offer, excluding add-on offers: Aligns the validity dates with the active charge offer that expires first, excluding any add-on charge offers.

    • Latest expiring charge offer, excluding add-on offers: Aligns the validity dates with the active charge offer that expires last, excluding any add-on charge offers.

    • Earliest expiring charge offer: Aligns the validity dates with the active charge offer that expires first.

    • Latest expiring charge offer: Aligns the validity dates with the active charge offer that expires last.

  9. For one-time charges, specify how to handle multiple purchases of the same offer.

    You can specify whether the additional offer is purchased as a new subscription, a replacement of the existing subscription, or an extension of the existing subscription.

    If you select Extend the old subscription, setting validity to whichever is later, the new or existing validity or Extend the old subscription, adding the new validity to the old validity, configure the Grace Period. The additional offer must be purchased within the grace period to qualify for the extension.

  10. For recurring and usage charges, set the start and end times that determine when the charge is effective:

    1. Select when the cycle and usage charges start.

      The cycle and usage charges can start immediately, relative to purchase, or on first usage.

      If you select Relative to Purchase, enter the number of seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, or cycles after purchase that the cycle and usage charges start.

      If Offer Start is set to First Usage, Cycle Starts and Usage Starts are also set to First Usage.

    2. Select when the cycle and usage charges end.

      If Offer End is set to Relative to Start, Cycle Ends and Usage Ends are also set to Relative to Start. Enter the number of seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, or cycles after start that the cycle and usage charges end.

  11. For recurring, one-time, and usage charges, specify a discount percentage.

Defining Dependencies for Bundles

You can define the following dependent relationships between bundles:

  • Prerequisite: Specifies that a service or an account must own a particular bundle to be able to purchase the current bundle. See "Defining a Prerequisite Relationship Between Bundles".

  • Mutually exclusive: Prevents a service or an account from purchasing a particular bundle if it owns a conflicting bundle. For example, if you set up a mutually exclusive dependency between a Corporate Voice bundle and a Residential Voice bundle, customers who purchase either bundle cannot purchase the other bundle. See "Defining a Mutually Exclusive Relationship Between Bundles".

    The same bundle cannot be both a prerequisite and a mutually exclusive bundle.

Defining a Prerequisite Relationship Between Bundles

To define a prerequisite relationship between bundles:

  1. In the Prerequisite section, click the Add icon in the table.

    The Search Bundles for Prerequisite dialog box appears.

  2. Search for bundles to add as a prerequisite bundle. See "Searching for Pricing Components".

  3. In the Results table, select a bundle and click OK.

    The bundle is added to the table in the Prerequisite section.

Defining a Mutually Exclusive Relationship Between Bundles

To define a mutually exclusive relationship between bundles:

  1. In the Mutually Exclusive section, click the Add icon in the table.

    The Search Bundles for Exclusivity dialog box appears.

  2. Search for bundles to add as a mutually exclusive bundle. See "Searching for Pricing Components".

  3. In the Results table, select a bundle and click OK.

    The bundle is added to the table in the Mutually Exclusive section.

Defining Transition Rules for Bundles

Transition rules are used to upgrade or downgrade a bundle to another bundle. Customers owning bundles associated with a service may transition to other bundles associated with the same service.

When you set up a transition rule, you include the following information:

  • The allowable bundles for upgrade or downgrade of the current bundle.

  • The validity period when the transition rule becomes effective.

  • Which fees to apply to the billing cycle in which the transition occurs: the original bundle's fees, the new bundle's fees, or prorated fees from both bundles.

  • Whether to waive any purchase and cancellation fees when the upgrade or downgrade occurs.

To define transition rules for a bundle:

  1. In the Transition Rules for Eligible Bundles section, click the Add icon in the table.

    The Search Bundles for Transition dialog box appears.

  2. Search for the bundles to which the transition rule applies. See "Searching for Pricing Components".

  3. In the Results table, select a bundle and click OK.

    The bundle is added to the table in the Transition Rules for Eligible Bundles section.

    For each bundle, the table displays the default values for transition type, for validity period, for when new cycle bundle fees start, for purchase fees, and for cancellation fees.

  4. Select the transition type.

  5. If you want to change the default validity period, click the validity period link. You can update start and end dates in the Edit Validity dialog box.

    See "Setting Validity Periods".

  6. Specify when to start the new bundle's cycle fees:

    • This cycle, in full: Apply the new bundle's fee this cycle, and fully refund the original bundle's cycle fee.

    • This cycle, prorated: Prorate the original and new bundles' cycle fees.

    • Next cycle: Apply the original bundle's fee to this cycle, and start the new bundle's fee in the next billing cycle.

  7. In the Waive Fees column, select or deselect Purchase and Cancel to indicate whether purchase and cancellation fees should be waived.

Create Bundle Page Reference

Use the Create Bundle page to group one or more charge offers and discount offers in a bundle.

For a description of the fields, see:

General Information Section

Use the General Information section to provide general information and settings for the bundle.

For a description of the subsections in General Information, see:

Field Description

Name, Description

Enter a unique name and a description for the bundle.

Applicable To

Select a service to associate with the bundle.

Product Specification Attributes Subsection

Use the Product Specification Attributes subsection to provide values for any product specification attributes configured in XML template files. The fields available in this subsection depend on what is configured in the XML template file.

See "About Extended Attributes for Pricing Components" in PDC Creating Product Offerings for more information.

Bundle Settings Subsection
Field Description

Bill on Purchase

(Optional) Select to immediately generate a bill for any purchase fees when the customer purchases the bundle.

Selecting Bill on Purchase does not generate a bill for any other charges, such as recurring, usage, or cancellation fees.

Align Balance Validities on First Usage

(Optional) Select to synchronize the start date of all balance elements to the date of first usage when one of them is activated for the first time.

This setting applies only to those balance elements that are configured to start on first usage, and only to those first-usage balance elements that are granted by the offers in the bundle.

Activate all other offers in addition to first usage offer

(Optional) Select to activate all offers in the bundle upon first usage of any offer in the bundle.

For example, assume a bundle contains charge offers A, B, and C. If the first service a customer uses is in charge offer B on June 1, all three charge offers are activated on June 1.

Note: If you select this option, it overrides the start date and first usage settings of all offers in the bundle.

CSR Allowed to Customize Bundle

(Optional) Select whether the CSR can change the default price and effective time period of a charge or discount offer for a customer account.

  • Prohibited: Prevent CSRs from changing the price and the effective period of a bundle.

  • Required: Force CSRs to change the price and the effective period of a bundle.

  • Optional: Give CSRs the option to change the price and the effective period of a bundle.

Purchase Period

Set the purchase start and end dates to specify when the bundle can be purchased.

  • For Start, you can select Immediately, or enter a specific start date and time.

  • For End, you can select Never, or enter a specific end date and time.

    The purchase period excludes the end date. For example, a bundle with a start date of May 1 and an end date of May 10 is available from May 1 through May 9.

Terms Section

Optionally, use the Terms section to add a subscription term to a bundle.

Note:

These terms are used if you make the bundle optional in a package. For required bundles, the terms you select here will be overridden by the terms you associate with the package.

Field Description

Name

Select a subscription term.

If you do not want to add a term, select No Commitment.

Related Tasks

Adding Terms to a Bundle

Manage Bundle Content Section

Use the table in the Manage Bundle Content section to add charge offers and discount offers to the bundle.

Click the Add icon in the table to search for offers and add them to the bundle.

See "Offer Customization Subsection" for a description of the offer settings.

Column Description

Charge/Discount Offer

Lists the charge offers and discount offers included in the bundle.

Inactive When Purchased

Displays whether the offer is inactive when purchased.

Quantity

Displays the quantity of the offer.

Offer Ends

Displays when the offer ends.

Offer Customization Subsection

Use the Offer Customization subsection to customize the offer settings.

For a description of the areas in Offer Customization, see:

Field Description

Name

Displays the name of the charge offer or discount offer.

This field is not editable.

Quantity

Enter the quantity of the charge offer or discount offer included in the bundle.

For example, if a bundle for a cable service includes a charge offer that provides one set-top box and you want to include three set-top boxes with the cable service, enter 3 for the charge offer in that bundle.

Offer Start

Select one of the following options to specify when to activate the offer and apply purchase charges:

  • Immediately: At purchase time.

  • Relative to Purchase: A time relative to the purchase time (for example, one month from purchase).

  • First Usage: The first time a subscriber uses a service or discount.

    Do not select First Usage for charge offers that does not have any usage charge. If you do so, the charge offer will never be activated.

Offer End

Select one of the following options to specify when the offer ends:

  • Never: The offer never expires.

  • Relative to Start: The offer expires on the date relative to when the offer is started.

Offer is Inactive when Purchased

Select to set the offer to inactive status when purchased.

Inactive Reason Code

Enter a non-zero value that corresponds to the reason code defined in the database.

Renewal Mode

Specify how to align the charge offer's end dates when a bundle is suspended and then reactivated:

  • Select the check box: The end date is realigned to the bundle's reactivation date.
  • Deselect the check box: The end date stays aligned with the original billing cycle date.

The end date also depends on the settings for cycle alignment in the Create Charge Offer page and the Create Charge dialog box.

Proration

Select one of the following options to specify how to prorate cycle charges and discounts for the offer:

  • Not Selected: Prorated cycle charges and discounts are calculated according to the system-wide setting.

  • Based on a 30-day month: Prorated cycle charges and discounts are calculated based on a 30-day month, regardless of the number of days in the billing cycle.

  • Based on the number of days in the month: Prorated cycle charges and discounts are calculated based on the actual number of days in a particular cycle, such as 28 days in February, 31 days in March, and 30 days in April.

This is an add-on charge offer

Specify whether the charge offer can be purchased as an add-on product:

  • Select the check box: This charge offer is an add-on. Customers must already own a valid base offer before they can purchase it.

  • Deselect the check box: This is a base charge offer, which means it will have its own validity start date.

Align Validity

Specify how to align an add-on charge offer's validity dates. The add-on charge offer's validity start date is the end date of a charge offer that you specify. For example, assume charge offer A has a validity period from June 1 through June 15. If you specify to align add-on charge offer B's validity period with charge offer A, charge offer B's validity start date would be June 15.

Select one of the following:

  • Specific charge offer: Aligns the validity dates with the base charge offer that you specify. Select the base charge offer in the Align with Offer field.

  • Earliest expiring charge offer, excluding add-on offers: Aligns the validity dates with the active charge offer that expires first, excluding any add-on charge offers.

  • Latest expiring charge offer, excluding add-on offers: Aligns the validity dates with the active charge offer that expires last, excluding any add-on charge offers.

  • Earliest expiring charge offer: Aligns the validity dates with the active charge offer that expires first.

  • Latest expiring charge offer: Aligns the validity dates with the active charge offer that expires last.

Note: This field appears when you select This is an add-on charge offer.

Purchase Area

Use the Purchase area to customize the discount percentage and behavior of one-time charges.

Field Description

Behavior

Select one of the following options to specify how to handle multiple purchases of the same charge offer or discount offer:

  • Create a new subscription and keep the old one: The additional charge offer or discount offer is purchased as a new, unrelated subscription. The balance impacts and validity periods of the old and new subscription are completely independent. This is the default option.

    This option is valid for both charge offers and discount offers.

  • Extend the old subscription, setting validity to whichever is later, the new or existing validity period: The additional charge offer is purchased as an extension to the existing subscription if it is purchased within the specified grace period. The new balance impacts are added to the existing balance group. The validity period for the balance is then set to either the old validity end date or the new validity end date, whichever is later.

    This option is valid for both charge offers and discount offers.

  • Extend the old subscription, adding the new validity to the old validity: The additional charge offer is purchased as an extension to the existing subscription if it is purchased within the specified grace period. The new balance impacts are added to the existing balance group. The validity period for the balance is then set by adding the new validity period to whatever remains of the old validity period.

    This option is valid for both charge offers and discount offers.

  • Create a new subscription and cancel the old one: The additional charge offer or discount offer replaces the existing subscription. The existing subscription is canceled, any configured proration is applied, and the new subscription is created, with all balance impacts and validity periods set as though for a new purchase.

    This option is valid for both charge offers and discount offers.

Grace Period

Enter the number of seconds, minutes, hours, or days in the grace period. The default is 0 Days.

This field appears only if you selected to extend the old subscription.

Discount

For charge offers, specify a discount percentage to apply for the purchase charge.

Recurring Area

Use the Recurring area to customize the discount percentage and effective period for recurring charges.

Field Description

Starts

Select one of the following options to specify when to start charging cycle fees or discounting cycle fees:

  • Immediately: At purchase time.

  • Relative to Purchase: A time relative to the purchase time.

  • First Usage: The first time a subscriber uses a service or discount.

Ends

Select one of the following options to specify when charges or discounts for cycle fees are no longer charged to the account:

  • Never: Continue charging or discounting cycle fees for as long as the charge offer or discount offer is effective.

  • Relative to Start: Stop charging or discounting cycle charges relative to when it is started.

Discount

For charge offers, specify a discount percentage for the cycle charge.

Usage Area

Use the Usage area to customize the discount percentage and effective period for usage charges.

Field Description

Starts

Select one of the following options to specify when to start charging usage fees or discounting usage fees:

  • Immediately: At purchase time.

  • Relative to Purchase: A time relative to the purchase time.

  • First Usage: The first time a subscriber uses a service or discount.

Ends

Select one of the following options to specify when charges or discounts for usage fees are no longer charged to the account:

  • Never: Continue charging or discounting usage fees for as long as the charge offer or discount offer is effective.

  • Relative to Start: Deactivate the charge offer or discount offer relative to when it is started.

Discount

For charge offers, specify a discount percentage to apply for the usage charge.

Search for Offers Dialog Box

Use the Search for Offers dialog box to search for charge or discount offers to add to the bundle.

Field Description

Pricing Component

Select Charge Offer or Discount Offer to search for charge or discount offers to add to the bundle.

Applicable To

Displays the service that is associated with the bundle.

You selected this service in the General Information section.

Name

(Optional) Enter a full or partial name of the offer to search for.

Select an operator from the operator list and enter a value in the field next to the operator list.

Leading and trailing whitespaces are removed from the search criteria. If embedded whitespaces need to be included in the search, use '% %' in place of the whitespace in your search criteria.

Results Table

The Results table lists the offers that meet the search criteria. Select the offers you want to add to the bundle and click OK.

Field Description

Name

Lists the charge offers or discount offers that match the search criteria. Offers which are already added to the bundle are excluded from the search results.

Description

Displays the description of each charge offer and discount offer.

Phase

Displays the status of the charge and discount offers.

  • Draft: The offer has not been published to Oracle Communications Billing and Revenue Management (BRM). It is still part of a changeset in PDC.

  • Promoted: The offer has been published to BRM. It is no longer part of a changeset in PDC.

Applicable To

Displays the service associated with the charge offer or discount offer.

Prerequisite Section

Use the table in the Prerequisite section to specify the bundles that must be owned by the account to purchase the current bundle.

Click the Add icon in the table to search for bundles and add them to the prerequisite bundles.

Column Description

Name

Lists the prerequisite bundles.

Applicable To

Displays whether the prerequisite bundle is associated with a specific service or customer account.

Description

Displays each prerequisite bundle's description.

View Charge Offer Provisioning Tags

Select from the Actions menu to display the provisioning tags associated with the charge offer.

Search Bundles for Prerequisite Dialog Box

Use the Search Bundles for Prerequisite dialog box to search for bundles to add as prerequisites.

Field Description

Pricing Component

Displays Bundle as the pricing component.

Name

(Optional) Enter a full or partial name of the bundle to search for.

Select an operator from the operator list and enter a value in the field next to the operator list.

Leading and trailing whitespaces are removed from the search criteria. If embedded whitespaces need to be included in the search, use '% %' in place of the whitespace in your search criteria.

Results Table

The Results table lists the bundles that meet the search criteria. Select the bundle to add as a prerequisite bundle and click OK.

Field Description

Name

Lists the bundles that match the search criteria.

Description

Displays each bundle's description.

Phase

Displays the status of the bundles.

  • Draft: The bundle has not been published to BRM. It is still part of a changeset in PDC.

  • Promoted: The bundle has been published to BRM. It is no longer part of a changeset in PDC.

Mutually Exclusive Section

Use the table in the Mutually Exclusive section to specify the bundles that cannot be purchased or owned along with the current bundle.

Click the Add icon in the table to search for bundles and add them to the mutually exclusive bundles.

Column Description

Name

Lists the mutually exclusive bundles.

Applicable To

Displays whether the mutually exclusive bundle is associated with a customer account or with a specific service.

Description

Displays each mutually exclusive bundle's description.

View Charge Offer Provisioning Tags

Select from the Actions menu to display the provisioning tags associated with the charge offer.

Search Bundles for Exclusivity Dialog Box

Use the Search Bundles for Exclusivity dialog box to search for bundles to add as mutually exclusive.

Field Description

Pricing Component

Displays Bundle as the pricing component.

Name

(Optional) Enter a full or partial name of the bundle to search for.

Select an operator from the operator list and enter a value in the field next to the operator list.

Leading and trailing whitespaces are removed from the search criteria. If embedded whitespaces need to be included in the search, use '% %' in place of the whitespace in your search criteria.

Results Table

The Results table lists the bundles that meet the search criteria. Select the bundles to add as mutually exclusive bundles and click OK.

Field Description

Name

Lists the bundles that match the search criteria.

Description

Displays each bundle's description.

Phase

Displays the status of the bundles.

  • Draft: The bundle has not been published to BRM. It is still part of a changeset in PDC.

  • Promoted: The bundle has been published to BRM. It is no longer part of a changeset in PDC.

Transition Rules for Eligible Bundles Section

Use the table in the Transitions Rules for Eligible Bundles section to specify the bundles that can be used to upgrade or downgrade the current bundle.

Click the Add icon in the table to search for bundles and add them to the eligible bundles for transition.

Column Description

Name

Lists the bundles you selected to be used to upgrade or downgrade the current bundle.

Each name is a link to that bundle's summary.

Transition Type

Select one of the following transition types:

  • Upgrade: Upgrade to a bundle that is typically more expensive and has more features.

  • Downgrade: Downgrade to a bundle that is typically less expensive and has fewer features.

Validity Period

Set the validity period to specify the effective start and end dates for the transition rule.

New Bundle Cycle Fees Start

Specify when the new bundle's cycle fees should start by selecting one of the following:

  • This cycle, in full: Apply the new bundle's fee this cycle, and fully refund the original bundle's cycle fee.

  • This cycle, prorated: Prorate the current and new bundles' cycle fees.

  • Next cycle: Apply the original bundle's fee to this cycle, and start the new bundle's fee in the next billing cycle.

Waive Fees

Select to waive any purchase and cancellation fees when the transition change occurs.

Purchase and Cancel are selected by default to waive any purchase and cancellation fees.

View Charge Offer Provisioning Tags

Select from the Actions menu to display the provisioning tags associated with the charge offer.

Search Bundles for Transition Dialog Box

Use the Search Bundles for Transition dialog box to search for bundles to which the transition rule applies.

Field Description

Pricing Component

Specifies the type of pricing component to search for.

This field displays Bundle. Do not modify this value.

Applicable To

Displays the service that is associated with the bundle.

You selected this service in the General Information section.

Name

(Optional) Enter a full or partial name of the bundle to search for.

Select an operator from the operator list and enter a value in the field next to the operator list.

Leading and trailing whitespaces are removed from the search criteria. If embedded whitespaces need to be included in the search, use '% %' in place of the whitespace in your search criteria.

Results Table

The Results table lists the bundles that meet the search criteria. Select the bundles to define transition rules and click OK.

Column Description

Name

Lists the bundles that match the search criteria.

Description

Displays each bundle's description.

Phase

Displays the status of the bundles.

  • Draft: The bundle has not been published to BRM. It is still part of a changeset in PDC.

  • Promoted: The bundle has been published to BRM. It is no longer part of a changeset in PDC.

Applicable To

Displays the service to which the bundle applies.