Setting Up Start Options

Start options save users time and prevent data entry errors because they default many values on a service agreement (e.g., the rate schedule, recurring charge amount, contract riders, contract terms, characteristics, terms and conditions, etc. can all be defaulted onto a service agreement from a start option).

A SA type may have zero or more start options.

• A SA type without start options is usually one that has a very limited number of options. For example, if a SA type has a single valid rate and no customer-specific contract values, you don't need to setup a start option (the SA's default rate can default based on the information defined when you setup the SA type).
• A SA type with multiple start options is one where many different permutations are possible. For example, a SA type that can have multiple rates and each rate can have multiple riders is a good candidate for start options (where each start option will default, for example, a specific rate and set of contract riders).

When the Start/Stop transaction is used to start service AND the service being started uses a SA type with start options, the user is asked to select one of the start options. The service agreement that's created is populated with fields from the start option.

When the Order transaction is used to start service, the user selects start options, but only indirectly. It works like this:

• A user selects a "package" of services to start service for a customer.
• A "package" contains one or more start options.
• When a user selects a package, the system creates a service agreement for each start option on the package (and defaults the information on each service agreement from the respective start option).

A start option's default values may change over time (i.e., the information on a start option is effective-dated). The start service logic uses the version of the start option that is effective on the day service starts.

Start options can cause a great deal of information to be populated on a service agreement. There are several ways to change this default information:

• A user may override this information using the Service Agreement transaction.
• If the service agreement is in the pending start state, you can use the Start/Stop - Pending SAs page to change the service agreement's SA type and/or start option.
• If the service agreement is in active or pending stop states, a button appears on Service Agreement - Main called Apply New Start Option. When pressed, the user is allowed to define a start option and the date its terms become effective on the service agreement. Refer to Changing A Start Option for the details of this functionality.

The topics in this section describe how to setup start options.