BILLmanager 6

Addon templates

Addon templates — BILLmanager module. It allows you to create addon templates, similar to regular addons in the tariff configuration. The difference is that a regular addon is created for a specific tariff, while the addon template can be linked to all required tariffs at once. 

For example, the provider sells virtual server services. It has 10 tariff plans where you need to create an addon "RAM". To avoid creating this addon separately for each tariff, the provider creates an addon template "RAM". Next, it configures the addon parameters and links it to the required tariffs.

To install the "Addon templates" module:

  1. Connect to the server with the platform via SSH. For more information about connecting via SSH, see Workstation setup.
  2. Execute commands: 

    Install the software packages
    yum install billmanager-plugin-addon-templates
    Restart the platform
    /usr/local/mgr5/sbin/mgrctl -m billmgr -R

How to create a template

To create an addon template:

  1. Go to ProductsAddon templatesAdd.
  2. Select Provider from the dropdown list.
  3. Press Select on the required Product type.
  4. Specify the Tariff plans, to which you need to link the addon, and press Next.
  5. Configure the addon parameters similar to creating an addon in tariff plan configuration. Read more about configuring parameters in How to create and configure a tariff plan.
  6. Press Finish.

    Note:
    If the tariff plan already has an addon of the same type as the addon template, it is replaced by the addon from the template. If there is no addon of this type, an addon with the parameters specified in the template will be created for the tariff.

For example, the provider has the tariff "VPS Professional". The "RAM" addon has been set up in the tariff configuration. The addon parameters specify the following: type of accounting — "Based on order", price — 1 € / month, included in the tariff — 4 GB. The provider creates an addon template "RAM" with other parameters and links this tariff to it. After that, the "VPS Professional" tariff addon "RAM" will be replaced by the one created from the template with the parameters: type of accounting — "Based on values of other resources", price — 2 € / month, included in the tariff — 8 Gb.

How to set possible values of price

Different price values for the same addon can be set in the following cases:

  • if Value type — "Enumeration” is selected in the addon template. To set different price options in the template addon:
    1. Go to ProductsAddon templates → select the required template → PricesEdit.
    2. Specify the specific prices for the period. Press Ok to save the changes.
    3. Press Enable to include that value into the template.

    For example, the provider sells virtual server services. It creates the “Operating system” addon with enumeration. Several options of operating system and corresponding prices are specified in the enumeration: CentOS-7 — 0.1 €/month, FreeBSD-11 — 0.1 €/month, Debian-8 — 0.2 €/month Then the provider links this template to the “VDS-1” tariff plan. This tariff has already had the “Operating system” addon with prices specified in enumerations. That addon becomes replaced by the addon created from template. The prices specified by the provider in the addon template are set as the prices in enumeration options.

    • if Billing type — "Client can choose” is selected in the addon template. In this billing type, the customer is given the choice of resource quantity or value. To set all possible price options for an addon template with the same billing type:
      1. Go to ProductsAddon templatesPricesAdd.
      2. Create addon options, and indicate a specific price in each of option. These addons are derivative templates of addons from the originally created template. In tariff plans, all resources created from this template will also have derivative resources.

    For example, the provider creates the addon template "Disk type" and links it to several tariffs for the virtual server service. In an addon template, the provider creates derivative addons similar to "Disk space":

    • HDD — at 1 €/month per 100 Gb;
    • SSD — at 1 €/month per 100 Gb;
    • NVMe — at 2 €/month per 15 Gb.

    Read more about configuring addons with accounting type "Client can choose" in Billing type: "Client can choose".

    How to link an existing template to a tariff

    To link an existing template to a tariff plan:

    1. Go to ProductsAddon templates → select the required template → Tariff plans. A window will open with a list of all tariffs to which this addon can be linked.
    2. Select the desired tariff and press Enable. The add-on template is linked.

    To remove the link of a template to a tariff plan:

    1. Go to ProductsAddon templates → select the required template → Tariff plans.
    2. Select the desired tariff and press Disable.

      Note:
      Only the link to the addon template is removed, the addon itself remains in the tariff plan configuration. Then, if you want to change the parameters of this addon, go to ProductsTariff plansOptions. Any changes made to the template linked earlier will not affect the addon of this tariff.

    If you remove all the links of an addon template to your tariff plans, BILLmanager will remove this template from the list of templates.

    How to edit a template

    To edit an addon template, go to ProductsAddon templatesEdit.

    Editing the addon template is similar to editing an addon from the tariff plan configuration. Changes made in the addon template are applied to all addons of the linked tariff plans.

    Note:
    You can change any parameters of an addon created from a template only in the Addon templates menu. Editing from the Options menu of the tariff plan is not available for such addon. To enable editing, remove the addon template link to the tariff.

    How to delete a template

    To delete an addon template, go to ProductsAddon templates → select the template → Delete.

    Note:
    Only the links of the addon are deleted. Addons created from this template remain in the tariff configuration.

    For example, several dozens of tariff plans are linked to the addon template. The provider decided to remove the link of all tariffs to this template at once. To that purpose, the provider deleted the template.