Price File - FIL 9
Example: Price Classes for a Manufacturer
Roll/Cut/Balance Pricing (for rolled goods)
Examples of Price File Screens
The Price File establishes pricing structures called price classes, that can be assigned to groups of items. Items with identical prices and price structures can be assigned to the same price class, and when prices or the price structures change, only the Price File needs to be updated. Prices classes are assigned to items with the Item File Maintenance Program.
You can also enter prices directly into the Item File for each item number. You would not need to set up the Price File. However, entering prices in the Price File offers three very significant advantages over entering prices in the Item File:
- If you have groups of items that are priced identically, you can update prices for the entire group with a single entry.
- The Item File only accommodates up to 12 prices per item. The Price File offers an almost unlimited number of prices per item, as well as additional pricing options not available in the Item File.
- Price lists that are generated from the system are both more concise and more flexible when you use price classes. Only price classes offer the End User Category function, which can organize data for easier use by your customers.
We recommend that you use the Price File, unless your company has uniform pricing for all customers and does not have groups of items that are priced identically.
Before entering information in the Price File, it is important that you become familiar with the terminology:
- Price Class - A group of items from the same manufacturer that your company prices identically for your customers. Each price class is represented by a six-character price class code.
- Cost Class - A group of items from the same manufacturer that have identical costs from your supplier. Each cost class is represented by a six-character cost class code. Usually, price class codes and cost class codes are identical and represent the same group of items.
- Price List - A pricing level or strategy. Each price list is represented by a two-character price list number. The system requires that you have a price list number, LP (list price), which is your base or standard pricing. You can establish as many other price lists as you need. For example, BP for builder price list or KD for key dealer price list.
- Pricing Chart - The Price File is a set of pricing charts. Each price class should have one pricing chart entered for every price list number on the system. Each pricing chart contains the prices for a group of items in the price class, and for a group of customers assigned to the price list. Screen 2 of the Price File program contains the pricing chart.
Only the personnel responsible for maintaining prices use the price class codes. Order Entry and other departments rarely refer to them. Once set up, all pricing of orders is autoÂmatic. Therefore, the codes do not need to be meaningful in any way. However, if the price class codes are sequenced in the same way that your supplier's, or your own price lists are, they will be much easier to maintain.
1. On the File Maintenance & Inquiry screen, select option 9 - Price File.
2. On the Price File Entry screen, enter the Price Class code for the pricing record you want to inquire about, update, or add.
The price class represents a group of items within the same manufacturer that are priced identically. This refers to your prices to your customers, not your supplier's prices to you. However, if your supplier prices a group of items the same, usually you will too. This is a six-character code. The first three characters must be the existing manufacturer code to which the pricing relates. The last three characters can be any combination of numbers and letters. However, we recommend that you follow these guidelines:
- The fourth character should be the same as the first character of the product line to which this price class relates.
- The fifth and sixth characters should be selected in a way that sequences the price class codes in a logical order for listings and inquiries.
3. Enter a Price List#.
The two-character price list number represents the type, or level, of pricing. Every price class must have an entry for price list number LP (list price). The LP price list is the main, or default, price list. You must make the LP entry for a price class before you can make any other entry. You can also have as many other price lists as necessary. You must first have defined the price list numbers you will use by entering them in the Classification Codes File. The Classification Codes File simply requires you to assign a two-character price list number and to enter a name for each price list. For example, KD for key dealer prices and WC for west coast prices. Refer to Classification Codes File - FIL 19 for detailed information. If you have three price lists, such as LP, KD, and WC, you would then enter three Price File records for each price class: one for LP, one for KD, and one for WC.
4. Enter the Action code A to add a new record, U to update or change a record, or I or leave blank to inquire about an existing record.
5. Enter the Password, if required. A password is not required for inquiries. A low- or high-level password is required for updating files.
|
Field Name |
Description/Instructions |
|
Description |
The description for this price class. Describe the group of items to which this price class applies. This field needs only to be entered on the LP record. |
|
PrcList Desc |
This setting allows you to enter an additional description that is displayed on all versions of the Decor 24 price lists. This expanded description can help create product descriptions that are both complete and customer-friendly. If your description is more than 60 characters, press F11 to access additional fields. Special characters (i.e. characters that are not on the keyboard) and carriage returns could have the unfavorable result of the extended description not appearing exactly how it was entered. If there are entries on the Extended View of PriceList Description screen, the F11 indicator will be highlighted . If the PrcList Desc field is populated, the description supersedes Price Class Description in ALL versions and formats of D24 Price List (if blank, it falls back to default). Hierarchy for the price class description is:
|
|
List Price |
The price from which all other prices can be derived by adding or subtracting an amount or a percentage. You can assign whatever meaning you like to this List Price. It could be your retail price, your contractor price, your regular or standard price. It can also be a price that has no use except as a base from which to derive other prices. Every price class has only one list price, and it can only be updated when you specify price list number LP. However, all other pricing charts within the same price class can use the list price to base prices on. The currency code is also shown. In this example, the currency is EU for the European Euro. The prices shown are in the default currency of the Price File as established through the Classification Codes File (FIL 19). If the price list is defined in FIL 19 as a foreign currency price list, then that currency code is displayed at the top of the screen (next to the unit of measure) and on the bottom of the screen. The prices displayed are in the currency code shown. If no currency code is shown, the prices are in your home currency. To
convert the price over to another currency, enter its code
in the Curr field in the bottom right-hand corner of
the screen. This applies to every Price List except List Price
(LP). Price List LP must remain in your home currency.
Notes about using alternative currency:
|
|
End User Category |
This field appears only for the LP record. It is used as part of the printed price list selection criteria and by the dial-in self-service Order Entry systems, such as Decor24. This field prompts you for a two-character code that represents your basic classes or groups of products, for the purpose of presentations to clients. It can be very similar to the Item Class 1 or Cost Center fields. However, you should purposely omit certain product lines from having any end user category, if you would not want them to appear on price lists or on customer dial-in Order Entry screens. Each end user category should represent a group of products that would appear on a single price list, or as a basic search selection category for a dial-in customer on your system. For example, your end user categories could be: VS - Vinyl Sheet Goods CT - Ceramic Tile VT - Vinyl Tile WD - Wood MA - Marble You code only the price classes you want presented to customers with one of the end user codes. A blank end user category eliminates the items in the price class from being used by applications that access the end user category. You can enter ? in this field to select from a list of available codes. These codes are established in the Classification Codes File. |
|
U/M |
This is the native unit of measure for the items in the price class. This unit of measure is the default for pricing, inventory inquiry, and sales analysis. You can also set up conversion factors on the system you can use to price, inquire about, and report in other units of measure. Although you can create your own unit of measure codes, the following codes are recommended: CT - Cartons EA - Each KG - Kilograms LB - Pounds LF - Linear Feet PA - Pallets PC - Pieces SF - Square Feet SH - Sheets M2 - Square Meters ST - Sets SY - Square Yards |
|
Sub-list Price |
This field is displayed for all pricing charts except LP. Whereas the list price is shared by all of a price class's pricing charts, a separate sub-list is available for each pricing chart. It does not have to be filled in, and is only present to provide another price, if necessary, on which to base other prices. It can be useful if you have branch offices that need their own pricing, and can not be tied to an overall corporate list price. The sub-list can be referenced on the pricing chart using field code SL. |
|
Tran-type |
This is the transaction type to which the price relates. Valid entries are:
For direct ships, order entry looks for a price with transaction-type D or blank. For inventory sales, order entry looks for a price with transaction-type I or blank. |
|
Restr |
This is a restriction code if one applies to the price. Valid entries include:
|
|
Qty |
Use this field only if you have different unit prices based on quantity. Enter the quantity through which the price applies. If you specify quantity breaks, the last quantity listed should be 99999, as shown in the previous examples. An entry of 00099 in this field reads as This price applies to quantities up to 99. This field always relates to the unit of measure on the pricing screen. |
|
Field |
If you want the computer to calculate the price as a percentage of, or linked to something else, enter one of the following field codes:
In order to attain the simplest possible pricing maintenance, you should try to base as many prices as possible on LP (list price), or other field codes. If all prices are a percentage above or below list price, you can update them all by just changing the list price. If a price class has six pricing charts, and each pricing chart has five prices, all 30 prices can be changed at once if they are based on list price. |
|
Variable% |
If you want the system to calculate the price as a percentage of something else, and you have entered a field code (LP, LC, AC, SC, SL, BC, or L0-L9), enter the amount by which to multiply the field. |
|
+/- |
If you want the system to add or subtract a fixed dollar amount, and you have entered a field code, then enter a plus sign (+) or a minus sign (-) in this field, indicating whether to add or subtract the amount entered in the Variable % field. |
|
Variable $ |
If the +/- field is used, enter the dollar amount to add or subtract. You can combine the use of the Variable % and Variable $ fields. |
|
Price |
If you have entered a field and a variable, the price will be calculated automatically, and you can leave this field blank. Otherwise, enter the unit price here. If you enter field codes AC or LC, this program does not calculate the price at this time. However, the price is figured at the time of order entry or quoting. This is because average and last costs are dynamic, and can change from transaction to transaction. If you enter a field code and a price, but not the variable%, the program will figure the variable%. The system will never automatically calculate a +/- dollar variable. Any price list that is linked to other prices automatically changes when the price it is linked to changes. For example, changing list price could change the price on multiple lines of a pricing chart, and for all pricing charts for the same price class. |
|
Round Code |
Leave blank or enter one of the following codes:
|
|
Terms Override |
A single character payment terms code. Only enter a code here if normal terms are to be overridden whenever these prices (this pricing chart) are used. For example, if this pricing chart represents very special low-margin pricing, you can override terms to Net (no payment discount) whenever these prices are used. Payment terms codes are set up in the Payment Terms File. Terms overridden on this screen only override terms by product, not terms by customer. For example, if a customer is coded with terms code M (manufacturer's terms by product), then this field can override the normal product terms that are found in the Product Line File. If a customer has any other terms, then those terms are fixed by customer and are not overridden at the line item level by this field. |
|
Curr |
To convert the price over to another currency, enter its code in the this field. You can leave the Curr field blank to display the prices in your home currency. The codes and their exchange rates have to be established in the Currency Code/Exchange Rate table (SET 11). If you are unsure of the currency codes, enter a ? in the field. A listing of all the available codes appears. If you are working with a List Price (LP) price file, the Curr field does not appear. Price List LP must remain in your home currency. When you change the currency code, all prices on the screen are converted to that currency. However, the system only stores the data in your home currency. You may enter prices in whatever currency you are working in. However, those prices will be converted to the home currency, using the exchange rate in effect when you press Enter, and stored in your home currency. The currency shown here does not necessarily carry over to Order Entry. The Customer Preferences File controls which currencies are displayed and/or printed for each customer. |
|
D/Del |
D in this field indicates that this record will be deleted. |
|
Changed |
This field is automatically updated by the system. It displays the date the record was last changed. You can enter ? in any field that has a table of values on the system to select from a list of valid values. You can enter ? in the Payment Terms Code, Transaction Type, Restriction Code, and End User Category fields. |
Function Keys
|
Function Key |
Description |
|
F1 |
Go to the next pricing chart without returning to the Price File Entry screen. This is helpful if you are updating or viewing record by record within the Price File. Press F1 to enter the current screen and go to the next record in the file. The next record in the file is either the next pricing chart for the same price class, or the first pricing chart for the next price class. |
|
F2 |
Go to the corresponding Cost File record. When using F2, it is assumed that you have used the same cost class code as price class code for same group of items. If you have not done this, you might not find a corresponding Cost File record. |
|
F3 |
The copy function allows you to automatically create all Price File records except the LP record, based on a copy of an existing price class. You must be in add or update mode to copy a price class. Prices that are dependent on any of the entries in the new list price record are automatically calculated using the formulas that were copied and the new list price record. You can also search other price classes without losing your place on the current record. If you are using the pricing system effectively, and linking all prices to the prices in the LP record, then the copy function should be you normal procedure for creating price file records. |
|
F6 |
Go to the Price File Search Screen. |
|
F7 |
End the job and returns to the File Maintenance Menu. |
|
F8 |
Go to the Price File Entry Screen. |
|
F9 |
Go to the Price List Comments Screen, where you can enter comments and additional information about a price class. |
|
F10 = Next LP |
Go to the next record with the currently displayed price list. If you want to update only LP records, press F10 after each entry to go to the next price record for LP. This feature saves time when all of your prices are linked to LP and you need to access only LP records. However, you can use this function with any price list. If you are on a KD record, F10 takes you to the next price class record in the file for KD price list. |
Example: Price Classes for a Manufacturer
Let's assume Manufacturer Smith's Vinyl Tiles is assigned manufacturer number SMI. Manufacturer number SMI has three different product lines:
- mid-priced vinyl tile called Standard Series
- high-priced vinyl tile called Designer Series
- low-priced vinyl tile called Economy Series
The three product lines are assigned product line codes STA, DES, and ECO.
Each of the three product lines comes in two sizes, 8 x 8 and 12 x 12. Each size comes in five colors, for a total of 30 items (3 x 2 x 5). Within each product line, are two prices: one for the 8 x 8 tile and one for the 12 x 12 tile. All colors within the same product line and the same size are priced the same. So, six price classes are needed, two for each product line. The price classes are established as follows:
|
Price Class Code |
Price Class Description (30 characters) |
|
SMID05 |
Designer Series 8 x 8, all colors |
|
SMID10 |
Designer Series 12 x 12, all colors |
|
SMIE05 |
Economy Series 8 x 8, all colors |
|
SMIE10 |
Economy Series 12 x 12, all colors |
|
SMIS05 |
Standard Series 8 x 8, all colors |
|
SMIS10 |
Standard Series 12 x 12, all colors |
|
The six-character price class codes always begin with the three-character manufacturer number. The fourth character is the first letter of the related product line. The last two characters can be anything, but to sequence them logically, numbers were assigned which cause the 8x8 tiles to appear before the 12x12 tiles. The numbers are not consecutive to allow for future sizes that fall in between. |
|
Now, let's assume that you have three price lists at your company:
- LP/List Price (standard prices - price list number LP is required for each price class)
- KD/Key Dealer Pricing (special pricing for high volume customers)
- CC/Commercial Contract Pricing (special large quantity, contract job pricing)
For each price class, you will enter three price file records; one for each of the three price lists. For example, you will enter price class SMIS05 for LP, SMIS05 for KD, and SMIS05 for CC. Think of the Price File as a file cabinet with a folder for each price class. Within each folder is a page for each price list number.
Roll/Cut/Balance Pricing (for rolled goods)
The system allows two methods of setting up and retrieving rolled goods prices. The default method uses only roll and cut prices. The second option uses roll, cut and balance (mid) prices. This option is set in the Company Settings program. If you enter Y for this company setting, the system considers three price options for rolled goods, instead of the usual two. Leave this option blank or enter N to default to the normal two price setting. This option applies only to companies who offer roll, cut, and balance pricing.
The usual pricing for rolled goods is as follows:
- For cuts, enter C and the system retrieves the C price.
- For full rolls or roll balances, enter B and the system retrieves the R price. Enter B if you want the full quantity remaining on the roll to be entered. You can also enter R to force a roll price on any quantity you enter.
The three price option for rolled goods is as follows:
- For cuts, enter C if you want the system retrieves the C price.
- For full rolls, that is, rolls that are unopened and identified by status u, enter B if you want the system to retrieve the R price, and the full quantity.
- For roll balances, the remaining balance of an open roll as identified by status o, enter B and the system retrieves the M price and the full quantity. In this context, M indicates mid-price because it is usually in between the cut and full roll price.
In both of the above scenarios, you can specify R, C, or M to require that the system prices the order using those restriction codes. The new three price system primarily affects the use of the B code, which retrieves the quantity of the remaining balance, as well as a price. Do not set this option to Y until you have updated the Price File and the Promotional File for all rolled goods to include both M and R prices. The Roll Selection screen will display C and M prices, rather than C and R. If the system cannot find an M price, it will display an error message.
Pricing Chart Screen
Each price class has one pricing chart for each price list number. It is important to understand the definitions of, and the relationships between, price classes, price list number, and pricing charts. These concepts can be difficult to learn at first. But, once understood, you can manage even the most intricate pricing structures.
If you intend to base prices on standard costs, it is important that you establish cost classes using the same codes as the corresponding price classes. Press F2 to switch between related price and cost classes. Also note that rounding code U is used in the example above to round up prices to the nearest whole cent. A terms override code has been entered. Payment terms code N will be used whenever these prices are used.
You can base prices on any price shown in the LP price record. You can reference the main list price as usual with LP, or any line number in the pricing chart by entering L1 through L9 for lines 1 through 9, or L0 for line 10. You cannot base prices on lines 11 or 12, which are rarely, if ever, used. This method simplifies the task of relating other price lists to list price. For example, if your list price record has three quantity break prices, you can easily create another price list record that takes 10% off each of the three quantity break prices. For example, on line 1 in the new price list, enter L1 X .900 (takes 10% off line 1 of the list price record), on line 2 enter L2 X .900 (takes 10% off line 2 of the list price record) and so on.
The Price File can compute a percentage based on a price, as well as a price based on percentage. Enter a field code (such as LP for list price) and a variable if you want the system to compute a new price by multiplying list or other price by the variable. Enter a field code, a price, leave the variable field blank, and the system divides the price represented by the field code into the new price to compute the variable. You can also use the +/- variable to add or subtract dollar amounts from one price to create another price.
Individual lines within the pricing chart of the LP record can reference each other using field codes L0 - L9. The only restriction is that you can reference only a line above on the LP record. You cannot reference a line below. For example, the third line of the LP pricing chart can reference LP, L1, and L2, but not L3 or higher. Remember that on price lists other than LP, you can reference any line in the LP record from any line.
Following is an example of L0 - L9 pricing:
|
On LP record, where list price = $10.00: |
|
|
I up to 150 |
LP X 1.00 = 10.00 |
|
I up to 99999 |
L1 X .90 = 9.00 |
|
D up to 150 |
L1 X .80 = 8.00 |
|
D up to 99999 |
L3 X .90 = 7.20 |
|
The restriction on the LP record is that each item can only reference a line above it. Line 1 could not reference L2 or higher. A line cannot reference itself. |
|
|
On any price list except LP, where the LP record is as shown above: |
|
|
I up to 150 |
L1 X .80 = 7.20 |
|
I up to 99999 |
L4 X .90 = 6.48 |
|
D up to 150 |
L3 X .90 = 7.20 |
|
D up to 99999 |
L4 X .80 = 5.76 |
|
Any item can reference any line from L0 - L9 in the LP record. |
|
The Price File has a dollar variable, plus or minus, as well as the percentage variable. Example of use:
- Price = LP + 1.00 (list price plus $1.00)
- Price = LP X .75 + 1.25
- Price = LP X 1.10 - .50
- Price = L2 X 1.00 + .25
You can use this setup to perform both simple and complex formulas for pricing. It is ideal for roll or cut pricing when you want to add a fixed dollar amount to roll price to calculate cut price. It is also ideal for multi-branch pricing when you want to add fixed freight differentials by branch. For example, branch ABC gets list price plus 10 cents, branch XYZ gets list price plus 20 cents in order to compensate for the additional freight required to ship product to certain branches.
Variables are not adjusted when you round numbers. The original variables remain as entered. Only the resulting price is affected by rounding. Consider the use of the rounding options to prevent fractions of cents within prices, to round to the nearest nine, and so on.
Price List Comments Screen
You can use this screen to enter comments and additional information about price classes that is printed as part of the price lists.
- On the Price File Profile Screen, press F9 while in the Update mode. You can view the comments while in the Inquiry mode.
- Enter comments that you want to print on Price Lists Summarized By Price Class. This is not applicable to price lists that list individual items. You can enter up to 9999 comment lines per price class.
The following table describes the fields on this screen.
|
Field Name |
Description/Instructions |
|
Line |
This is the line or sequence number. It controls the sequence in which the comments print on price lists. Lines can be inserted by using the Insert Fields or changed by using the F13 function. |
|
Text |
Enter up to 70 characters of text per line. This text prints on Price Lists Summarized By Price Class. It is printed starting three characters indented from the start of the description. |
|
Insert Line #/ Text |
You can enter a line number in between the line numbers displayed in order to insert a line. |
Function Keys
|
Function Keys |
Description |
|
F2 |
Date/User - displays the last user, date, and time the comment line was updated |
|
F3 |
Press F3 to copy comments from another price class into the price class you are currently working with. You must specify whether to Add or Replace comments. The Add mode adds to the current comments. The Replace mode replaces current comments with the comments from the specified price class. |
|
F5 |
Refresh screen. Display most current version of the data. |
|
F6 |
Return to the Price File Profile screen. |
|
F7 |
Return to the Price File Profile screen. |
|
F13 |
Press F13 to switch modes from updating the text to updating the line numbers. When you update line numbers, you are simply resequencing the text already entered. You can change the line number to any other line number from 0001-9999. If the new line already contains text, then the changed line is added to the first free line below the requested new line. |
|
F24 |
See more function keys. |
Examples of Price File Screens
The following are examples of price file screens.
Quantity Break Pricing screen
This Quantity Breach Pricing screen shows three quantity break prices for this product. Each price relates to order quantities up to and including the respective quantity. In this example, all three prices are linked, with each quantity break lowering the price by $.25.
Third Column Pricing screen
The Third Column Pricing screen includes a single entry that enables any order which relates to price list number C3 (column 3 pricing), regardless of transaction type or quantity, to use the L3 price from the LP record. In the above example, the price is the third level quantity break. Whenever the LP record is updated, this record is automatically updated too.
Cost Plus Pricing screen
The Cost Plus Pricing screen uses a cost as a starting point, and uses a variable percentage greater than one, or a dollar add-on to create a price.
Cuts at Roll Pricing screen
The Cuts at Roll Pricing schemes simply point both the cut and roll price lines to the roll price. In the example above, the C and R price lines point to the same price, L2. The L2 price is the price on line 2 of the LP record, which would be the roll price in this example. Whenever the LP record is updated, this record is automatically updated too.
Associated Files
Customer Special Price File - FIL 18
Price/Cost Mass Updates - FIL 37
Organize Price, Cost, Packaging, Manufacturer, Supplier, Salesman, & Product Line Files - SYS 104
Change Price, Cost, or Packaging Codes - SYS 106
Change Price Exceptions File Dates - SYS 808
Activate Serial Number Price, Dimension and Additional Features
Options for Pricing by Warehouse
Options for Printing Price Savings on Customer Documents
Options for Retail Price Tag/Label
List Price File - RMF 9
Search Price File - FSR 9