» Power Tips: Product Pricing Strategies

Basic User - Fast and Simple fixed price

When creating a product, enter a fixed amount for cable/hardware, programming and installation. This is the easiest method. The cable/hardware entry can contain a fixed amount you charge for wire, trim rings, connectors, etc. It can also include the charges for accessories like interconnects or similar items you stock all the time. This method does not give you a breakdown of the included accessories.

Standard User - More Info & Control with Labor Breakdown

When creating a product, enter a fixed amount for cable/hardware, programming but leave the Installation (flat rate) entry at $0. For installation charges set the hours used for each phase in PreWireHR, TrimHR and FinishHR. The amount you charge for each phase is set in your Default Preferences. Leave the Installation (flat rate) column at $0. With this method, whenever you update your labor rates, you will not need to reenter charges for each product. This also allows the job report to print the summary of hours sold for each phase of the job. Compare these with QuickBooks job reports where you keep track of the actual hours used on the job.The cable/hardware entry can contain a fixed amount you charge for wire, trim rings, connectors, etc. It can also include the charges for accessories like interconnects or similar items you stock all the time. This method does not give you a breakdown of the included accessories.

Power User – Using AutoLinks for Accessories

Setup your labor in the PrewireHR, TrimHR and FinishHR columns. Create hardware and accessories as separate model numbers. Assign the cable/hardware or other accessories in AutoLinks so they can be automatically added when needed. All items will be detailed in the client proposal and purchase orders. For example: Autolink 50 Qty of a model number 16/4 cable at $0.06 per foot equipment and $0.10 per foot prewire labor. This gives full detail breakdowns for you and the client. The linked item can easily be deleted if not needed at this time.

Master User – Using AutoLink and Hide together to provide brevity for Client Bid but with full detail for your PO’s and Field Copies

Setup your labor in the PrewireHR, TrimHR and FinishHR columns. Create hardware and accessories as separate model numbers and AutoLink them when adding items to your bid. Each Linked Product can be preselected to show or hide. Items hidden in this way have their equipment prices added to ‘Cable/Hardware’ in the Bid Summary of the Client Bid. The labor values will appear in the usual way in the Summary section. Now there are 2 layers of Autolinking available for more powerful configurations.

This is the most powerful way to structure your proposals. It provides limited detail for client bids and full detail for your purchase orders and field copies. You can still choose to show/hide on a line item basis after entered by checking or unchecking Hide on that line.

Using BidMagic without Automatic Labor Calculations

Users can create their own “Labor Only” line item charges. To do this, create “Products” that contain labor charges ONLY (Equipment Sell Price must be set to $0) These labor charges can be added to standard line items or added to the final “Room” in the proposal. The room could be named “Labor or Installation" or any other title you wish to use for this header. Print Preferences contain options for how labor line items can appear in proposals.

New Options feature allows showing optional items that do not figure into total calculations. This is great for monthly charges, service or monitoring options and more.