Changing Charge Codes
The system suggests five of the seven types of charge codes as defaults in CAR: contract, warranty, billable, covered, and fixed billable. You can enter giveaway and project mandatory charge codes as manual overrides.
Within the limitations described in this section, you can change any default charge code. When you change the charge code, the system may also change the service type used. The system then applies the limits of the new service type and calculates a new covered amount.
The system applies these rules for changing charge codes:
• You cannot mix fixed and non-fixed pricing in a line. You can change a fixed charge code only to another fixed charge code and any non-fixed charge codes to another non-fixed charge code.
• You can change any charge code other than fixed to a giveaway charge code, which covers 100% of the price. The usage record consumes no limits, regardless of the service type’s coverage levels.
• You can change any charge code other than fixed to a project mandatory charge code if you previously specified a project for the call item.
• You can change covered, contract, or warranty charge codes to a billable charge code. The system ignores coverage levels on the service type and enters a default of zero for the covered amount.
• You can change contract, warranty, or billable charge codes to a covered charge code. The system changes the service type to the Default Call Service Type in Call Management Control, and applies its levels of coverage.
The system also applies rules for the following special conditions:
• Both warranty and contract coverage exist for an item. When dual coverage exists for an item on a call, you must choose one source of coverage to use, but both sources are stored with the record. You can then switch between them on each usage detail.
If you chose warranty for the call item, you can change to contract for a specific usage detail. The system then uses the contract service type for that detail record and applies its limits and levels of coverage. If you chose contract for the call item, you can change to warranty for a usage detail and the system applies the warranty’s coverage levels to the detail record.
• A valid contract and an expired or unapplied warranty exist. You can change a contract charge code to warranty even if the warranty is expired or was never associated with the item in the installed base record. This enables you to extend the warranty coverage, a requirement in some service contexts.
For example, if an item has been fixed twice under warranty and fails again for the same reason a week after the warranty expires, you can offer service at the normal warranty coverage as a goodwill gesture. The system applies the level of coverage from the warranty type.
• No contract exists and you specify a contract charge code. If the item has no associated contract and you specify a contract charge code, a warning displays. The system changes the service type to the Call Default Service Type and applies its level of coverage to the detail record.
• No warranty exists and you specify a warranty charge code. If the item has no associated warranty code and you specify a warranty charge code, a warning displays. The system changes the service type to the Call Default Service Type and applies its level of coverage to the detail usage record.
The flexibility in changing charge codes lets you make adjustments in a dynamic service environment. However, you should consider the defaults as the normal way to use the system. Modify charge codes only after carefully considering the appropriateness and consequences of the change.