Charge codes play an important role in accounting through association with product lines in Charge Product Line Maintenance. Connecting particular charge codes to product lines lets you segregate the cost of warranty service, for example, from the cost of contract service.

Managing costs with distinct accounts simplifies reporting and provides information on the profitability of your service activities. When you use charge codes this way, you can direct the cost of each labor, expense, or item usage record to a different product line.

To simplify accounting, you can associate only one product line with the item being repaired. The system uses that product line’s WIP account for reports you generate for the call item. The system determines the product line by the setting of Use Item Prod Line in SSM Accounting Control.

Detailed Accounting in CIR describes accounts affected.

To find the charge product line for a line of usage detail, the system uses the detail line’s charge code, work code, service category, and service type. The product line and service group come from the call item. If no charge product line exists, the system uses the product line of the call item or the service type, depending on the setting of Use Item Product Line in SSM Accounting Control.

The product line for each usage record displays if Detail is Yes. You cannot modify the product line directly. The only way to change it is to change the usage record’s charge code.

See Search Order for Product Line for details on the search algorithm.