Package management (for provider)

From ISPWiki

One of the most important things you need to do is to create a package, which determines how much bandwidth, disk space, IP-addresses, and other resources your customers can use. A Package is a collection of hosting resources available for order, and their pricing. Specific billing periods can be set for each package. Depending on his users' needs, the provider can create different packages that can vary in cost, amount of resources granted to customers and payment intervals.

The Packages module allows you to use a number of functions for packages management: you can add and edit existing packages, set up order periods, add-ons, clone and delete them if necessary.

Note that the "Package details" icon is only available if a package has additional resources.

You can create a package in BILLmanager that will be associated with ISPmanager. Packages can be grouped into Package groups allowing a customer to upgrade or downgrade his service packages within one package group.

For more information related to BILLmanager packages read the following articles:

• How to create a package
• How to change the package billing type
• Integration with your site
• BILLmanager initial setup.
• Debiting the client's account.

View a list of packages

Add new package

Clone package

Import package

Edit package

Delete package

Package details

Order periods

Filter the package list

Associated servers

View a list of packages

• ID - package unique identifier.
• Name - package name.
• Item type - package item type.
• Project - package project
• Price - package cost.
• Billing type - indicate whether and how customers pay for provided services:
  • Daily - customer will be daily charged a sum equal to the daily package cost.
  • Monthly - customer will be monthly charged. This billing type can be used for services that cannot be modified, for example server administration, monitoring, etc.).
  • Yearly - customer will be yearly charged.
  • Calendar -
  • Periodically - this is the most commonly used billing type. It can be used for services, which configuration cannot be modified (for example, domains, SSL certificates or dedicated servers).
  • No billing - customer won't be charged for services.
• Properties - current package status:

- the selected package is available for order.

- the selected package is not available for order.

Clone package

This function is used to facilitate the creation of new packages. Select a required package, click the "Clone" icon and fill out the following form:

• New package name - enter the name for the package.
• Internal name - enter the internal package name. It should match the name of the package provided on the server where a new service will be set up. For more information read the article Creating a package.

Depending on the package selected, the fields' names and number may vary.

Import package

If you want to import a service package from a BILLmanager server, click the "Import" icon and fill out the form:

• Server - choose a server from which you want to import a service package. Note that currently you can import only from a BILLmanager server.
• Item type - choose a package item type.

• Package - choose a package you want to import from the server.
• Project - choose a project in your billing system this package will be bound to.
• Type of services - choose a type of service.

Once you have finished, the selected package will be imported from a remote BILLmanager to your billing system.

Edit package

To edit a package, locate the package you wish to edit, click the "Edit" icon and modify the settings you want to change.

The form consists of two tabs. Depending on the package selected the form fields may vary. The main fields are as follows:

Settings

• Name - provide a package name.
• Internal name - provide an internal name of this package.
• Domain template - provide a template that will be used to form the domain name for the service. More information can be found the article Forming a domain name for services.
• Priority - provide a priority to sort out the list of packages.
• Setup fee - provide a single time fee that will be charged when the service is set up.
• Available for order - check the box to allow your customers to order this package.
• Forbid clients to change the package - check the box to prevent your customers from upgrading or downgrading their current packages.
• Available for order even though there are no free servers - allow your customers to order services even though there are no available servers.
• Renew if there are insufficient funds - check the box to allow your customers to renew services even though there are insufficient funds on their personal accounts. After the service is renewed, the balance will become negative.
• Kind of service - select a kind of service associated with this package.
• Product group - select the product group associated with the service.
• Access level - select a group of user who will be able to order this package.
• Service agreement - select an agreement a customer must accept when ordering the service.

Description

• Order link - follow the link to order the service from your web-site.

• Notes - form for additional information related to the package.

Delete package

To delete a package, select it from the list and click the "Delete" icon. Confirm that you wish to delete the package by clicking OK on the following form.

Filter the package list

You can use the list filter to search the information about package by specific parameters. To initiate searching, click the "Filter" icon and fill out the form. You do not need to fill out all the fields. The search can be carried out by the type, project, billing type, kind of service and product group.

Once the filter is set, the list will be filtered by package. You can clear the filter that you have previously set by clicking the "Remove filter" button.

Learn more from our Webinars

Creation and configuration of service packages in BILLmanager