Package

A Package in NetForum offers two inventory products together for sale, most often at a lower price. For example, you might offer your customers a bargain price if they buy both the membership pin and membership directory in one package. Package items can be inventoried or non-inventoried. If the item in the package is an inventoried item, NetForum will track each product as a separate inventory transaction. This is different from Kits where all assigned items are tracked as one inventory transaction together. Packages, unlike Product Bundles and Kits, do not have price profiles or pricing controls which means that you are unable to set-up member vs. non-member prices within the current baseline functionality.

The five standard Group Item Links (Add, Find, List, Run Query, Query Central), are available in the Package group item.

Note: Event Registration and Membership Dues cannot be added to the same package.

Adding a Package

To add a new Package to NetForum , your first step is to name and describe the Package you will be creating. Note that fields in bold in NetForum are required fields. You will not be able to save your Package until these fields are complete.

To add a new Package to NetForum, follow these steps:

1. Select the Inventory tab.
2. On the Group Item Overflow Menu, click Package.
3. Select Add Package from the drop-down menu. The Add Package page displays.
4. Business Unit: This drop-down will be pre-populated with your business unit. If you work with more than one entity, you may use this drop-down to select the entity that this package belongs to if you wish. Otherwise, there is no need to change this field.
5. Product Code: The product code is often an abbreviated version of your product's name.
6. Package Name: The Package name should be descriptive enough for your customers to understand what it is but short enough for Fulfillment reports and invoices. Package name is required.
7. Description: Use the description field to add more detailed information about the Package. This field is optional but note it is also used during Fulfillment Reports, particularly when you are using Packing Slips during the shipping process.
8. Start Date and End Date: Start and end dates are also optional. These dates relate to how long your products will be available for sale as a Package at the prices you indicate. If you intend to sell the products you add to this Package indefinitely as a Package there is no need to add any dates.
9. Sell Online: Select this checkbox if you want your Package available for sale on your Website. Note that if you select your item available for online sale, you then have the option to click the Notes button that appears to specify how you want it to appear online. Further, post to web date and the remove date fields appear. These fields relate to when you want to post this Package online for sale and when you want it removed for sale. Using the example above, the OLB business unit has specified to remove this Package from their eWeb by March 31st since they also intend to stop selling the two products in the Package together at that same time as well.
10. Click the Save button to save your Package. You are now ready to add products to your package which is discussed below in Managing Packages.

Finding Package Records

Finding a Package that has been entered into the NetForum database is easily accomplished. The Find function is universal throughout NetForum and detailed on the Find topic.

Finding records within the Inventory module follows the same format and function. You can search by Package Name. (Use the drop-down list to find a specific Package.)

The Advanced View check-box allows you to conduct Boolean searches to broaden and narrow your search as needed.

Records resulting from the Find Record search appear in the List-Package list.

Managing Packages

Navigating to the Package Profile

The Package Profile is displayed once you have entered a new Package into the NetForum application. If you want to navigate to and view a specific profile page:

• Click on the Inventory module from the Module Menu drop-down.

• On the Group Item Overflow Menu, click Package. You can then choose to List Package or to Find Package.

• You can also choose to click on the Package icon from the Inventory content group page.

Depending upon which Package you choose, its Package Profile will display.

Package Profile

The Package Profile shows the product code, package name, the start and end dates the package will be available, and specifies if the package should be available online and for what dates (if applicable).

Additional information that relates to how the Package will be displayed online such as the ability to upload a thumbnail and how its text will be displayed is available by clicking the web information button. Finally, you are able to edit the Package by clicking on the edit button.

There are two child forms that can be accessed from each Package Profile as well. Child forms are accessed by clicking on the various tabs found at the bottom of each profile page, in this case the Components and Other Products tabs.

These child forms allow you to add the products you plan to sell within your Package as well as complementary and substitute products as well if you choose.

Each tab and corresponding child form is discussed in more detail below.

Components Tab

Package Components Child Form

The Components tab on the Package Profile contains one child form that can be changed; the package components child form, displayed below.

Adding Components

Now that you have created your package, this child form enables you to add the products you will feature for sale within the package. For example, in the screenshot above the OLB business unit has decided to offer a Lifetime Subscription and Technical Writing for Kids book for sale at discounted price (than if purchased separately).

To add products to a Package, click the Add Record or button. The Add Package dialogue box displays as pictured below.

All fields on the add package component form are required. Notice that you are able to choose how many of the specific product you want to offer for sale within the Package in the package quantity field. Pay particular attention to the package item price field. Use this field to determine how much you want to discount this particular item within the Package.

Clicking the show on invoice? checkbox will cause this product to show as a line item on the invoice for the package.

Clicking the optional? checkbox will allow users to remove this line item for their shopping cart when purchasing the package. Leaving this checkbox unchecked will make this product a required part of the package.

Once you have finished adding products to your Package, you are ready to begin selling it either through Centralized Order Entry or through eWeb if you specified that it should sell online.

Other Products Tab

The Other Products tab on the Package Profile enables you to associate Affiliated Products to the Package you are currently creating or viewing in the Package Profile page.

For example, you can assign a complementary or substitute products that are associated with your normal Package items. In the example above, the following products have been suggested as affiliated products:

• An NetForumTee Shirt is suggested as a complementary purchase when purchasing the package
• A Yearly Subscription can be used as a substitution product if the Packages are out of stock

Note that, for Packages, you are only able to substitute for the entire Package and not for the individual products within the Package.

For more information, view the Complementary Products topic.

Ordering a Package Through Centralized Order Entry

Once your Package has been set-up within NetForum , you may begin to sell it on your Website or use the Centralized Order Entry (COE) process in NetForum to sell Packages yourself to individual customers.

This process is described in detail on the Centralized Order Entry page. The end result of a Package sale is depicted in the screenshot below. Both items are displayed to you as well as the discounted price specified for them. Finally, both items defined for this Package are also taxed using the Virginia State sales tax defined in a previous Tax Product defined. When you Save this order, you will also be able to add further discounts using a Discount Product if you choose as well as associated shipping costs using your defined Shipping Product.