Function documentationService Contracts

 

Service contracts are outline agreements with business partners which define services offered for a particular period.

Service contracts represent long-term service agreements with customers in relation to the content and scope of services guaranteed within specific tolerance limits for certain parameters, for example, within a predefined timeframe.

Example Example

If a technical defect occurs in a customer’s machine, they are assured that a service representative will be on-site at the customer’s place of business within four hours to correct the fault.

End of the example.

In a service contract, you specify detailed information that has been agreed upon with the service recipient, such as:

  • Routine tasks for devices that you have sold or rented to the customer

  • Prices for the routine tasks

  • Objects for which services can be claimed

  • Conditions under which the contract can be cancelled

During the validity period of the service contract, you can use the service contract for the following:

  • To trigger regular automatic billing

  • To determine whether a service request made by the customer is covered by the service contract

  • To determine whether a cancellation request from a customer is valid

  • To trigger follow-up activities before the validity period of the service contract runs out

You can either create a service contract directly, or as a follow-up transaction for a service agreement, a service contract quotation, or a service contract template.

Integration

Internet Customer Self-Service
  • Internet users can display their service contracts.

  • If the Internet user creates a service request or a complaint and several service contracts could be used as the basis, the Internet user can select a suitable contract and link it to the service request. For more information, see Service Contracts in E-Service.

Mobile Client
  • Service contracts can be downloaded onto a laptop. They can be assigned to a document (such as a service order) and in this way can influence price determination that takes place on the laptop.

Features

A service contract consists of header data and item data. A service product can be stipulated for each service contract item and the customer can claim this product over a certain period at a specific price.

Different types of services can be stipulated as service products in a service contract item:

  • An individual service (such as a hotline)

  • A complex service that is made up of multiple services and materials, such as an automobile inspection

  • A service limited according to value or quantity (such as ten free-of-charge telephone consultations after buying software, covering costs up to USD 300)

  • A service plan in which planned services reoccurring at intervals are entered (such as maintenance of a pump every three months)

  • A usage-based service (such as maintenance of a photocopier after 100,000 copies)

Agreement of Individual Services in the Service Contract

You stipulate a specific service as a product in a service contract item. If service parts are required, for example, when exchanging a computer hard drive or changing tires on a car, enter these in the product list for the contract item.

Agreement of Service Packages in the Service Contract

In a service contract item, you stipulate a complex service package consisting of several individual services and service parts. All of the services and service parts contained in the service package are entered in the product list belonging to the contract item.

Agreement of Services Limited to Value or Quantity in the Service Contract (Value/Quantity)

In a service contract item, you stipulate services or service packages with a specific target quantity or particular overall value. Contracts including this kind of agreement are called Service Contracts (Value/Quantity). For more information, see Service Contract (Value/Quantity).

Note Note

You can enter contract items with services limited according to value or quantity not only in service contracts (value/quantity), but also in service contracts.

End of the note.