A counter is a numeric variable you can define and declare in a reusable charge. Each counter has a name and an initial value that you assign when creating the charge. A counter can be used in all rates, and you can change its value at any time in the charge. There is no limit to the number of counters you can create. During the implementation project phase, you check the performances.
You can declare two types of counters: Persistent or transient.
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Note: Persistent counters are declared at the root of the reusable charge (see the Definition tab). You can redefine persistent counters in a price plan but you cannot redefine persistent counters in a charging plan. This means that the persistent counters are only used with their initial value in a charging plan. |
When you declare a persistent counter 
in a charge, SAP CC will create a counter in each provider contract or subscription that activates this charge. The counter is updated and saved to the back-end database during the charging process and refilling process. The life-cycle of a persistent counter is linked to that of a subscription or a provider contract.
Persistent counters declared in a charge are visible and can be redefined in offers or charge plans including the charge.
In offers or charge plans, you can configure persistent counters which can then be shared across some or all charges. These are called shareable counters.
Persistent counters introduce a new numeric rating property dedicated to a specific subscription or provider contract. You can retrieve the rating property via the calculation system.
Example
As the telephone operator TelcoServ, you offer a package called Advantage. Customers pay a subscription fee of $35 and receive special rates for weeknight and weekend calls. Anyone subscribing to this offer or charge plan receives 30 free minutes of call time. In order to include these minutes of usage as free of charge in your price plan, you create a counter that decrements for each minute used and signals SAP CC Core Server when 30 minutes have been used up. In this way, it can then start charging the service usage.
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Note: Transient counters are only available in the price plan of a reusable charge (see the Definition tab). |
Contrary to a persistent counter, a transient counter 
is not saved to the back-end database but stored in internal memory during the charging process. The transient counters declared in a charge are not visible and cannot be redefined in offers or charge plans including the charge; However, transient counters can be shared by master and dependent charges.
The life-cycle of transient counters is linked to a rating session because the transient counters are created when the corresponding rating process starts, and they are deleted when the rating process stops.
Transient counters are mainly used in tariff plans intended for session-based rating.
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Note: Transient counters can be shared with a master charge and its dependent charges once the reusable charges are customized in a charge plan or in an offers. Refer to the procedures to enable this share. |
Example
In the chargeable item class "Telephone Services", you charge the customer $0.20 per call minute. To compute the price of a telephone call, you create a price plan using the transient counter "call_duration" and the user properties "duration_quota" and "method". The user property "method" specifies if the duration quota is confirmed (updated) or reserved (not updated). The following table shows the session-based rating of a 3-minute call:
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Session step |
Amount to cancel |
Amount to confirm |
Amount to reserve |
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Start (method = reservation) (duration_quota = 3 minutes) |
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3 x $0.20 = $0.60 call_duration = 0 |
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Update (method = confirmation) (duration_quota = 2 minutes) ---------------------------- (method = reservation) (duration_quota = 3 minutes |
- $0.60 (3 x $0.20) call_duration = 0 ------------------------
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2 x $0.20 = $0.40 call_duration = 2 minutes -------------------------
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------------------------ 3 x $0.20 = $0.60 call_duration = 2 minutes |
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Stop (method = confirmation) duration_quota = 1 minute |
- $0.60 (3 x $0.20) call_duration = 2 minutes |
1 x $0.20 = $0.20 call_duration = 3 minutes |
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Sharing transient counters with dependent charges in charge plans
Sharing transient counters with dependent charges in offers