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Base Products & Product System

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Introduction

The Base Products & Product System is the foundation of your proposal creation workflow. It allows you to:

  • Define base products - Your primary products (like pools or spas) with specific details
  • Add custom attributes - Track information unique to your business
  • Create additional products - With smart pricing that adjusts based on your base product
  • Organize products - Using sections and categories for consistent proposals

Note on Units: The system uses liters (litres) for volume measurements to ensure consistency in calculations. Other measurements (size, loads, custom attributes) are flexible - use whatever units are standard in your region and industry.

Next Step: Once you understand this system, see the Creating Proposals Guide to learn how to build and send proposals to customers.

Understanding Base Products

What is a Base Product?

A Base Product is the foundation of every proposal. It’s the main item you’re selling to your customer. For example:

  • Pool companies: The pool itself (size 6m, 30,000L volume, 3 loads of concrete)
  • Spa companies: The spa unit (seats 4, has 20 jets)
  • Construction companies: The primary building or structure

Why Base Products Matter

Base Products are special because:

  1. They’re the starting point - Every proposal begins with selecting a base product
  2. They drive pricing - Other products can automatically adjust their prices based on the base product’s details
  3. They appear prominently - Base products are highlighted in customer-facing proposals

Base Product Information

Each base product includes:

Standard Fields (Always Present)

  • Name: e.g., “Rectangle Pool - 6m”
  • Cost: What you pay for it
  • Price: What you charge the customer
  • Markup: Your profit margin (automatically calculated)

Type-Specific Fields

Depending on your base product type, you’ll see different fields:

For Pools:

  • Size (your unit of measurement - meters, feet, square meters, etc.)
  • Volume (in liters/litres)
  • Loads (your unit of count - concrete loads, truckloads, etc.)

Custom Fields

Your organization can define additional fields specific to your business (see Working with Base Product Attributes)

Presentation

  • Image: Upload a photo of the base product
  • Brochure: Attach a PDF brochure for customers

Working with Base Product Attributes

What Are Base Product Attributes?

Base Product Attributes are custom fields that you can add to your base products to track information specific to your business.

Examples

Pool Company:

  • Pool Shape (Rectangle, Kidney, Freeform)
  • Pool Colour (Blue, Turquoise, Grey)
  • Interior Finish (Pebble, Tile, Vinyl)
  • Access Type (Easy, Moderate, Difficult)

Spa Company:

  • Seating Configuration (Lounge, Corner, Captain’s Chair)
  • Lighting Package (Basic, Premium, RGB)
  • Cover Type (Standard, Insulated, Solar)

Setting Up Custom Attributes

Note: This is typically done by administrators. If you don’t have access, contact your system administrator.

  1. Navigate to Admin → Organization Settings → Proposal Settings
  2. Scroll to Base Product Attributes
  3. Click Add Attribute
  4. Choose:
    • Name: What the field is called (e.g., “Pool Shape”)
    • Type:
      • Text: Free-form text (e.g., “Notes”)
      • Number: Numeric value (e.g., “Depth”, “Width”)
      • Checkbox: Yes/no (e.g., “Has diving board”)
      • Dropdown: Choose from options (e.g., “Shape: Rectangle, Kidney, Freeform”)
    • Required: Whether this field must be filled in

Using Custom Attributes

When creating or editing a base product:

  1. Fill in all standard fields (name, cost, price, size, etc.)
  2. Scroll down to see your custom attribute fields
  3. Fill them in based on your customer’s needs
  4. Save the base product

These custom fields:

  • ✅ Appear in proposals for customers to see
  • ✅ Can be used for product pricing (see Understanding Product Pricing Types)
  • ✅ Help you track important details about each project

Creating and Managing Base Products

Creating a New Base Product

  1. Navigate to Inventory

    • Click Products in the sidebar
    • Select the appropriate tab (e.g., “Pools”)

  2. Click “Add [Product Type]”

    • Example: “Add Pool” button in top right

  3. Fill in the Details Tab

    Name: Give it a descriptive name

    • ✅ Good: “Rectangle Pool - 6m x 3m”
    • ❌ Bad: “Pool 1”

    Cost: What this costs you (supplier price + freight)

    • Include your base cost
    • Add custom freight if different from your default
    • System shows total cost including freight

    Price: What you’ll charge the customer

    • Enter the sell price OR
    • Enter a markup percentage (system calculates price)

    Type-Specific Fields (for pools):

    • Size: Pool size (use your preferred unit - feet, meters, square meters, etc.)
    • Volume: Water capacity in liters/litres
    • Loads: Quantity needed (concrete loads, truckloads, etc.)

    Custom Attributes: Fill in any custom fields your organization has defined

  4. Add Presentation Materials (Optional)

    Click the Presentation tab:

    • Upload Image: Click “Upload new image” to add a photo
    • Attach Brochure: Select from your uploaded brochures

    These appear in customer proposals if you use the “Rich Gateway” proposal screen.

  5. Click Save

Editing a Base Product

  1. Go to Products → Select your base product type tab
  2. Click on the base product name in the table
  3. Make your changes
  4. Click Save

Important: If this base product is used in draft proposals, changing it won’t affect existing proposals. Only new proposals will use the updated details.

Archiving a Base Product

Instead of deleting base products, you can archive them. Archived base products:

  • ✅ Are hidden from the active list
  • ✅ Can still be viewed in existing proposals
  • ✅ Can be restored if needed later
  • ✅ Preserve all historical data

To Archive:

  1. Click on the base product to edit
  2. Click the Archive button (inbox icon)
  3. Confirm archiving

To View Archived Products:

  1. Toggle “Show archived” switch in the top right
  2. Archived products appear with “(Archived)” label
  3. Click an archived product to view or restore it

To Restore:

  1. Enable “Show archived” toggle
  2. Click on the archived base product
  3. Click the Restore button (rollback icon)
  4. Confirm restoration

Understanding Product Pricing Types

Products are the additional items you add to proposals alongside the base product. They can have different pricing strategies:

1. Fixed Price

What it is: A simple, unchanging price.

Example:

  • “Pool Handover Kit - $150”
  • “Safety Inspection - $200”

When to use:

  • Items with consistent pricing
  • One-time fees
  • Standard packages

2. Unit Price

What it is: Price per unit of measurement, multiplied by quantity.

Example:

  • “Pool Coping - $45 per meter”
  • “Glass Fencing - $280 per meter”
  • “Hourly Service - $120 per hour”

When to use:

  • Items sold by measurement (meters, hours, bags)
  • Quantities vary per project

In Proposals: User enters the quantity needed, system calculates total.

3. Variable Price (Smart Pricing)

What it is: Price changes based on rules you define, evaluated against the base product.

Example: “Pool Excavation”

If Pool Size…Then Price…
Less than 5m$1,500
5m to 8m$2,250
Greater than 8m$3,500

More Complex Example: “Chemical Startup Package”

If Pool Volume…AND Pool Shape…Then Price…
Less than 30,000LAny shape$180
30,000L - 50,000LRectangle$250
30,000L - 50,000LKidney or Freeform$280
Over 50,000LAny shape$350

When to use:

  • Pricing depends on base product size, volume, or attributes
  • Different scenarios need different pricing
  • Want to avoid manual price calculation

Benefits:

  • ✅ Automatically calculates correct price
  • ✅ Reduces errors
  • ✅ Consistent pricing across team
  • ✅ If customer changes base product, prices auto-update

4. Attribute Price

What it is: Price multiplied by a specific base product attribute value.

Example: “Pool Chemicals (per load)”

  • Cost per load: $15
  • Price per load: $25
  • Pool has 3 loads
  • Calculated Price: 3 × $25 = $75

Another Example: “Heating (per liter)”

  • Price per liter: $0.04
  • Pool volume: 45,000 liters
  • Calculated Price: 45,000 × $0.04 = $1,800

Important Note: The system multiplies the attribute value by your price. Make sure your price per unit matches how the attribute is stored:

  • Volume is stored in liters, so set your price per liter (e.g., $0.04 per liter)
  • Loads is stored as a count, so set price per load (e.g., $25 per load)
  • Size uses your chosen unit, so set price per that unit (e.g., $50 per meter or $15 per foot)
  • The system performs direct multiplication - it doesn’t convert units or divide by larger amounts (e.g., can’t automatically do “per 10,000 liters”)

When to use:

  • Price is directly proportional to a base product measurement
  • Linear pricing relationship
  • Simpler than variable pricing with rules

Benefits:

  • ✅ Simple to set up
  • ✅ Automatically scales with base product
  • ✅ Great for volume-based or size-based pricing

Understanding Sections & Categories

Proposals are organized using Sections and Categories to keep your products structured and consistent.

What Are Sections?

Sections are top-level groupings in your proposals:

  • Basic Options (system-defined, always first) - Products always included with the base product
  • Custom sections you create (e.g., “Optional Upgrades”, “Landscaping”, “Approval Costs”)

Section Controls: Each section has settings that determine:

  • Include in Contract: Show products from this section in the contract
  • Include in Proposal: Include products in the proposal total
  • Include in Proposal Summary: Show section in first page summary (rich proposals)
  • Calculate Total: Display section subtotal in the proposal
  • Allow Custom Field: Enable adding one-off custom line items (e.g., “Site-specific equipment - $500”)
  • Allow Adjust Price: Enable adding hidden price adjustments to improve margins

What Are Categories?

Categories sit within sections and contain your products:

  • Each category belongs to one section
  • Has an “Included in proposal” checkbox - if checked, appears automatically in every new proposal
  • Has a default product assigned - when added to a proposal, this product is automatically selected
  • Makes building standard proposals fast and consistent

How They Work Together

Section: Basic Options
  ├─ Category: Pool Color
  │   ├─ Product: Blue Pebble (default)
  │   ├─ Product: Turquoise
  │   └─ Product: Grey Pearl
  ├─ Category: Filtration
  │   ├─ Product: Standard Filter (default)
  │   └─ Product: Premium Filter
  └─ Category: Lighting
      ├─ Product: LED Package (default)
      └─ Product: RGB Package

Section: Optional Upgrades
  ├─ Category: Heating
  │   ├─ Product: Gas Heater
  │   └─ Product: Heat Pump
  └─ Category: Automation
      ├─ Product: Basic Controls
      └─ Product: Smart Controls

To Learn More: See the Creating Proposals Guide for how to use sections and categories when building proposals.

Best Practices

For Base Products

✅ Do:

  • Use descriptive names that include key details
    • Good: “Rectangle Pool - 6m x 3m - Blue Pebble”
    • Bad: “Pool 1”
  • Keep your library organized - Archive old/unused base products
  • Fill in all custom attributes - They help you track important details
  • Add photos and brochures - Makes proposals more professional
  • Review pricing regularly - Update costs as supplier prices change
  • Archive discontinued products - Keep them for historical proposals but hide from active use

❌ Don’t:

  • Don’t create duplicate base products - Reuse existing ones when possible
  • Don’t skip custom attributes - Even if optional, they’re valuable
  • Don’t forget freight costs - Include them in your total cost
  • Don’t set unrealistic markups - Consider competition and market rates

For Product Pricing

✅ Do:

  • Use fixed pricing for consistent items (fees, standard packages)
  • Use unit pricing for measured items (fencing, coping, hourly work)
  • Use variable pricing when price depends on multiple factors
  • Use attribute pricing for simple size/volume-based items
  • Test your rules - Create test proposals to verify pricing

❌ Don’t:

  • Don’t create overly complex pricing rules - Keep it simple when possible
  • Don’t forget edge cases - What if size is exactly 5m? Define rules clearly
  • Don’t duplicate pricing logic - Use variable pricing instead of creating multiple products
  • Don’t forget to update rules - When costs change, update your pricing

Frequently Asked Questions

Base Products

Q: Can I have multiple base product types (pools, spas, etc.)?

A: Yes! Your administrator can enable multiple base product types in organization settings. You’ll see separate tabs for each type.

Q: What’s the difference between standard fields and custom attributes?

A: Standard fields (like size, volume, loads for pools) are built into the system for each product type. Custom attributes are fields your organization adds to track business-specific information.

Q: Can I change a base product after it’s in a proposal?

A: You can edit the base product itself, but existing proposals won’t change. Only new proposals will use the updated version. If you want to update a draft proposal, change the base product within the proposal - this will recalculate all prices.

Q: What happens to proposals when I archive a base product?

A: Existing proposals are unaffected - they keep the base product information as it was. The archived base product just won’t appear in the selector when creating new proposals. You can always restore it later if needed.

Q: Why do I see “custom freight” field?

A: Most products use your organization’s default freight costs. Custom freight lets you override this for special cases (e.g., remote location, oversized items).

Product Pricing

Q: Which pricing type should I use?

A: It depends:

  • Fixed: Item has one price regardless of pool/spa
  • Unit: Price per meter/hour/bag and quantity varies
  • Variable: Price changes based on multiple conditions
  • Attribute: Price is directly proportional to one measurement

Q: What happens if none of my variable price rules match?

A: The product will have $0 price, which will alert you that something’s wrong. Make sure your rules cover all scenarios, including edge cases.

Q: Can I use custom attributes in variable pricing?

A: Yes! When setting up rules, you can use both standard attributes (size, volume) and custom attributes (shape, colour, etc.).

Q: Why did my product price change when I updated the base product?

A: Variable and attribute prices automatically recalculate when the base product changes. This ensures pricing is always accurate.

Sections & Categories

Q: Who can create sections and categories?

A: Typically administrators or managers. Contact your system administrator if you need sections or categories added.

Q: Can I change which section a category belongs to?

A: Yes, administrators can move categories between sections in the admin settings.

Q: What’s the difference between “Basic Options” and other sections?

A: “Basic Options” is system-defined and always appears first. It’s meant for products that are always included with the base product. Other sections are fully customizable.

Getting Help

If you have questions not covered in this guide:

  1. Contact your system administrator - They can help with configuration and access
  2. Check with colleagues - They might have encountered similar situations
  3. Contact support - Include base product details for faster help

Next Step: Ready to create proposals? See the Creating Proposals Guide.

Summary

The Base Products & Product System gives you:

✅ Flexibility - Define products that match your business
✅ Accuracy - Automatic price calculations reduce errors
✅ Organization - Sections and categories keep proposals structured
✅ Consistency - Same pricing logic across your team
✅ Professionalism - Detailed base products with photos and brochures

Master this system and you’ll have a solid foundation for creating accurate, professional proposals.