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.
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
Getting Help
If you have questions not covered in this guide:
- Contact your system administrator - They can help with configuration and access
- Check with colleagues - They might have encountered similar situations
- Contact support - Include base product details for faster help
Next Step: Ready to create proposals? See the Creating Proposals Guide.