Create a Usage Type

Overview

1. Click New.

2. Enter a descriptive Name for the usage type.

3. In the Client Defined Identifier field, enter your own custom code for identifying the usage type. When you call the record_usage or record_standing_usage API method to load your customers' usage records into Aria, you can pass either your client defined identifier or the usage_type or both to identify the usage type.
4. In the Display Name field, enter the name for the usage type that will be displayed to customers.

5. In the Description field, enter additional information about the usage type.
6. In the Usage Unit Types drop-down, choose the usage unit type.
   Usage unit types are descriptions of the units consumed in usage-based services. Example: If the usage type is cell phone minute usage, a usage unit type of minutes might be used. If the usage type is email storage, a usage unit type of gigabyte might be used. If want to add a new usage unit type, please contact Aria Systems Customer Support.
7. In the Rating Timing drop-down, choose the desired rating timing option.
   Usage Rating Parameter (Default) option selects the current, global client parameter (True or False) setting for "Automatically Rate Un-rated Usage Records at Load Time" located in Configuration > Billing > Invoice Settings. The client parameter remains in place as default unless explicitly set to another option. Rated at Invoicing, when selected, usage will be rated at the time of invoice processing. This option overrides the default client parameter for that usage type only. Rated at Loading, when selected, usage will be rated during usage loading to the platform. This option overrides the default client parameter for that usage type only.

   Note: This Rating Timing parameter is only available for newly created usage types in the system.

8. Enter additional information that you want to associate with the usage type into the Product Fields.

   Note: If you want to associate product fields with a usage type, you must first create the product fields.

9. Click Save. You can then associate the usage type with a usage-based service.