A customer asset represents an instance of a sold product for which the organization wishes to register future transactions. Unlike a product which is always owned by the organization while in stock, the customer asset ownership is transferred to the customer (a customer asset is generated when a product gets sold). Future transactions include maintenance and post sale services that may or may not be included in warranty.
Specifically, SocrateCloud offers the possibility to add attachments to customer assets, which can be viewed by the customer through the web store or the SocrateCloud application home page.
To create or edit a customer asset you can access the Customer Assets window, located in the Customer Service -> Customer Assets menu. The following fields are available:
Parent Asset - you can select a parent customer asset;
Name - enter the name of the customer asset;
Description, Comment - optionally, you can enter a description and a comment for the asset;
Active checkbox - check to denote that the customer asset is active;
Product - links the asset to a product sold by the organization;
Attribute Set Instance - product attribute values for the customer asset;
System Status - select from the list the status of the system used to determine support priority;
Version No - optional/descriptive - mainly used in the IT business, editorial production;
Lot No - specific lot number for the customer asset;
Serial No - specific serial number for a customer asset for which a warranty is applied. Only applicable if quantity is 1;
In Service Date - the date when the asset was put into service - usually used as start date for depreciation.
Expiration Date - date when the normal guarantee or availability expires;
Asset Group - this controls the default characteristics of a fixed asset, such as life span, amortization rule, or revenue and expense accounting. Details in Fixed Assets Groups;
Quantity - indicates the number of a specific product or item;
Owned checkbox - if checked, the asset may not be in possession, but the asset is legally owned by the organization;
In Possession checkbox - indicates that the asset that is in possession of the organization (located). It may or may not be owned by the organization;
Agent - an agent may be responsible for the customer asset;
Business Partner - customer who purchased the asset;
User/Contact - select a contact for the customer;
Partner Location, Address - select the delivery address for the asset;
Project - the asset may be related to a financial project. A Project allows you to track and control internal or external activities;
Location comment - additional comments or remarks concerning the location;
Last Maintenance - last maintenance date for the asset;
Life use Units - value used to calculate the depreciation;
Use Units - current value (used to calculate the depreciation) for the asset ;
Last Units - value (used to calculate the depreciation) from the last maintenance ;
Last Note - note from the last maintenance;
Next Maintenance - next maintenance date;
Next Unit - estimated value (used to calculate the depreciation) for the next maintenance.
Delivery tab - displays shipment information for the asset;
Asset Usage tab - displays the allocation history for the asset.
Rules for generating Customer Assets at completion of shipments are described as follows:
Customer Assets are generated for shipment details (lines). To automatically generate Customer Assets, the product must meet the following requirements:
the shipment lines must include a product (not a charge!);
the product category for this product must be a Customer Asset Group. Details in Fixed Assets Groups;
the shipment must be of Sales type (IsSOTrx = Y);
the shipment must not be a return (RMA)
The number, amount and guarantee date of customer assets depend on several options set at Item level, Customer asset group and the Subscription Type selected:
Number of Customer Assets generated depends on the option One Asset per UOM:
if selected, the number of Customer Assets generated is equal to the quantity from lines. For example, if shipment line is 5, then five distinct Customer Assets will be generated. This option loses its effect if the subscription type of item has the option Update existing record
if it is not selected, then it will generate a single Customer Asset, regardless of the amount on shipment line.
The Quantity of the customer assets generated is determined as follows:
If the subscription type of the product has the Update existing record option then the quantity from shipment line is used, regardless of the One Asset per UOM option on customer asset group;
If the subscription type of the product does not have the option Update existing record then the quantity depends on the One Asset per UOM option on customer asset group, as follows:
if selected the Support Units number from the definition of product will be used;
if not selected then the quantity from shipment line will be used.
The Guarantee Date on customer assets will depend on Update existing record on the subscription type of product:
If this option is selected and there is an active Customer Asset with the same product then the guarantee date on this Customer Asset will be updated as follows:
If the Product has the Shelf Life completed then this is added to the existing guarantee date;
if the Product does not have the Shelf Life completed the date is determined using the Frequency Type and Frequency and adding the appropriate value to the existing guarantee date.
If this option is not selected or an active Customer Asset with with the same product does not exist then the guarantee date on this Customer Asset will be updated as follows:
If the Product has the Shelf Life completed then this is added to the existing shipment date;
if the Product does not have the Shelf Life completed the date is determined using the Frequency Type and Frequency and adding the appropriate value to the existing shipment date.
Starting with v15.04 SocrateCloud offers the possibility to print the customer asset waranty certificate directly from the Customer Asset window, for the respective customer asset.
The corresponding print format is generated when pressing the Print button and will initially display the following fields:
Certificate No = customer asset search key;
Certificate Date = customer asset in service date;
Description = customer asset description;
Buyer = customer asset business partner;
CUI - taken from the business partner;
Address - taken from the business partner;
Telephone No - taken from the business partner address;
Product Key - taken from the product based on which the customer asset was generated;
Serial = customer asset serial no;
Warranty = Expiration Date - In service Date, in months;
Issued by = current user;
The print format can be edited and additional fields within the Customer Asset window can be added.
As a response to service management requests, starting v16.11, the following windows will be available in the Customer Service -> Service menu:
Customer Assets_Service window - simplified version of the Customer Assets window which displays customer assets (records from A_Asset with IsDepreciated='N' and IsOwned='N').
Contracts tab - displays corresponding contracts;
Requests tab - displays corresponding requests;
Project_Service window - simplified version of the Projects window. Only displays projects with the "Comandă Service" name.